Healthy Helper

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Teriyaki Quinoa

2012-01-18T13:33:00.031-07:00

Happy Wednesday! :) Have you tried quinoa yet? If not, why not?

I have shared quite a few quinoa recipes on this blog. Quinoa is a delicious whole grain that has become quite easy to find. In fact, quinoa can be purchased in most grocery stores now, so a special trip to the health food store is not required. I like quinoa because it is a good source of protein and is packed with so many other nutrients.

I tried this recipe out on my family and they all loved it. It is a great side dish to serve instead of rice if you are making a stir-fry!

Teriyaki Quinoa
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried)
3 Tablespoons low-sodium tamari (or other soy sauce)
2 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water for about 2 minutes to remove the bitter coating. Place the quinoa in a small saucepan and add the water. Stir in the garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered for 10-15 minutes or until the water is all absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir.

Crediting information:
Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Whole Wheat Convenience Mix

2012-01-04T12:53:00.004-07:00

Happy Wednesday and welcome back to Whole Grain Wednesdays! Today I have a link to a website to share with you. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has a nice group of convenience mixes that can help you save money and time. I like to use convenience mixes because I can mix them up over the weekend and then it saves me time when I want to cook biscuits or bread later in the week. But most of all, I appreciate knowing everything that goes into them. Some of the mixes in the store, such as biscuit mixes, have a lot of questionable ingredients and preservatives in them.

For example, Bisquick has partially hydrogenated oils in it which you probably know is another word for trans fat. Since ideally our trans fat intake should be zero, this is not something that I would buy for my family. Plus you will notice that there is not a whole grain to be found anywhere in this product.

So, if you are interested in making your own whole wheat convenience mix, here is the University of Maine website. Hope you enjoy it!

SuperTracker Is Here

2012-01-02T10:13:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year! Do you have any resolutions for the new year? If you, like many others, would like to improve your diet or get more exercise, a new online tool may be of interest to you! You are probably aware that the the USDA introduced MyPlate last year to replace the old food guide pyramid. Now they have developed a new website to go along with the new plate design. This website is a lot of fun, and best of all it is free! The new SuperTracker website allows users to:

Track the foods they eat and track their daily physical activity.
Get personalized recommendations for what and how much to eat, and how much physical activity they should aim for daily.
Customize features such as setting goals, virtual coaching, and weight tracking.
Get reports of their progress over time.

There is even a "Food-a-Pedia" that lets users compare the nutrients in two foods which is pretty neat.

You can even support your family and friends by adding their individual profiles. Check out the website and see what you think!

What Determines Children's Eating Behavior?

2011-12-28T11:55:00.003-07:00

As parents and caregivers, we all want the children in our lives to eat a nutritious diet so that they can be healthy and active children. But we all know that getting children to eat a healthy diet can sometimes be a challenge! I wanted to share with you an article that was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The authors put together a review of the current data on determinants of children's eating habits. They reported on strategies that worked, and those that had negative effects on healthy eating habits in children.

Here is what they found:
1)  Overcontrol, restriction, pressure to eat and the promise of rewards all have negative effects on children's food acceptance.
2)  Having at least one parent at the family meal is associated with children eating more fruits and vegetables.
3)  Severely restricting the diet of overweight children may cause that child to be more likely to overeat.
4) The earlier a child is exposed to a wide variety of foods, the healthier their diet is as an adult.
5)  Having fruits and vegetables widely available in your home will increase your child's intake of these foods.
6) In the same manner, the more "junk food" you have in your home, the more of it your child will consume.

As the authors of this paper put it: "Children like what they know and eat what they like". In other words, children grow to like the foods that are made available to them on a regular basis and this shapes the types of foods they will prefer for the rest of their lives.

What we need to be asking ourselves about the food environment in our homes is:

Are we buying, preparing, and serving foods that we want our children to get in the habit of eating?
Are we practicing the "Division of Responsibility" during our meal service and allowing our children to determine how much they want to eat or not eat, and not pressuring them to eat?
Are we serving a wide variety of foods and introducing our children to many different healthy foods?

Something to think about as we head into a new year!

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Whole Grain Biscuit Mix

2011-12-21T11:13:00.011-07:00

Happy Wednesday! I made another biscuit recipe this week. I know that I just shared another biscuit recipe with you, but I really like this one because it is a "mix" that you can store in the refrigerator and use as you need it. I also like the fact that it has a variety of whole grains in it! If you don't have spelt flour, and don't want to buy any, you can use additional whole wheat pastry flour in its place.

Biscuit Mix
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
7 Tablespoons cold butter

In a large bowl mix the first 9 ingredients (all ingredients except butter). Stir well. Grate the butter into the bowl and toss with the flour mixture to coat. Using your fingers, break the butter up into small pieces. Store in plastic zip-top bags in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the biscuits. (This makes enough for 5 batches of biscuits).

To make one batch of biscuits (about 5 biscuits):
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix one cup of the biscuit mix with 1/4 cup of water. Stir with a fork until just combined. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3/4 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter. Combine the biscuit scraps and make more biscuits until you use all of the dough. Transfer the biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Crediting information: One batch of biscuits makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Got Leftovers?

2011-12-05T11:29:00.003-07:00

Tired of thowing out food? Wouldn't you rather save money by using up your leftovers? Of course you would! So, instead of letting those leftover mashed potatoes sit around in your refrigerator, try featuring them in another dish. The LeftOver Chef website makes it easy for you to do just that. By heading over to their website, you can find several recipes that contain the item you want to use up. Or, you can browse the different sections such as appetizers, poultry, side dishes, salads, etc., to find a recipe you like.

And what about those mashed potatoes taking up space in your refrigerator? I typed "mashed potatoes" into the keyword search area and LeftOver Chef gave me 140 choices for recipes! The website also has articles about using up food as well as a section on food safety, so check it out today.

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Sweet Potato and Cheese Biscuits

2011-11-30T07:30:00.008-07:00

Happy Wednesday! I have a delicious new recipe to share with you today for Whole Grain Wednesday. I had a sweet potato left over from Thanksgiving that I was looking to use. So, I decided to give this recipe a try for "homemade soup and bread night" (otherwise known as Monday at our house). I baked the sweet potato the other night when I had some squash baking in the oven. I love to toss sweet potatoes in the oven, bake them, and then put them in the refrigerator. That way, I have them ready when I need them to add some extra nutrition to whatever I am cooking, or even to my morning oatmeal!

I put the sweet potato into the food processor to make the puree for these biscuits. Feel free to replace the fresh parsely with whatever fresh herbs you have available. These are best served right out of the oven or warmed so the cheese is nice and melty!

Sweet Potato and Cheese Biscuits
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons canola oil
3 Tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 cup cooked, pureed sweet potato
2 ounces lowfat cheese, finely diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spary a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and fresh parsely. Stir well. Drizzle in the canola oil. Grate the butter into the flour mixture and use your fingers to mix it in until the butter is in pea-size pieces.

In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk and sweet potato puree. Add the sweet potato mixture to the flour mixture and use your hands to gently knead it into a ball. Add the cheese and continue to gently knead the ball until all ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is too dry, mix in a little more buttermilk.

Pat the dough out on a floured counter until it is about 3/4-inch thick. Cut out biscuits in round or square shapes. Pat the scraps together and cut out the remaining dough. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Crediting information: Makes 30 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Quinoa Tabbouleh

2011-11-16T08:40:00.002-07:00

Happy Wednesday everyone, and welcome to Whole Grain Wednesday here on the Healthy Helper blog!

I would like to feature one of my favorite whole grains today, quinoa. Have you tried quinoa yet? I have shared several quinoa recipes with you already: quinoa salad, green bean and quinoa toss, and quinoa sweet potato casserole. But today I would like to give you a recipe for another wonderful quinoa salad that I tried recently at a meeting. Many of the people at the meeting had never tried quinoa before and they loved this salad! They all remarked about how fresh tasting and delicious it was! The lady who made it got the recipe from AllRecipes.com.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

2 cups water

1 cup dry quinoa

1 pinch salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tomatoes, diced ( about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
2 bunches green onions, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, grated (about 1 cup)
1 cup fresh parsely, chopped

In a saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.

Crediting information: Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate and 1/4 cup of the fruit/vegetable requirement at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Pumpkin Millet Muffins

2011-11-09T08:08:00.004-07:00

Tis' the season! For buying cranberries and pumpkin that is :)

In November when bags of cranberries and canned pumpkin are on sale, I start craving the seasonal quick breads and muffins that I like to bake. Last weekend I made my favorite cranberry nut bread. Yesterday, I tried out a new pumpkin muffin recipe that I want to share with you (it even has two different types of whole grains for Whole Grain Wednesday). The thing I like best about these muffins is the millet, it adds a nice crunchy aspect! You can find millet in the bulk bins at Sunflower or Whole Foods. Millet is a tasty whole grain that can also be used in heartier recipes such as the savory millet patties recipe that I shared previously.

Nutrition bonus: pumpkin's deep orange color is a dead giveway that it is a great source of beta-carotene (vitamin A). But did you know that it is also a great source of potassium, fiber, and iron?

Hope you enjoy these "birdseed" muffins!

Pumpkin Millet Muffins (adapted from Whole Foods Market)
1/2 cup millet
1 egg
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream or plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose enriched flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place paper liners in 18 muffin pan cups, set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the millet and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and just beginning to pop (about 3-4 minutes). Transfer the millet to a plate to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, milk, butter, canola oil, pumpkin, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cooled millet. Gently fold into egg mixture until just combined.

Spoon batter into lined muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean 20-22 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Crediting information: Makes 30 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Nutty Granola

2011-11-02T09:58:00.000-06:00

Good morning everyone. I hope that you are enjoying the snow!

Today I have a recipe for granola that I would like to share for Whole Grain Wednesday. I will have to admit that when I first saw this recipe I was skeptical that it would be good because it calls for steel cut oatmeal. Steel cut oats are so chewy that I expected that baking them in the oven would not be a good idea. However, this granola turned out to be quite tasty! The oats, coconut, nuts, seeds and dried fruit are a perfect mixture of crunchy and chewy. My kids and I love it sprinkled on yogurt, but I am sure that you could also eat it as a breakfast cereal. You can adapt this recipe to include whatever type of dried fruit you have on hand, or even throw in your leftover pumpkin seeds from Halloween!

Nutty Granola- adapted from Potpourri magazine

1 cup steel cut oats

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

1/4 cup almonds* or walnuts*, chopped

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup raisins* and/or dried cranberries

Toss the oats, seeds, chopped nuts, brown sugar and oil together in a large bowl. Coat a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray and spread the mixture out on the pan. Bake at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the oats are lightly browned (check often to prevent burning). Turn the oven off and stir in the coconut and dried fruit. Return the pan to the oven until the oven has cooled. Store in a sealed container.

*This food can be a choking hazard for children under the age of 4.

Whole Grain Wednedays- Zucchini Casserole

2011-10-05T11:28:00.027-06:00

How many of you have gardens? Those of you who have gardens, how many of you are drowning in zucchini? I am sure I am not the only one!

I am always on the lookout for new zucchini recipes this time of year. My family gets weary of the 5 or so recipes that I do have. So, I was very excited when my dad shared this recipe with me. I like this recipe because it is quick and easy. (It does take an hour to cook though, so plan ahead). Best of all, it is delicious. Plus, a recipe that includes both whole grains and zucchini is a winner in my book!

Zucchini Casserole

4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed

2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the bread cubes into a medium bowl and pour the melted butter and canola oil over the bread. Toss. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic salt and egg; mix well. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the cheese on evenly.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake for another 30 minutes.

Crediting information: Makes 8 servings. Each serving meets the bread and 1/4 cup of vegetable requirement at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Overnight Wholegrain Cereal

2011-08-10T08:13:00.045-06:00

You may have noticed that I am a big fan of oats. I love to make crockpot oats and enjoy many types of pancakes that contain oats (oatmeal pancakes and marathon (oatmeal) pancakes). Oats are so nutritious and I like to start the day with them whenever I can. I love the chewy goodness of steel cut oats, but I also like to use the more commonly found rolled oats. As I have mentioned before, one of the great things about oats is that, unlike with wheat processing, processing oats does not lead to significant amounts of nutrients being lost. When oats are rolled, or even made into instant oats to speed preparation time, they are still a highly nutritious whole grain.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in Cooking Light magazine. Like the overnight oats that I make, a soak in the fridge overnight makes preparation time a snap the next morning! You can find steel cut oats with the regular oats at the grocery store, or in the bulk bins at many health food stores.

Overnight Wholegrain Cereal
1/3 cup steel-cut oats
2 Tablespoons uncooked pearl barley
1 1/4 cups water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon chopped nuts* (optional)
1 Tablespoon honey* or brown sugar
Fresh fruit (optional)

Combine oats, barley and the 1 1/4 cups of water in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, uncover the bowl and stir in the salt. Microwave for 3 minutes and then remove bowl and stir well. Microwave for an additional 3 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the cinnamon. Top with nuts, honey and fresh fruit as desired.

Crediting information: Makes 5 (1/4 cup) servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

*can be a choking hazard for children under the age of 4 years.

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Sunshine Snack Bars

2011-07-20T06:00:00.013-06:00

We have been battling rabbits in our backyard garden this year! Sadly, the rabbits ate our lettuce and carrot tops down to little nubs. We tried some odor repellents, and spraying the plants with pepper spray, but the rabbits were not deterred. So, we finally just gave up and put chicken wire around the whole garden!

I am happy to say that the carrots have made a full recovery and they have bushy tops again. I was looking for a snack bar recipe that called for carrots and found this one in Potpourri magazine. These bars are full of yummy nutritious things! Quick oats are a whole grain, they have just been cut to make them cook faster.

Sunshine Snack Bars
2 cups shredded carrot
1/4 cup dried chopped apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins*
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 ounces apple juice concentrate (thawed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the carrot, apricots, raisins, oats, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the apple juice concentrate and stir well. Press the ingredients into a greased 9 x 11-inch glass baking dish. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the bars are brown. Cool completely before slicing.

Crediting information: Makes 18 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

*can be a choking hazard for children under the age of 4 years.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Whole Wheat Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns

2011-07-06T12:10:00.000-06:00

Whole wheat hamburger buns are pretty common in grocery stores now. But a few years ago, it was really hard to find them, so I thought I would try making my own. Even though they can be found pretty easily at most any store now, they are still much more expensive than the white variety. So, whenever I have the time, I like to make my own. You just can't beat the taste of freshly made buns!

This recipe is for the bread machine (it makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf). I use my bread machine at least once a week because I like the fact I can just throw everything in and come back later to dough that is ready to bake with, or even freshly cooked bread. I have two special "bun" pans that I got from King Arthur's Flour to make hamburger buns in, but you can just make bun shapes and bake them on a cookie sheet which works great too!

Whole Wheat Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns
1 cup water
1 large egg
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tablespoons instant potato flakes
1 Tablespoon wheat gluten
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Glaze:
1 egg yolk, beaten with a splash of water
Sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

Place all of the ingredients in the bread pan according to the order of the bread machine manufacturer's instructions (this can vary depending on what brand of bread machine you have). Program the machine for the dough cycle and start the machine.

When the machine beeps at the end of the dough cycle, dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into about 8-10 equal portions depending on how big you like your buns. For the hamburger buns, form each portion into a tight round. For hot dog buns, roll each portion into approx. 6 inch cylinder. Place portions in a greased bun pan, or place on a greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

Remove the plastic wrap and brush rolls with egg mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the roll, or until lightly browned. Remove the buns from the baking sheet and place them on a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy :)

Crediting information: Makes 48 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Corn Macaroni Casserole

2011-06-22T08:11:00.005-06:00

What is your favorite part of summer? I love the warmer temperatures that let us be more active outside, but I probably look forward to the fresh fruits and vegetables most of all! Right now we are getting some nice lettuce and spinach from our garden which I love. It is delightful to just go out and pick a handful of greens to throw on my sandwich :)

Fresh corn is one of the fresh vegetables I really enjoy, but it is not quite time for that around here yet. So, I made this casserole with frozen corn (but you can substitute fresh corn once it is in season). Corn is an excellent vegetable to stir into casseroles or other dishes since it is an exceptional source of antioxidants. One cup of corn contributes about 2,000 mcg lutein which is an antioxidant thought to help prevent age-related vision problems.

Tip: I have found whole wheat macaroni at SuperTarget or King Soopers.

Corn Macaroni Casserole
1, 16 ounce can creamed corn (low sodium if possible)
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) corn
1 1/2 cups whole wheat macaroni
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 1/2 cups lowfat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

In a 2-3 quart casserole dish, combine the creamed corn, corn, macaroni, milk and 1 cup of the cheese. Cover and let stand for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Crediting information: Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate and 1/4 cup of the fruit or vegetable requirement at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children.

Looking for more recipes featuring in-season vegetables? Check out Veggies Rule!

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Whole Wheat Apricot Muffins

2011-06-15T08:31:00.001-06:00

Happy Wednesday! I did a bunch of baking yesterday since it looked as though it was going to be the "coolest" day this week. I don't like to heat up our house by turning on the oven for a long time on really hot days because we rely on a swamp cooler for cooling. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that the swamp cooler uses way less electricity than an air conditioner! It works very well, but I don't like to run it for a long time since it does sometimes make our house more humid than I like.

Anyway, my daughter had a bunch of friends over yesterday so I made these muffins for snack. This was a recipe that was originally from Cooking Light magazine, but I modified it some. If you don't have dried apricots, you could easily substitute any dried fruit that you do have. The muffins were a hit with my daughter and her friends. Hope you enjoy them too!

Whole Wheat Apricot Muffins
2/3 cup enriched all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly spoon the flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, orange rind, baking soda and salt. Stir well with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, water, butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir well. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in the apricots.

Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, dividing equally. Bake the muffins for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and muffins spring back lightly when touched. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Crediting information: Makes 26 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Looking for vegetable recipes? Check out Veggies Rule

Let's Move Child Care!

2011-06-13T10:36:00.000-06:00

You may be aware of the Let's Move program that First Lady Michelle Obama started back in February of 2010. The program was started to help combat childhood obesity. Well, on June 8 Mrs. Obama unveiled a program that will provide some information for child care providers! The Let’s Move! Child Care effort will work with child care providers to help children get off to a healthy start. The First Lady released a checklist that providers and parents can use as a tool to encourage healthy eating and physical activity and limit screen time for young children.

“Everyone is going to see that these small changes can make a big difference. If our kids get into the habit of getting up and playing, if their palates warm up to veggies at an early age, and if they’re not glued to a TV screen all day, they’re on their way to healthy habits for life,” Mrs. Obama said. “That’s why I’m so excited about Let’s Move! Child Care – because I know that childcare facilities and home-based providers can be a real building block for an entire generation of healthy kids."

To read more about this program, visit the Let's Move website.

Here is a summary of the checklist. Do you do the following in your child care home?

• Physical Activity: Provide 1-2 hours of physical activity throughout the day, including outside play when possible.

• Screen Time: No screen time for children under 2 years. For children age 2 and older, strive to limit screen time to no more than 30 minutes per week during child care, and work with parents and caregivers to ensure children have no more than 1-2 hours of quality screen time per day, the amount recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Food: Serve fruits or vegetables at every meal, eat meals family-style when possible, and no fried foods.

• Beverages: Provide access to water during meals and throughout the day, and do not serve sugary drinks. For children age two and older, serve low-fat (1%) or non-fat milk, and no more than one 4-6 ounce serving of 100% juice per day.

• Infant feeding: For mothers who want to continue breastfeeding, provide their milk to their infants and welcome them to breastfeed during the child care day; and support all new parents in their decisions about infant feeding.

You can also find some free tools and resources at HealthyKidsHealthyFuture.org.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Crunch Tortilla Chips with Strawberry Salsa

2011-06-08T08:12:00.031-06:00

Strawberries are everywhere you look right now and I love it! Fresh berries are my favorite fruits, and I have been eating them as much as I can since they are in season.

This recipe is one of our favorite summer snacks, and a nice change of pace from your typical chips and salsa.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Crunch Tortilla Chips

5 (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas

2 Tablespoons melted butter or non-stick cooking spray

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

Brush the tortillas with the melted butter (or spray them with the non-stick cooking spray), and cut them into wedges. Arrange the wedges on a greased baking sheet. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the tortilla wedges. Bake the tortillas at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Let them cool before serving. Serve with strawberry salsa.

Strawberry Salsa

1 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 cup chopped kiwi
1/2 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1 tablespoon honey*
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes to blend flavors.

*Do not serve honey to children under the age of 1 year.

Enjoy :)

P.S. If you are looking for vegetable recipes, head on over to my personal blog : Veggies Rule!

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Bulgur With Celery & Sage

2011-06-01T09:17:00.003-06:00

Happy Wednesday everyone! Can you believe that it is June already? Since the weather report is calling for hot temperatures today, I thought I would post a recipe that does not involve turning on your oven. This is a quick recipe that will have you out of the kitchen in no time! It is popular with my kids since it has the same flavorings as one of their favorite foods- bread stuffing.

If you haven't tried bulgur yet, you should give it a try. It has a delicious, almost nutty flavor, and a nice chewy consistency. You can find bulgur at your local grocery store or at any of the natural food stores (Sunflower, Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.). Bulgur comes in several different grinds- usually fine, medium and coarse. I prefer to use the medium grind in this recipe, as I find the coarse a little too rough, but use whatever type you like the best.

Bulgur with Celery and Sage
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup medium bulgur
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth. low-sodium if possible

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients except the broth (bulgur, onions, celery, garlic, sage, and thyme) and saute for 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender but chewy.

Crediting information: Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Recipe Finder

2011-05-27T12:12:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday everyone! Since I have been posting new whole grain recipes every Wednesday, I thought today that I would make a list of links to all of the recipes in case you missed any:

Rachel's Banana Bread

Mexican Bulgur

"Fried" Green Rice

Toasted Cheese Logs

Quinoa Salad

Cranberry Wild Rice Salad

Haystacks

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

Granola Cookies

Oatmeal Banana Waffles

What's your favorite whole grain?

Whole Grain Wednesdays: Oatmeal-Banana Waffles

2011-05-25T06:20:00.001-06:00

Today's recipe features the whole grain oats! Oats are a great grain, because they not only have the benefits found in all whole grains , but they also contain a special type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan. Research has shown that eating beta-glucan can help you lower your blood cholesterol levels. Beta-glucan is also beneficial for people with diabetes because it can help stabilize blood sugar levels.

I like this recipe because it is quick, easy and delicious!

Oatmeal-Banana Waffles (adapted from Potpourri magazine)
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups water
1/2 banana, peeled
2 Tablespoons powdered milk
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Blend all the ingredients in a blender on high until smooth. Heat a waffle iron on high until hot. Coat the waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour batter onto the waffle iron and cook 10 minutes or until browned. Repeat until all batter is gone.

Crediting information: Makes 18 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at breakfast or snack for 1-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Granola Cookies

2011-05-18T08:48:00.001-06:00

Here is blast from the past, a cookie recipe that was first published by Wildwood back in 1994! Use a low sugar variety of granola in these cookies, or use the granola recipe that follows to make your own. These are creditable, but count as a "sweet" (limit sweets to twice per week).

Granola Cookies
1/2 cup honey*
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups low-sugar granola

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the honey and butter together until creamy, add vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients, then stir in the granola.
Drop by teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 3 dozen cookies
*Do not serve honey to children under the age of one year.

Creditining information: Makes 36 servings, each serving meets the bread/bread alternate requirement at snack for 3-5 year old children.

Granola
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
1/2 cup chopped nuts*
1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit*
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons canola oil
5 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey**
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread the mixture onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Tip: It is best to rotate the cookie sheet once during the cooking time for more even cooking.

*can be a choking hazard for children under four.
**do not serve honey to children under the age of one year.

Crediting information: Makes 31 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at breakfast or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Summertime Beverages

2011-05-17T07:23:00.032-06:00

One of these days it will get hot (I hope)! So now is the perfect time to think about refreshing beverages to serve to your children that don't include a lot of sugar. The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines indicate that added sugars contribute an average of 16% of the total calories in American diets. A shocking 36% of those calories come from sugary drinks such as soda, energy drinks and sports drinks! This is a bad deal for kids because evidence has shown that our bodies don't "count" liquid calories in the same way as solid food calories. So, when we drink a lot of our calories, we don't compensate by eating less later. There are several studies that have shown that children who drink more sugar-sweetened beverages have higher body weights than those who don't.

So what are some options for liquid refreshment? Water is of course the best choice. It has no calories and offers our bodies the best rehydration. If your kids don't like plain water, don't resort to giving them Kool-aid or other nutrient-poor drinks. Try crushing up a few blueberries or strawberries and adding the juice to their water. It will give it a little bit of natural color! I have also had success with freezing blueberries or grape halves in ice cubes and floating them in water for a colorful beverage. Placing cucumber slices and orange slices in a large pitcher of icy cold water is also quite refreshing.

Don't forget fruit smoothies when you are looking for a thirst-quenching snack. Smoothies can be quite nutrient-rich if you stick to yogurt or milk and frozen berries, bananas, and other fruits.

Do you need a little help convincing older kids that might be drinking too much sugar? Try this Interactive Beverage Guide to Sugars. It is a fun game that helps kids see how much sugar they are getting from the beverages that they drink every day.

Do you have any favorite nutritious summer drinks?

Minute Menu blog for child care providers

2011-05-04T09:31:00.002-06:00

Did you know that Minute Menu has a special new website (http://www.childcareinfo.com/) full of useful information for child care providers? You will find some recipe ideas submitted by providers (unfortunately they do not include crediting information), child care forums, a child care marketplace and more. Here is a post on their blog about food dyes that I like a lot. You can also "friend" them on Facebook to be alerted to new information on their website.

Online Tool For Your Kids

2011-05-03T09:34:00.024-06:00

Do your kids like playing games on the computer? If you are looking for a computer game that teaches kids something about nutrition, you should check out the ZisBoomBah website. Three cartoon ants, Zis, Boom, and Bah help kids make healthy meal choices. The "Pick Chow" game on the website lets kids drag different foods onto a plate to create nutritious meals. If they are registered on the site, kids can even send the healthy meal suggestion that they create to their parents! Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign recently chose the Pick Chow Tool as the best online tool to help end childhood obesity. The website also has recipes, a blog and other healthy cooking resources.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Cranberry Wild Rice Salad

2011-04-27T08:41:00.003-06:00

I like to vary the types of whole grains that I eat, and lately I have been trying different varieties of rice. Wild rice is one of my favorites. I don't eat it often because it is usually quite a bit more expensive than brown rice, but I found some on sale a couple of weeks ago so I stocked up. I like wild rice for its nutty flavor and chewy texture!

You might already know that wild rice is not technically a rice, but is actually in the grass family. It is a whole grain and is a good source of protein, fiber, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper.

If you don't have wild rice, feel free to substitute brown rice in this recipe!

Cranberry Wild Rice Salad (adapted from Prevention magazine)

4 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 cup fresh (or frozen and thawed) shelled edamame
4 Tablespoons dried cranberries
4 Tablespoons chopped walnuts*

In a large bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, olive oil and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well to combine. Serve at room temperature.

*Can be a choking hazard for children under the age of 4.

Crediting information: Makes 4 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Quinoa Salad

2011-04-13T07:05:00.006-06:00

I made this salad for the first time last night for dinner. I am always on the lookout for new quinoa recipes because I love quinoa. Why? Because not only is it a whole grain, but it contains more protein per serving than any other grain. The protein in quinoa is also a very high quality protein for a grain which often leads to it being referred to as a "super food". I also adore quinoa because it cooks quickly, and I like the fact that it has a nice "crunch" to it. You can find quinoa at your local grocery store, or in bulk bins at natural food stores.

This salad can be served warm or chilled. I made it ahead of time and let it chill. The flavors were nicely developed and my family declared it "delicious"!

Quinoa Salad
1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons black olives, sliced
1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse under running water to remove the bitter coating. Put the quinoa and broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Combine the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt and white pepper. Whisk together and set aside.

Combine the green onions, tomatoes and olives in a bowl. Stir in the cooked quinoa and feta. Give the dressing another whisk and pour into the bowl. Serve at room temperature or chill.

Crediting information: Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Toasted Cheese Logs

2011-04-06T06:35:00.001-06:00

I don't usually post recipes to my blog that I haven't personally prepared, but this week I had to make an exception. It has been a very busy week around my house. I don't know about you, but I find that this time of year is a little crazy if you have school age kids! It seems like the schools are trying to jam lots of events into the last couple of months, and spring sports are in full swing. Is it the end of May yet?

This is a recipe that I have been wanting to try for a quick snack. It is adapted from a recipe in Potpourri magazine.

Toasted Cheese Logs
2 cups (8 ounces) lowfat shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
3 Tablespoons cream cheese
5 thin slices of whole wheat bread, crusts removed

Combine the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cream cheese in a small bowl. Stir well. Spread on the slices of trimmed bread and roll to make logs. (You can roll the bread with a rolling pin first to flatten it if you only have thicker bread). Place the logs on a lightly greased baking sheet. Toast in a 350 degree oven or under the broiler until lightly browned.

Crediting information: Makes 5 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 meat/meat alternate and 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Haystacks

2011-03-30T12:01:00.032-06:00

For Whole Grain Wednesdays this week I wanted to share a snack recipe. This is my favorite type of snack, quick and easy! You do need to plan a little ahead of time for this snack though, because the haystacks need at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator to firm up before you can serve them.

These haystacks were delicious! I like the fact that they were made with nutritious whole grain cereal that has no added sugar or salt. I think next time I will have my kids stir in some raisins for a more "peanut butter and jelly" type taste.

Note: Be sure to use the large shredded wheat "rolls" instead of the bite size variety:

Haystacks

2 cups of crumbled shredded wheat cereal

1 cup creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

Have the children crumble the shredded wheat into a large bowl. Melt the peanut butter and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until smooth. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the crumbled shredded wheat and stir until well combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Put the haystacks into the refrigerator until firm.

Crediting information: Makes 6 servings. Each serving creditable to meet 1 bread/ bread alternate and 1 meat/meat alternate at snack for 3-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays- "Fried" Green Rice

2011-03-23T06:00:00.003-06:00

Do you ever find yourself with leftover rice? I had a bunch of extra cooked rice from dinner the other night, and since I am still working on my resolution of decreasing food waste in my home, I was looking to get it out of my refrigerator! In my quest for a recipe containing cooked rice, I stumbled across this one. I really like this recipe because it not only used up the rice, but was very delicious. My whole family loved it!

*Tip- Don't leave out the sesame oil, it makes the dish!

"Fried" Green Rice
5 ounces fresh spinach, washed (or substitute frozen spinach)
3 large eggs
1 Tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon canola or olive oil
3 cups of cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon of sesame oil

Place the spinach in a small skillet with a little water. Cover and bring to a boil. Steam the spinach until just wilted. Drain off any remaining water and let cool. Chop spinach very finely and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs, water and salt until well beaten. Spray a saute pan or small skillet with cooking spray and scramble 1/2 of the egg mixture. Set the eggs aside.

Heat up a wok or large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the oil. Add the rice and toss to coat with the oil. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring frequently until the rice is hot. Add the remaining egg mixture to the rice and cook and stir.

Add the chopped spinach and the scrambled eggs to the skillet. Stir in the sesame oil and cook until mixture is hot.

Crediting information: Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate and 1 meat/meat alternate at snack for 1-5 year old children. (Note: if serving at lunch or supper, it counts for 1 bread/bread alternate only. There is not enough egg to be creditable as a meat/meat alternate at a meal).

Nutrition Games

2011-03-22T10:16:00.001-06:00

What do you think about nutrition games that kids can play on the computer or on a gaming system? Do you think that kids can learn anything from them?

I think that they can, and that they can be a fun part of a child's (limited) screen time every day. I wanted to share a website with you that has some entertaining games that teach nutrition and other health concepts.

Playnormous (http://www.playnormous.com/) has several engaging health games that I'll bet your kids will love. They are aimed at children ages K-5th grade and all come with teachers guides and parents guides that have additional activities to go along with the games. According to the website, "The Playnormous site was originally created as a way to deliver health games to the public. This process began with the creation of Food Fury, a University of Texas Health Science Center research project funded by the Aetna Foundation." (They do have some information on the how health games can teach children about good health on the website if you are interested in the research aspect).

The Playnormous games teach concepts such as the food guide pyramid, the importance of physical activity, and "go, slow, whoa" foods. The website also has some healthy recipes that look pretty tasty!

Our favorite game is "Pyramid Pile Up Plus"! What's yours?

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Mexican Bulgur

2011-03-16T08:19:00.004-06:00

When I was in college, one year I had a roommate who ate a lot of Rice-a-roni Spanish rice. I would occasionally eat it with her, but I found it too salty for my taste. I was always wishing for a Spanish rice recipe that was still quick and easy, but that I could make with my own fresh ingredients so that I could control the sodium level. I finally found that recipe! This recipe not only includes a whole grain, but it has a lot less salt than the average rice mix. This is my family's favorite accompaniment to burritos!

Mexican Bulgur (adapted from the Best of Simply Colorado Cookbook)

Note*- Bulgur wheat can be found in the bulk bins at health food stores or often in the grain section of grocery stores (by the rice). Bulgur comes in different "grind" sizes. Get the medium grind for this recipe if you have a choice.

1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium if possible)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salsa

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add onion and green pepper; saute over medium heat for 6-7 minutes (or until soft), stirring occasionally.

2. Add bulgur and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the grains.

3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer slowly for 15 minutes or until the liquid is all absorbed.

4. Serve hot, garnished with salsa if desired.

Crediting information: Makes 12 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 1-5 year old children.

Do you know your veggies?

2011-03-15T11:44:00.006-06:00

Here is a link to a interesting quiz about some uncommon vegetables. Some of the pictures are from odd angles which can make it harder, but I'll bet you'll learn something you didn't know!

http://data10.tennessean.com/quiz/quiz.aspx?qid=21

Whole Grain Wednesdays- Rachel's Banana Bread

2011-03-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

When life gives you overripe bananas, make banana bread!

We eat a lot of bananas in our household. I buy about 3 bunches every week, but they are typically gone by the weekend so I don't often have brown bananas sitting around waiting to be used. This week, though, for some reason I did. So, I mixed up some of our favorite banana bread. :)

I love this recipe for two reasons. First, because it is made with nutrient-rich whole wheat pastry flour but still comes out moist and delicious. And secondly, because it is so easy- you pretty much just dump everything into a big bowl and stir! You can also add chopped nuts if you like, and sometimes we even sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top.

Rachel's Banana Bread
3 overripe bananas
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup enriched all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
1 large egg
3 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt and egg. Melt the butter in the microwave and add it to the bowl. Stir until just blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan (9 x 5).

Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Crediting information: Makes 22 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any snack or meal for 1-5 year old children.

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-03-02T06:34:00.003-07:00

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines that came out in January recommend that Americans aim to replace the refined grain foods in their diets with whole grain foods. You might remember that the slogan for the grains group of MyPyramid (which came out in 2005) is to "make half of your grains whole". The problem is that most Americans are still not doing this. On average, Americans eat less than 1 serving of whole grains per day.

What's so great about whole grains? I have addressed this in previous columns. Whole grains are another nutrient-rich food! There is also evidence that whole grain intake may reduce the risk of heart disease, and is also associated with lower body weight. People who eat more whole grains not only tend to have less body fat but also have less of the dangerous type of abdominal fat too. Some evidence has even shown that eating whole grains is associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Sometimes it can be hard to make the switch to whole grain foods if you are used to eating the more refined grain foods. In an effort to make it easier for you to serve more whole grain foods, I will be providing you with a new recipe each Wednesday for our "Whole Grain Wednesdays" columns. My goal is to make these recipes quick and easy because I know that many of you are sometimes pressed for time.

I chose this first recipe because it is quick, easy, and also quite tasty. My children love these biscuits and they love helping to cut them out. The recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour which you might not be familiar with. I love baking with whole wheat pastry flour because it gives the final product a much lighter and fluffier texture than regular whole wheat flour, and so it is perfect for breads, muffins, pancakes, etc.

I use the Bob's Red Mill variety which I buy at Sunflower Market. I am sure there are other brands available though.

The other great thing about this recipe is that some of the butter has been replaced with canola oil, but the biscuits still come out tender and flaky. This simple substitution lowers the saturated ("bad") fat content in the biscuits. The canola oil has more of the "healthy" fats that we need in our diet.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup enriched all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons canola oil
1 cup lowfat buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a sheet pan and set it aside.

Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter and the canola oil with your fingers or two knives until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk and stir it with a fork until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Lightly flour a counter, and scrape the dough out onto the counter. Pat the dough into a circle (you may need to knead in a little flour if the dough is too sticky). The dough should be in a circle about 3/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into rounds using a small glass or cookie cutter. Reassemble the scraps and cut them out as well (you will have about 12-16 biscuits). Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake until they are light brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Crediting information:
Makes 30 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 1-5 year old children.

New Soup

2011-02-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

I read somewhere that most people have about 8-10 standard main dishes that they eat all of the time. I wonder if that is true? I could see the appeal of doing that, it would make it much easier to shop for groceries! I might be tempted to eat that way if I was only cooking for myself, but I really like to mix things up when feeding my family. Variety really is a good thing when it comes to optimal nutrition, because greater variety in the foods that you eat ensures that you are getting all of the nutrients that you need. With this in mind, I am always looking for new recipes to add to our recipe "rotation" so that we don't eat the same thing more than once per month.

I found a yummy new recipe that I made for our weekly "soup and bread" night that would be a great recipe for a child care home. I always try and make Monday's soup on Sunday so that the flavors have a chance to mix together when sitting in the refrigerator overnight. I really think this improves the flavor of most soups! This soup is called "taco soup" but it really reminded me more of chili than tacos. It might be more like tacos if you choose to use all of the suggested garnishes, but I just served it with the shredded cheese.

Note: You can find bulgur in the bulk bins at Sunflower Market. I have also seen it in the cooking aisle at my local King Soopers.

Taco Soup
4 cups water
1/2 cup bulgur
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon minced jarred garlic)
1 medium bell pepper, finely diced (you can use any color)
4 cups cooked pinto beans (or 2, 16oz cans pinto beans drained and rinsed)
1 28oz can tomato puree
1 4oz can mild chopped green chilies
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Garnishes (optional)
shedded lowfat cheddar cheese
thinly shredded romaine lettuce
finely diced fresh tomatoes
tortilla chips

Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur and stir. Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and the bell pepper and continue to saute, stirring, until all are golden. Add the remaining ingredients (except the garnishes) plus the previously cooked bulgur to the pan. Add the remaining 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Serve warm topped with garnishes as desired.

Crediting information: Makes 10 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 meat/meat alternate and 1 fruit/vegetable at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Avoiding Food Waste

2011-02-17T07:31:00.002-07:00

I don't know about you, but I am a little apprehensive about recent reports that food prices will continue to rise in the next year. I have a certain amount of money budgeted for food every month and I am sure many of you do too. So, I am not really thrilled about having to stretch my budget even more. I do try very hard not to waste food and use up what I buy, but unfortunately most weeks I do end up throwing a little rotten food in the compost pile. So, my new goal is to try and use up all of the leftovers in my fridge before they go bad!

My kids love the macaroni and cheese recipe from the Wildwood website recipe section. This recipe calls for cottage cheese, which is something I don't use very often, and I always have about a cup leftover after I make the recipe. My family doesn't like to eat cottage cheese by itself, so I am always looking for ways to use it up. I went looking for a recipe this week to finish off the cottage cheese sitting in my fridge and I found a great one! My family loved this recipe. I love the fact that it contains nutrient-rich brown rice and is quick and easy to make! This is also a great way to get some whole grains in your childrens' diets so that they can "make half of their grains whole".

Note: The cheapest place I have found to buy brown rice is in the bulk bins at Sunflower Market.

Cheesy Brown Rice Casserole (adapted from Potpourri magazine)
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon dillweed

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir gently until well mixed. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Crediting information: Makes 10 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 1-5 year old children.

How do you use up leftovers?

Blast From the Past!

2011-02-14T09:30:00.002-07:00

I recently had a provider email me to say that she had lost one of her kids' favorite muffin recipes that was published long ago in a Wildwood newsletter. I was so happy to be able to dig up the recipe and send it to her. Turns out it was originally published in 2001!

I thought that I would share the recipe with all of you today. You will have some leftover pumpkin after you make this recipe. I like to use our pumpkin "leftovers" to stir into oatmeal for breakfast or for adding to soup or sauces. These muffins would make a great snack, and they contain nutrient-rich pumpkin and "good" fats.

Pumpkin Muffins (Wildwood newsletter October 2001)
1 1/2 cups enriched all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup lowfat or skim milk
1/2 cup pumpkin
3 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of 10 muffin cups. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Remove muffins from pan to cool.

Crediting information: Makes 20 servings (10 muffins). 1/2 of a muffin is creditable as one bread/bread alternate for 1-5 year olds at any meal or snack.

Enjoy!

One Important Way Home Child Care Providers Make a Difference

2011-02-08T10:20:00.098-07:00

I love working for Wildwood because it is so rewarding to work with home child care providers! One big reason for this is that home child care providers have such a great impact on the eating habits and diet of the children in their care. They can help children learn about nutrition, and expose them to a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods that they might not have the opportunity to try at home. Providers on our program teach children to have healthy eating habits that last a lifetime!

A couple of years ago we did a workshop addressing the influence of a child's diet on brain development in early childhood. We know that a child's brain is growing the fastest in the first three years of life. That is why what a child eats during this time is so important! A new study that was recently published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health gives more evidence to support just how important a healthy diet is. The researchers found that if a child's diet was high in processed food (high in fats and sugars) at the age of 3 it caused a lower IQ later on in that child's life. Surprisingly, even if a child's diet improved after age 3, there was no benefit to the IQ score (dietary patterns between the ages of 4 and 7 had no impact on the IQ). The authors of the study suggest that these findings were due to the fact that "good nutrition during the first three years of life may encourage optimal brain growth".

I just wanted to share this article and congratulate all of our providers who are participating in the Wildwood Child and Adult Care Food Program. It helps to remind ourselves that while it may take a little more effort sometimes to prepare a healthy snack or meal rather than just serving more processed choices, it is worth it for our kids' health and quality of life. You are making a difference every day!

Quick Snack

2011-02-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

I know that when I was a home child care provider, a quick snack was handy to have on a busy day. If that snack also allowed the kids to be creative, even better!

Here is a quick snack idea that doubles as an art project. I got the idea for these "egg heads" from Family Fun magazine:

These are super easy to make! Simply slice a hard boiled egg and place each slice on a round cracker. (We didn't have any round crackers so I used a cookie cutter to cut shapes from a whole wheat tortilla). Then, allow the children to decorate their egg slices with eyes, noses, mouths, etc. made from whatever you have handy. We used olives, chives, carrot bits, cherry tomatoes, celery leaves, and nuts.

Use whole grain crackers if possible for a nutrient-rich snack!

Crediting information: This snack is creditable for 1 meat/meat alternate and 1 bread/bread alternate at snack. (using at least 1/4 of an egg and 10 grams (0.4 ounce) of crackers for 1-5 year old children).

Blueberry Muffins

2011-02-01T07:03:00.039-07:00

Baby it's cold outside! Both of my kids were home today because school was cancelled due to the cold weather. We keep our house on the colder side, so we decided to warm it up a little by making some muffins. I had bought some fresh blueberries on sale this week at Sunflower market so we decided that blueberry muffins were in order!

We tried a new recipe for our muffins. I really like this recipe because it doesn't have a lot of sugar in it, and it has nutrient-rich whole wheat flour in it. We used whole wheat pastry flour because I find that it makes a more tender muffin, but the original recipe called for regular whole wheat flour so I am sure you can use either. The recipe also says it makes 1 1/2 dozen regular muffins but we made 12 mini muffins and 12 regular muffins. *Note: If you make some (or all) of the muffins mini, just remember to check on them sooner, ours were done in about 12 minutes.

The verdict was unanimous. These muffins were delicious!

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
sprinkle of ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen blueberries do not thaw them)

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In a smaller bowl beat the eggs, buttermilk and oil together. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just moistened. Fold in the blueberries gently.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 375 degrees for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool on wire racks. Serve warm.

Crediting information: Makes 38 servings. Each serving creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate for children 1-5 years old at any meal or snack.

Next time I will probably try and replace more of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and see how it works out.

What is your kids' favorite muffin?

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines

2011-01-31T10:28:00.003-07:00

The USDA released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines today. I know, it is 2011, but at least they got them out by the end of January! The USDA releases the Dietary Guidelines every 5 years. They are based on the most current scientific knowledge about diet and disease, and they are also the basis for the familiar food guide pyramid (now known as "MyPyramid"). The guidelines are meant to help the American public improve their diets, and the USDA states that this is particularly important now in this "time of rising concern about the health of the American population". More Americans are overweight and inactive than ever before and we are seeing increases in diabetes and other diseases as a result of poor diets. These new guidelines are finally addressing the number one nutrition problem in this country which is obesity.

Two concepts that are key in the new guidelines are that people need to:
1) maintain calorie balance to achieve and sustain a healthy weight
and
2) focus on nutrient-dense (also known as nutrient-rich) foods and beverages. (does this sound familiar? Those of you who read this blog often know that I love to highlight nutrient-rich foods! )

What does this mean? It means that as a country we need to eat less, and eat foods that are better for us. We also need to limit foods that are nutrient-poor.

The USDA has also given some tips that people can use to apply the Dietary Guidelines advice to their everyday lives:

Enjoy your food, but eat less.
Avoid oversized portions.
Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.
Switch to fat-free (skim) or 1% milk.
Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals-and choose the foods with lower numbers.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

These are not all of the recommendations that are included in the new guidelines, but they are a great place to start! Other recommendations are the same as they were in the 2005 guidelines: limit saturated and trans fats, reduce added sugars, make half of your grains whole, choose lowfat dairy products, eat a variety of vegetables and fruits.

The new version of "MyPyramid" or whatever means they choose to help portray this message to the American public should be out in a few months. Let's hope people are listening! I will continue to highlight nutrient-rich foods on this blog, as well as giving you advice on limiting those foods that should make up only a small part of your diet and your kid's diets = "bad" fats, sodium, added sugars and refined grains!

Marvelous Mangoes!

2011-01-26T07:54:00.059-07:00

My children really like fruit and most of the fruits that we eat they liked the first time they tried them. (One exception to this is bananas, which my daughter liked as a baby but for whatever reason cannot stand now)! Mangoes, on the other hand, took my kids awhile to take a shine to. For my family, they definitely fit into the "offer a new food at least 10 times" before your child will like it category. But now my kids love them and so I buy them often, usually when they are on sale.

Mangoes have been a good deal the last couple of weeks at my neighborhood King Soopers so I have been buying several a week. I let them sit out on the kitchen cabinet until they are slightly soft to the touch and then add them to a fruit salad which is quite delicious! If you don't usually buy mangoes because you don't know how to cut them up, give it a try. It does take a minute to pit them but certainly takes less time than cutting up a fresh pineapple! Another of our favorite things to do with mangoes is to make smoothies for an after school snack.

Here is my kids' favorite recipe:
Mango smoothie
3 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (or substitute honey for kids over 1 year of age)
1 tray ice cubes

Directions
1.Place the mangoes, lime juice, confectioners' sugar or honey, and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until slushy.

Mangoes are a nutrient-rich food! One mango has only about 135 calories but supplies 4 grams of fiber and is high in vitamin C (96% of daily needs). It is also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium and copper.

What do you do with mangoes?

Are You Serving One of This Season's Most Nutritious Vegetables?

2011-01-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

My family and I truly love asparagus so I am always happy to see the price of fresh asparagus start dropping this time of year. I will admit that I have not been adventurous enough to plant it in our garden so I have to buy it at the store.  Asparagus was on sale just last week so I bought some to make one of our favorite recipes, a quick and easy pasta dish. This recipe originally came from Nick Jr. magazine but I have adapted it to fit my family's tastes.

What's so great about asparagus? 1 cup of raw asparagus has only 27 calories but is a good source of fiber, vitamins A, C, E, and K, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, iron, and manganese ( I probably could have saved time by listing nutrients it doesn't contain)!  It is another truly nutrient-rich food!

Here is the recipe:

Pasta & Asparagus Primavera
8 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
1 bunch (1 pound) of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 Tablespoon flour
1/3 cup prepared pesto
1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts*, lightly toasted

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Add the asparagus pieces during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.

Return the pot to the stove. Add the broth and flour and whisk together until well blended. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture boils and then reduce heat until mixture simmers, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pesto until smooth. Add pasta, asparagus, bell pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve.

*nuts can be a choking hazard for children under the age of 4.

You can easily substitute chopped walnuts or other nuts if you don't have pine nuts.

Crediting information:   Makes 14 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate and 1/4 cup of the vegetable requirement at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children.

Added Sugar May Raise Blood Cholesterol in Teens

2011-01-14T10:24:00.001-07:00

We know that our children are eating a lot more "empty" calories than they used to. I wrote about this in a previous post and discussed the danger it poses because our children are not only taking in too many calories in general, but they are also not getting the vital nutrients that they need. Now a new study has shown that all of the added sugar in the average teen's diet may also increase their risk of heart disease.

This study, which was published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, found the same results in teens that they had previously found in adults. That is, those teens whose diets contained the most added sugar also had the worst cholesterol profiles. The more sugar in the diet, the higher the LDL ("bad" cholesterol") and the lower the HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels were in these teens. The problem is that these poor cholesterol profiles could raise their heart disease risk in the future.

What can we do? Again, it comes down to feeding our children and teens more whole, unprocessed foods and limiting foods with added sugars. Teaching children and teens about the importance of eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods can help them develop good habits for the future. Encourage the youngsters in your life to replace the sugary sodas, sports drinks and fruit drinks with water! Limiting processed foods with added sugar such as candy, cakes, and sugary cereals is another important step they can take to decrease the sugar in their diets.

Are you sodium savvy?

2011-01-10T09:56:00.001-07:00

I recently posted about the importance of limiting sodium in your diet. So today I though I would post a link to a fun quiz from the University of Nebraska extension office that you can take to test your sodium knowledge! At the end of the quiz, there are also some more tips for limiting sodium in your diet. Some of were tips I already gave you, but there are some additional tips and also some more resources for you!

Produce washes, necessary or not?

2011-01-07T11:00:00.012-07:00

I had a provider ask me recently if produce washes (such as Fit fruit and vegetable wash) are really necessary. The answer is "no" if your goal is remove pesticide residues from your produce. Studies have shown that plain water is just as effective at removing pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables. The key though is to scrub the produce while holding it under running water to do the most effective job.

If it is the bacteria on produce you are concerned about, you still don't need to buy a produce wash. You can make your own vinegar solution which has been shown to be effective in decreasing bacteria levels from the surface of fruits and vegetables. Experts recommend washing the produce with a solution of one part vinegar to three parts water and then rinsing with plain water. Using dishwashing soap or other soap to clean your produce is not recommended since it is not meant for human consumption.

One more thing to keep in mind is that even produce that you will be peeling (such as cantaloupe) needs to be washed first because bacteria on the outer rind can get inside on the part you do eat when you are cutting it. There have been several instances of Salmonella outbreaks involving cantaloupe so I always make sure that I wash cantaloupe and other melons before I slice them.

Finally, since water (or anything else) cannot get rid of pesticide residue inside the rind or in the flesh of fruits or vegetables I always try to buy organic produce when I will be eating the rind or the entire leaf (such as cucumbers or lettuce). The Environmental Working Group also has a guide to the "dirty dozen" list of fruits and vegetables that have the most pesticides in them. If you find that buying the organic version for all of your produce is too costly, buying the organic option of just the 12 fruits and vegetables on this list will help you avoid quite a lot of pesticides.

More evidence of possible harm from energy drinks!

2011-01-05T11:28:00.004-07:00

You may be familiar with energy drinks such as Red Bull, 5 hour energy, or Monster. These drinks are often carbonated and contain a mix of sugar, caffeine, added vitamins, and various herbal stimulants (such as ginseng). These drinks have been targeted at young adults, athletes and anyone who needs a "pick me up". Unfortunately, there have been some tragic side effects of consuming these drinks such as the incident of Four Loko drinks (which contain alcohol in addition to caffeine) leading to deaths in students consuming them.

Now there is some emerging evidence that consuming energy drinks before the age of 25 can lead to anxiety, depression and addictive behavior later in life. According to Dr. Conrad Woolsey, the professor who is researching the drinks, the problem isn't just that the drinks are packed with sugar and caffeine, but that they also contain additives and herbal ingredients that may not be safe. He believes that these additives are what can overstimulate the production of stress neurotransmitters in young consumers and lead to future problems.

I am sad to say that I see young children and young adults drinking these beverages quite frequently. I have never thought that this was a good idea due to the unnecessary calories from sugar and the added caffeine found in these drinks. Now it seems that energy drinks may be detrimental to young bodies for other reasons too. Just one more reason to steer our children away from this stuff!

Lowering Sodium Intakes

2011-01-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that recipes that I share on this blog, and the most of the recipes that are posted on the Wildwood website call for lower sodium ingredients when possible. This is because the average American gets too much sodium in their diet. While sodium does have some important roles in the body such as controlling fluid balance, as well as maintaining blood volume, too much has a negative impact on most people. It is especially important that we help children limit their sodium intake. Not only have foods high in sodium been linked with increased intake of sugary drinks, a recent study showed that eating smaller amounts of salt each day as a teenager could reduce high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke in adulthood. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day for most people, while the average person gets more than 5 times this amount! Interestingly enough, the majority of sodium in our diets comes from processed and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker.

Cooking from "scratch" at home can greatly decrease the amount of sodium in your meals. If you are not quite a "scratch" cooker, you can still decrease the amount of sodium that you serve by choosing lower sodium varieties of canned or packaged foods. You will also find that as you decrease the amount of sodium in your food, you will be happy with less. I follow a fairly low-sodium diet and when I try foods that I used to think were seasoned appropriately, they are too salty to me now.

Here are some more tips for cutting back on sodium:

Buy fresh and frozen vegetables with "no added salt" or added sauce.
Buy canned vegetables that are the "no added salt" variety.
Rinsing and draining canned vegetables such as beans can also greatly reduce the sodium level.
Canned tomato sauce is usually high in sodium, substitute tomato puree for a lower sodium pick.
Use fresh meat, poultry and fish rather than the canned or processed varieties (such as smoked, cured or deli meats)
Make homemade soups and broths so you can control the amount of salt that is added. Or at least look for "low sodium" varieties of packaged broth and soup. When adding salt to soups or casseroles, add it at the end to prevent adding too much.
Season foods with herbs and spices instead of salt. Or use half the salt that you usually do and substitute a herb blend (such as Mrs. Dash) for the other half.
Cut back on convenience foods such as instant flavored rice and pasta, or instant oatmeal packets.
Always read food labels because some foods can be unexpectedly high in sodium such as breakfast cereals and bread.
Packaged bread crumbs can be high in sodium. Try a lower sodium variety such as matzo meal or panko, or make your own!

Limit the amounts of condiments that you use or look for lower sodium varieties (soy sauce, ketchup, and salad dressings). You can also find recipes on the web in many places to "make your own" condiments such as chili sauce, etc that will have less sodium than the packaged varieties. I have also had great success in substituting tomato puree for part of the ketchup in some recipes.

Go to the Wildwood website recipe page to find our recipe for a lower sodium version of Spanish rice mix (using bulgur), a recipe for seasoned noodles with less sodium than the packaged kind, and a seasoning mix for tacos that is lower in sodium than the packaged mixes you can buy.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T08:59:00.026-07:00

We had a "stay at home" New Year's Eve this year. My husband, kids and I hung out at home and had a little party. We played some board games and watched a movie until it was time to watch the ball drop. We have done this since my kids were little and we really enjoy our annual tradition. Sometimes my kids invite friends over, sometimes it is just family. My kids love our annual party because I let them choose some foods that they don't get to eat very often. We had an assortment of dips this year with raw vegetable sticks and chips(!) ~they rarely get to eat chips so this is a real treat for them. I made my homemade onion dip as usual (I prefer to make my own and avoid all of the extra sodium in the onion soup mix variety). We also had guacamole and I tried a new hummus recipe too. I have several hummus recipes that I love, but I wanted to try this new recipe because it included the addition of healthy walnuts. (Walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, potassium, magnesium and folate). I am glad to report that the dip was a success, quite tasty! Here is the recipe:

Zesty Walnut Hummus (from http://www.walnuts.org/)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 can (19oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a blender or food processor; puree walnuts, chickpeas, salad dressing and cayenne pepper together until smooth.

Crediting information: Makes 19 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 meat/meat alternate at snack for 1-5 year old children. Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks and/or whole grain crackers for a complete snack.

Butternut Squash

2010-12-27T12:37:00.003-07:00

I have had two butternut squashes hanging out in my basement since about August when we got them from the CSA farm we belong to. I had not done anything with them because I was lacking in inspiration about what to prepare. However, every time I went downstairs recently I was reminded that I needed to make something with them soon before they started to rot! My family likes the homemade sweet potato "fries" that I bake in the oven, so I decided to try a similar method for cooking the squash.

First, I peeled the squash and cut it in half. Once I had scraped out all of the seeds, I sliced it quite thin and then cut the slices in half. I placed the pieces on a cooking sheet covered with parchment paper. Then I sprayed it with canola oil cooking spray and sprinkled a little black pepper and salt on it. I cooked it in a hot oven (450 degrees) for about 25 minutes. Once I had turned all of the pieces over, it went back in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they were starting to brown on the outside. The result was wonderful and my family loved it!

As I have mentioned before, butternut squash is jam-packed with nutrients! Not only is it a great source of beta-carotene; it is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, fiber, and folate.

One squash down, one to go... Do you have any favorite recipes for butternut squash?

Crediting information: Each 1/4 cup of squash is creditable for 1/4 cup of the required 1/2 cup of fruit/vegetable component at any meal for 3-5 year old children.

Soup Night

2010-12-20T11:57:00.017-07:00

As I have mentioned before, Monday night is "soup and bread night" at my house. I always make the soup ahead of time on Sunday, so that all I have to do on Monday is to reheat it and make the loaf of homemade bread that we always have to go with it (plus soup always tastes way better when the flavors are allowed to develop overnight)! Since I use my breadmaker to make the bread , dinner is a snap on Mondays.

I try to serve a wide variety of soups so that everyone in my family gets to eat their favorite at some point. This Southwestern Soup is one of my favorites! The best part about this soup is that you throw everything into a crockpot and let it cook all day. As a vegetarian, I like the soup just the way it is, or sometimes I throw in some black beans. Feel free to add cooked, diced chicken if you like too. We also like to crush unsalted tortilla chips up and sprinkle them on top of this soup. Enjoy!

Southwestern Soup

1 Tablespoon canola oil
28 oz low sodium vegetable broth (or you could use chicken broth)
16 oz bag frozen corn, thawed
1, 14oz can low sodium diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lowry's)
1/2 teaspoon Fiesta lime Mrs. Dash seasoning
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 7-8 hours. Stir before serving. Serve with tortilla chips if desired.

Crediting information (without beans, chicken or chips):
Makes 21 servings creditable for 1/4 cup of the fruit/vegetable requirement at any meal for 3-5 year old children.

Serving low-sugar cereals can encourage children to eat more fresh fruit!

2010-12-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

Do you serve high-sugar cereals to the children in your care? I have found that sometimes providers believe that children won't accept cereal if it isn't pre-sweetened. If this is the case for you, a study in the journal Pediatrics may change your mind.

A recent study shows that children not only accept low-sugar cereals readily, but they are actually more likely to choose a nutritious, well-balanced breakfast if they are served low-sugar cereals. In the study, the children were divided into 2 groups. One group was allowed to chose from 3 high-sugar cereal varieties, and the other group was allowed to chose from 3 low-sugar cereals. Both groups were also offered milk, orange juice, cut-up strawberries and bananas, and small packets of table sugar. The kids in this study who ate the low-sugar cereal were more likely to add fresh fruit to their bowl of cereal than those eating the high-sugar cereals. In addition, the kids in the high-sugar cereal group ate nearly twice the amount of sugar as the children in the low-sugar cereal group! What I found especially interesting about this study is that even though the children were allowed to add some sugar to the low-sugar cereals, they still added less than was found in the higher-sugar varieties. (In case you are wondering, the low-sugar cereals were Cheerios, Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies and the high-sugar cereals were Froot Loops, Cocoa Pebbles, and Frosted Flakes).

Some cereals that contain several teaspoons of sugar are indeed creditable on the Child and Adult Care Food Program, but that doesn't mean that they are the best choice for breakfast for kids. Most children get way to much sugar in their diet and this study shows that serving low-sugar cereals is an easy way to cut out some of the sugar! To be a creditable cereal on the CACFP, the first ingredient must be a whole grain or whole grain flour, or an enriched grain or flour. You need to read labels carefully though because some of the cereal companies have started putting more whole grains into their cereals, but are still adding a lot of extra sugar too. Look for cereal varieties that have whole grains and little added sugar, and then take a tip from this study and put out bowls of cut-up fruit for children to add to their bowls!

Fire Safety

2010-12-10T18:23:00.004-07:00

How long has it been since you have practiced your emergency and/or fire escape plan? If you need to practice, or if you want to add some fire safety information to your child care curriculum, check out this free activity book available to child care providers. It has coloring pages, connect the dots pages, word searches, and lots of other activities to teach children about fire safety. Go to the U.S. Fire Administration website to request a free copy to be sent to you, or download a copy immediately on their website.

Mindful Eating

2010-12-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

I love reading about mindful eating and find it fascinating that our environment can influence how much we eat. I really like all of the research that Brian Wansink has done, and continues to do, on this subject at Cornell University and through his Smarter Lunchrooms program. It is very interesting, I think, that just about all of the people who have been involved in his research studies are convinced before the study that the environment has no effect on their eating habits. Dr. Wansink has found the opposite to be true for the majority of people. He has found that you really can influence how much someone eats by giving them a different size plate, by giving food a more descriptive name, or even by serving a brownie on a napkin instead of a plate.

So, I read with interest this new article about how imagination can trick the brain into eating less. Contrary to popular wisdom that if you crave a certain food for a long period of time you will eat more of it, the participants in this study actually ate less of a food after repeatedly imagining eating the food before they actually ate it.

And finally, today on the Fooducate blog, an interesting article on how being aware of the number of times you chew your food can help you eat less. Taking a moment to slow down and savor our food can be an easy way to have a more enjoyable and satisfying meal.

If you are interested in mindful eating, be sure to check out Dr. Wansink's websites (by using the links above) or go to your local library and check out his book Mindless Eating. It is quite a compelling read if you are curious about how changing your meal environment can help you eat less.

More cranberry recipes!

2010-12-09T08:55:00.021-07:00

Since fresh cranberries are abundant in the store right now, I would like to share another of my family's favorite recipes using fresh cranberries. This bread is very delicious and makes a great snack!

Cranberry Nut Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans.

Mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. In another bowl stir together the orange juice, orange peel, canola oil and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until blended. Stir in the cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan(s).

Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 25 minutes for mini loaf pans). Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.

Crediting information: Makes 34 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate for 3-5 year old children at any meal or snack.

Helpful Holiday Links

2010-12-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension website has compliled a bunch of their holiday food and nutrition tips in one place to make it very easy to find what you are looking for fast! Visit their holiday links page and you can find information about topics such as preparing foods ahead of time, ingredient substitutions and cooking terms, food safety, sending food gifts to the military, holiday weight management tips (with a great video by Brian Wansink), and a Kid's Corner section that has some great games and websites to keep the kids busy. Check out it out to get quick answers for all of your holiday food and nutrition questions!

Holiday Safety

2010-12-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Envrionment issued a press release today about Christmas trees that also contains some great reminders about safety during the holidays. Sometimes we forget about all of the potential hazards that holiday decorations can contain. Take a minute and read through their press release and make sure that your child care home does not contain any of the hazards that they warn about so that you can have a healthy and happy holiday season!

Quick Snack

2010-11-30T09:15:00.010-07:00

I am so glad that clementines are showing up again! I look forward to having them as a snack this time of year, and I always remember that they start appearing around Thanksgiving time because we have them with our breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. So, I went and checked out the "California Cuties" website to do a little research, and found out that like most citrus crops they are in season from November- April. I also learned that "Cuties" are actually two different types of mandarin oranges. I love them because of their size and the fact that they are easy to peel. Their smaller size and lack of seeds to spit out make them a hit with my kids too.

What's so great about Cuties? 2 Cuties have only 80 calories but supply 4 grams of fiber (14% of daily needs), 11% of daily potassium needs, 290% (!) of daily vitamin C needs, and are a good source of many other nutrients such as thiamin, niacin, folate and vitamin B6. They are truly a nutrient-rich food and are so tasty. Consider serving them for snack before they disappear again in the spring!

Cranberries

2010-11-28T18:06:00.050-07:00

Fresh cranberries are back in the stores, just in time for Thanksgiving. I hadn't seen them and I was starting to get worried a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately, I spotted some at my local grocery store the week before Thanksgiving! I start craving fresh cranberries this time of year. Fresh cranberry waldorf salad (see recipe below) is one of my favorite side dishes at the Thanksgiving table. It only takes 1 1/2 cups of cranberries to make this salad, so I use the rest of the bag to make another fall favorite of mine, cranberry walnut bread!

You are probably aware of the fact that cranberries can play a role in the prevention of urinary tract infections (this is due to their high antibacterial properties). However, cranberries are also a great source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, and vitamin K. As an extra bonus, cranberries are chock-full of antioxidants which may help prevent heart disease, stroke and some types of cancers.

Since fresh cranberries are only available for a short time at the grocery store, I always buy extra and put some in the freezer. They come in handy in the spring when I want to make more cranberry-walnut bread!

Cranberry Waldorf Salad
This salad is fruity and creamy and my kids love it too!

You will need:
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped red apple
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts*
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
8 ounces lowfat vanilla yogurt

1. Combine all ingredients, toss to coat.
2. Cover and chill 2 hours. Stir before serving.

Crediting information: Makes 16 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1/4 cup of the fruit/vegetable component at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children.
*Nuts can be choking hazard for children under the age of 4

Provider Resources

2010-11-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Do you have bulletin boards or posters in your child care home? If you do, you may be interested in the TEAM Nutrition website. I love this website because it has links to all sorts of resources. You can find posters to download, or ideas for bulletin board lessons. The are many topics to choose from incuding general nutrition, hand washing, and even whole grains. It is worth a visit anytime you need ideas or inspiration!

Variety Still the Spice of Life!

2010-11-22T09:55:00.001-07:00

You might have noticed that some of my favorite words as a nutritionist are the words "variety" and "moderation". That is, the healthiest diet is one that includes a variety of foods in moderation since this gives us the best chance to get all of the nutrients that we need. A large recent study offers more proof that variety is indeed a vital part of a healthy diet. The study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, used data from about half a million people living in Europe. The participants in the study were divided into groups depending on how many of 14 different fruits and 26 different vegetables they ate over a two-week period. When the study was completed 9 years later, the smokers who ate the greatest variety of vegetables had a 27 percent reduced risk of lung cancer compared to those who consumed the least variety.

So, variety in our diet not only keeps us from getting bored, it is likely the most nutritious way to eat too. Do you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every week, or do you find yourself buying and eating the same ones over and over again? If you answered yes, why not vow to try something new the next time you are at the grocery store. A great way to do this is to buy fruits and vegetables in season. They are usually less expensive that way, and they are at the peak of their taste too. Follow the seasons to ensure that you get a variety of produce all year 'round!

Food allergy app

2010-11-21T09:12:00.021-07:00

If you have an iPhone and would like some help decoding food labels, this app is for you! The "FoodEssentials Scanner" app allows you to scan items at the store with your iPhone and gives you easy-to-understand information about that product's nutrients and ingredients. This app can be especially helpful for people food shopping for a child or family member who has food allergies because the app can alert you to the fact that the product contains peanuts, gluten and other allergens.

Get the app at iTunes.com ($2).

Holiday Tips for Grandparents

2010-11-18T09:49:00.022-07:00

Many people will be traveling to their relatives' homes for the upcoming holidays. While it is wonderful to see our friends and families during the holiday season, a lot of stress can be caused by the changing of our childrens' eating habits while they are there. I remember when I was little, we used to go to my grandparent's house for Christmas. We were rarely allowed to have soda except at their house, so it was a real treat for us to have it at Christmas. Fortunately, my grandparents also had a lot of healthy food around for us to eat too and they never "pushed" us to eat certain foods or more food in general! However, that is often not the case, and some families and family members may have different opinions about what your children should be eating.

I found this post on the Fooducate blog to be helpful, and it could easily be passed on to any friends or family members if you are concerned about this problem in your family! http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2010/11/17/four-food-tips-for-grandparents/

Cream Soup Mix

2010-11-14T09:01:00.034-07:00

I recently found a recipe from the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website that I wanted to share with you. This website is a great resource for saving money on healthy foods. I love finding recipes that substitute for canned and processed foods which I can use to "make my own". Most processed foods contain way too much sodium and/or sugar and preservatives for my liking. I rarely use canned soup, but I do have a potato casserole recipe that my family loves that calls for a can of cream of celery soup. I used this dry cream soup mix in place of the canned soup and it worked like a charm. This version is lower in fat, sodium, and has no preservatives. I also love the fact that the homemade version costs at least 50% less than the canned!

Here is the recipe:
(Note: I didn't have dried thyme leaves so I substituted 1/2 teaspoon of ground thyme which I found to be too much. The thyme flavor was rather prominent. Next time I will be sure to add the leaves!)

Dry Cream Soup Mix
(Equal to 7 cans cream soup)

2 cups instant nonfat dry milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sodium-free dry chicken or vegetable bouillon
2 Tablespoons dried minced onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in an air tight container.
To use as a substitute for 1 can condensed soup:
Mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cups water.
Stovetop: cook and stir with whisk until thickened.
Microwave: using a large microwave safe bowl; cook on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring with whisk every 30 seconds until thick.

Snow Snacks

2010-11-12T08:46:00.003-07:00

The arrival of our first snow on Tuesday got me thinking about some "snow snacks" that I used to serve when I was a child care provider. The kids in my care would get so excited about the first snow that we used to commemorate the occasion by making some tasty snacks! One of their favorites was snowflake tortillas. I gave them each a tortilla which they folded up as you would fold a piece of paper to make a paper snowflake, (usually in half and then in half again, being careful not to break the tortilla). They then would take turns using the kitchen scissors to cut shapes on the folds of the tortilla. After removing the cut-away pieces, they could then unfold their tortilla "snowflake". After brushing the tortilla with a little butter, and sprinkling on a little cinnamon-sugar (or using shredded white cheese such as Monterey Jack or mozzarella instead), we would toast the snowflakes in the oven. Sometimes we even decorated the snowflakes with mandarin oranges or berries after they had been toasted.

Another favorite "snow snack" was "trees in the snow". We would arrange small stalks of broccoli in a bowl of cottage cheese and drizzle it with a little Italian dressing.

What about you? Do you have any special way of celebrating the first snow?

Moldy Food and Food Safety

2010-11-07T07:53:00.025-07:00

Have you ever wondered if a food with mold on it is safe to eat? For instance, is it okay to eat that cheddar cheese if you cut the mold off of it? We all hate wasting food, but some foods can be dangerous to eat if they are moldy and are best thrown away. I found a great fact sheet from the USDA that can help you decide if you can safely eat a moldy food or if you should toss it. Most foods should be discarded, but I was surprised at a couple that can be saved once the mold is cut away! And in case you are curious, hard cheeses can indeed be eaten if you cut off the portion one inch around the mold.

Too Much Halloween Candy?

2010-11-05T18:52:00.000-06:00

If you still have Halloween candy hanging around, or have just decided that your kids have had enough, why not do something creative with the rest? Visit the website candyexperiments.com and use your leftover candy to learn about science. Kids can learn lessons about density, color separation, or even test candy for acid ingredients that make it sour.
Fun with food!

New Recipe On Our Website

2010-11-03T14:28:00.000-06:00

Have you checked out the recipe section of our website yet? Just go to the top of the website home page and go to the "Food Program" bar. At the bottom of the drop-down menu you will see "Try Our Recipes". If you click on that, you will find our recipe section. I just added a new recipe today that was sent in by a Wildwood provider. If you have a creditable recipe that you would like to share with us, we would love to have it! You can mail it in with your claim, or submit it on the "contact us" section of the website.

In the meantime, enjoy Charlotte's recipe, it's a keeper!

Pumpkin Seeds

2010-10-30T06:56:00.017-06:00

Are you going to be carving a pumpkin or two for Halloween? If so, don't forget to save the seeds and toast them up for a healthy snack! Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, copper, protein, and fiber!

Here is a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds:
Spread 2 cups of rinsed pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cook for about 30 minutes in a 300 degree oven, stirring once during the cooking time. Take out and salt lightly, or toss with 1 Tablespoon of melted butter and seasonings (try 1 1/2 T. brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or grated Parmesan and black pepper). Turn the oven up to 375 degrees and return the seeds to the oven for 7-10 minutes or until they are toasty.

Food and Your Immune System

2010-10-22T08:50:00.000-06:00

This time of year, when the cold and flu season starts up, many people start thinking about their immune system (and that of their children). I don't know about you, but I would love to breeze right through winter without a single bout of cold or flu. I also remember that it was about this time last year that Kellogg's got in trouble for touting Cocoa Krispies as helping to boost immunity in children. While spraying sugary cereal with a bunch of anti-oxidant vitamins, and claiming it will help children fight off germs is ludicrous in my opinion, it does bring up a good point. Can what we eat affect our immune system?

There are several nutrients that have been shown to have potential in helping immune function. These include vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and vitamin D. There is also some evidence that even probiotics can help our immune system by increasing the beneficial bacteria in the gut. However, that is not to say that taking large supplements of any or all of these nutrients will help keep us healthy. In fact, you may remember the study they did on smokers where supplements of anti-oxidant vitamins actually increased the rate of lung cancers in the group. Taking supplements of certain vitamins by themselves may do more harm than good in some instance and for some people. We also know that being deficient in certain nutrients can have a detrimental effect on our immune function.

So, you may be wondering what dietary measures we can take to help our immune system? Once again, the answer seems to be to eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. Take a look at your diet and make sure you are consuming foods that contain vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and vitamin D naturally. Foods trump supplements because they contain many nutrients that work together in a beneficial synergistic manner (which supplements of one or more nutrients by themselves cannot match).

It's Apple Time!

2010-10-14T07:05:00.002-06:00

We are so fortunate to be able to find good apples year-round in most places in this country. But in the fall we are even luckier because apples at their flavor-peak start showing up at the grocery store. One of my favorite apples, the Honeycrisp variety, are starting to make an appearance at my local grocery store and I couldn't be happier! I look forward to their appearance every fall because I just love how they burst with a sweet yet slightly tart taste. (If you haven't tried a Honeycrisp apple yet, go find one, you are in for a treat!) Even though I relish my daily apple for its wonderful flavor, sometimes I also like to remind myself of all the nutrients found in an apple.

Apples are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Apples also contain flavonoids, a type of phytochemical. The most prevalent flavonoid in apples is quercetin. Quercetin has shown promise in some studies as being an inhibitor of cancer, and other studies have shown that people who eat a lot of apples have lower rates of lung cancer.

How about serving apples for snack today? They are a quick, easy, yummy and nutritious!

Tip: Make sure you eat the skin, the quercetin is concentrated there.

American Youth Eating a Lot of Empty Calories

2010-10-06T07:30:00.002-06:00

Most people are aware that we have a problem in this country with the growing number of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. We know that this is a result of many different factors in our world today, but our eating habits seem to be a big part of this epidemic. A recent article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association took a look at at what American youth are eating and what the major sources of "empty" calories are (that is, nutrient-poor foods that supply calories and very few nutrients to a person's diet). Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the researchers found that the top sources of energy (calories) for 2-18 year olds included grain desserts, pizza and soda. Sugar-sweetened beverages (this included soda and fruit drinks) provided almost 10% of total calories for the day! Also disturbing is that 40% of the total calories taken in daily by these kids were from empty calories! Half of these empty calories came from soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza and whole milk.

This article is not surprising but it does remind us that we must continue to work on improving the diets of our kids! I have talked about how our society today is "overfed but undernourished" and this article helps to point out why. If our kids are getting 40% of their calories from empty calorie foods, how can they possibly get all of the nutrients they need in a day?

Those of you on our food program can use this information to show parents and guardians of the children in your care why it is important to choose a home child care provider who participates in the CACFP. The CACFP meal pattern encourages eating foods from all of the food groups and limiting added sweets and fats. As a provider, you can also use this information as a reminder about what children are eating when they are not with you. That makes it even more important for you to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem, by limiting empty calorie foods and offering your children nutrient-rich foods!

Sports Beverages

2010-10-01T09:00:00.002-06:00

"Sports" beverages (such as Gatorade) are often marketed as being a necessary part of sports and physical activity. Having sports heroes hawking the stuff just adds to its appeal for young children and teenagers. I have seen this first-hand at my son's baseball games. Kids bring and drink LARGE bottles of these sports drinks, even though they are mostly standing around in a baseball game, and only occasionally running or putting forth much physical effort. So what should kids be drinking? The general rule is: for moderate physical activity less than one hour in length, that is not taking place in extreme weather conditions, WATER is the best beverage. Of course, this does not apply to very vigorous exercise lasting longer than one hour (such as running a marathon).

We know that many children consume too many sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soda) daily leading to many empty calories coming from beverages. However, people do not realize that sports beverages fall into this same category. These drinks have come to been associated with a healthy lifestyle despite the fact that they are essentially sugar water.

Remember, the current recommendation on the CACFP is that juice should be limited to only two servings per week. I would like to add that sports drinks should be reserved for extreme exercise and water should be the beverage of choice in most instances. And if your kids need a healthy snack after their game, reach for whole fruit such as oranges instead of the juice!

Apple Season is Here!

2010-09-24T07:27:00.002-06:00

The coolness in the air this morning (and the autumnal equinox on Wednesday) remind me that fall is here! When fall rolls around I always start thinking about apples, and homemade applesauce, and apple pie, and sweet potato apple bake, and..... My husband really likes apple pie, but to me there is nothing better than a fresh, crisp apple all by its juicy self! Did you know that there are several places in Colorado where you can go pick your own apples? Check out this pick your own website to see if there is a farm near you.

After picking fresh raspberries with my family last weekend (at Berry Patch Farms in Brighton), I am looking forward to picking some fresh apples very soon. My kids just love to do this and I'll bet yours will too!

Battery Ingestion in Young Children

2010-09-22T11:08:00.001-06:00

I realize that this is not really a nutrition topic, but it does involve eating! In a previous post I shared a cool new choking prevention poster with you. Today I wanted to share information about a slightly different subject. Check out this recent article regarding young children swallowing disc batteries. This can be a real danger to young ones, and it seems as though these little disc batteries are more common all the time. I found the statistics in this article to be quite alarming! Can you believe that over 2,000 incidences of children swallowing these batteries occured in 1998 alone, and that there has been an 80% increase since that year?! Keep this article in mind when you are checking to make sure that your child care home is "child proof". Do your best to keep items containing these batteries out of small hands.

Biscuits, Ice-Cream and Soft Drinks for Infants?!?

2010-09-20T10:00:00.003-06:00

I recently came across an article that both shocked and saddened me! The study, published in the journal Nutrition & Dietetics found that some very young babies had already been introduced to high fat, high salt and high sugar foods even though experts recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life.

The study was conducted in Australia and was part of a survey in that country. The researchers tracked 587 women for the first 12 months of their infants' lives through regular phone interviews. They found that almost one in four mothers had introduced biscuits (sweet cookies) and cakes to their infants by six months of age! This is just so unfortunate because babies do not need sugary solid foods in their diet at this time. Not only is it increasing the amount of sugar in their diet, but it is displacing essential nutrients that they would get from breastmilk. In addition, we have to remember that eating habits developed at a young age are likely to continue for life. Why even give a baby ice cream and cookies when breastmilk (or formula) satisfies all of their taste needs?

Like the U.S., Australia has a increasing rate of childhood obesity. According to the study, up to 20% of children aged 2-3 were found to be overweight or obese in Australia. Another good reason to get children started off on the right (less sugary) path!

Fortunately, I also think that this is partly just an education issue. That's why I appreciate all of you ladies who do home child care. You are so good at educating the parents and caregivers of the children in your care. With your guidance, they can make decisions about feeding their infants and children that will help them to be healthy and develop healthy eating habits for life!

I also know that sometimes it can be challenging if you suddenly find yourself caring for an infant when you haven't cared for one in awhile. If you need a little "refresher" information, please feel free to ask your Wildwood rep., or call the office for a copy of our book called " Feeding Infants: A Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs". It is full of useful tips and hints!

Upcoming Wildwood Workshops

2010-09-19T06:56:00.014-06:00

If you live in the Colorado Springs or Pueblo areas of the state, our latest workshop is coming your way soon! The "Scrumptious Snacks and Marvelous Meals" workshop will be offered on October 6 at 6:30 pm at the East Library in Colorado Springs (5550 N Union Blvd.), and on November 1 at 6:00 pm at the Pueblo Library (100 E. Abriendo Ave.). This 2 hour workshop will give you lots of information about serving healthy snacks and meals. Plus, you will get lots of meal and snack ideas and recipes. YUM!

Have You Signed Up For the Wildwood Conference Yet?

2010-09-15T09:00:00.003-06:00

Our conference preparation is in full-swing and every day seems to bring something new and exciting! We have rounded up lots of little "surprises" for the participant registration bags and we are working on getting more. I am also working on the correspondence course that will be given to those attending, and I will give you a little hint about it ~ Did you know that chia seeds (formally known from Chia Pet fame) are a tasty, nutritious food? After searching at my local health food store to no avail, I finally found some chia seeds online (at NutsOnline.com) and have been experimenting with recipes. You don't want to miss it!~

Will we see you there? I hope so! You can find a registration form on our website under the "Forms and Documents" section and you can even register online if you go to the top left-hand portion of the website and click on "Fall Conference Registration". Register before October 15 to get the best deal!

A New Way to Serve Quinoa

2010-09-13T13:26:00.001-06:00

I am so excited that I have found a recipe for quinoa that my whole family will eat. Quinoa is such a nutritious whole grain that I keep trying to find a way serve it to my family. Most of my other attempts have been rejected because some of the child members of my family object to the "earthy" like flavor of quinoa. I am happy to report that this recipe has just enough spice to cover up that flavor and is very tasty!

Green Bean and Quinoa Toss

4 1/2 cups frozen French-cut green beans

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

6 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

sprinkle of salt

black pepper to taste
1 3/4 cups cooked quinoa
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 red onion or sweet onion, finely diced
6 Tablespoons chopped almonds*

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the frozen green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper. Add the green beans to the mustard mixture and toss to coat. Add the remaining ingredients (quinoa, cheese, onion, and almonds) and stir well. This dish can be served immediately or chilled before serving.

Note: if your children don't like the flavor of feta cheese, you can substitute another milder variety of cheese.

Crediting information: Makes 7 servings. Each serving is creditable for 1/4 cup of the fruit/vegetable requirement and 1 bread/bread alternate at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children.

*can be a choking hazard for children under the age of 4.

Americans Are Still Not Eating Enough Fruit and Veggies!

2010-09-10T11:29:00.000-06:00

Did you see the latest news from the CDC regarding fruit and vegetable intake among Americans? According to their survey, most Americans are still not getting enough of either fruits or veggies. This really is a problem because not only are most people missing out on the vital nutrients and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, but we also know most people are loading up on the less than desirable things like salt and sugar.

How does your diet rate? Do you get enough fruits and vegetables? One of the things I like about the Child and Adult Care Food Program is that it encourages fruits and vegetables throughout the day. You can make sure your kids are getting enough by serving fruits and/or vegetables not just at mealtimes but at snacktime too. If you sit down with the children and eat all of the fruits and vegetables you are serving to them, you will likely be pretty close to eating enough too!

Don't Forget the Herbs!

2010-09-09T12:55:00.006-06:00

When cooking do you ever find yourself leaving out the fresh parsley or other herbs because you don't have any, or don't want to buy them to put in just one dish? I have been guilty of just that when it comes to parsley. I blame this on the fact that I used to have a nice patch of parsley in my backyard that even grew in the winter! However, we recently built a deck in our backyard and my parsley patch was destroyed in the process. I usually forget that I can't go out and grab a handful for a recipe until I am in the middle of meal preparation , and I also forget to buy it when I am at the store.

I am trying to do a better job of remembering to buy it, and I will surely plant some more next summer. That is because fresh parsley and other fresh herbs such as cilantro can not only make a dish tastier, but more nutritious too! Fresh parsley is a good source of beta-carotene and vitamin C. It also provides a little folate, iron and potassium to the diet. Herbs are also a great source of antioxidants.

Now that I think about it, maybe I will even try planting both of these herbs in pots in my windowsill this winter. But, I haven't figured out how to keep the cats from knocking them over if I do......

Commercials We Actually Want To See More Of

2010-09-03T09:09:00.017-06:00

A group of baby carrot farmers has put together a very innovative website to go along with their new "baby carrots, eat'em like junk food" campaign to get people to eat more baby carrots. You can check it out here.

The website has videos, a sneak peak at their new "junk food packaging", and information about their "carrot crunch-powered" video game . The site also promises that a baby carrot commercial will air on September 7 and I can't wait to see it. These are the type of commercials we need more of!

Click on the "Nutritional Info (yawn)" section for another funny surprise.

I really like this campaign and applaud their willingness to compete with other junk food websites. Here's hoping it works!

Aerobic Exercise Has Lifelong Impact

2010-09-02T11:58:00.002-06:00

According to a recent study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, a moderate aerobic exercise program can alter the metabolism of sugar in children and adolescents. This is promising news because it can reduce their risk of developing heart disease and diabetes later in life!

Researchers studied both lean and obese teenagers who were sedentary. The teens participated in a 12-week exercise program of four, 30-minute exercise sessions every week. By the end of the program, none of the teens had lost weight, but all of them increased their insulin sensitivity and their ability to maintain normal blood glucose levels. The obese teenagers also lost some of their abdominal fat which is considered more "dangerous" fat because it is linked with insulin resistance.

Just one more reminder for all of us that we really need to ensure that children are getting the recommended physical activity* every day!

*Toddlers should accumulate at least 30 minutes daily of structured physical activity; preschoolers at least 60 minutes. Toddlers and preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes and up to several hours of daily, unstructured physical activity and should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time except when sleeping.

Free Eating Healthy Posters

2010-09-01T11:02:00.012-06:00

Looking to "jazz up" your eating area? The Baylor College of Medicine's Children's Nutrition Research Center has some great downloadable posters on their website. Many of them would be great for childcare homes. Check them out here.

Another Reason to Limit Screen Time

2010-08-27T08:26:00.001-06:00

We all know that children need to get up and move around more and watch tv less! We also know that many of the advertisements during childrens' television programming are for foods that are less than stellar nutrient-wise. So, the results of a recent study may not be surprising, but should make us even more motivated to limit screen time for kids.

A study reported in the June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association has shown that if you based your diet entirely on foods that you saw in tv ads, you would eat 25 times the recommended servings of sugar, and 20 times the recommended servings of fat in your daily diet. The foods featured on tv ads not only had too much sugar and fat, but also oversupplied sodium (not a surprise either considering most of the sodium in the American diet comes from processed and restaurant food). Additionally, if you followed this "tv ad diet" you would be deficient in 12 important nutrients such as vitamin A, D and E.

A Fun Website For Your Kids

2010-08-20T07:35:00.025-06:00

Here is a really fun website for your kids to explore! "Fizzy's Lunch Lab" is a PBS site that promotes good nutrition and encourages physical activity. You will find games, printable placemats to color, recipes and outdoor activity ideas. Kids can also listen to musical hits such as "Fruit is Nature's Candy" and "Veggie Fever". The video section will likely be a hit too with webisodes about the Lunch Lab, and "Lunch Lab Live" videos that are funny talk show parodies. This is our new favorite website!

Check it out here.

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Zucchini Bread

2010-08-12T11:53:00.019-06:00

I don't know about you, but my garden is bursting with zucchini! I just love this time of year when everything starts to get ripe and delicious and ready to eat! I am always on the lookout for zucchini bread recipes that are not loaded with oil. (You really don't need an entire cup of oil for one loaf of bread!) I found this recipe in Healthy Cooking magazine and changed it up a little to include some whole wheat flour. (I like to use whole wheat pastry flour because it gives baked goods a nice texture, but you can use regular whole wheat flour also).
It turned out to be delicious! It makes two loaves, so you can even put one in the freezer for later.

Zucchini Bread
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups enriched all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cups chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, applesauce, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. In another bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the zucchini and walnuts.

Transfer the mixture to 2, 8-inch x 4-inch loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Crediting information: Makes 51 servings total (both loaves). Each serving is creditable for 1 bread/bread alternate at any meal or snack for 3-5 year old children.

Snack recipe

2010-08-09T11:15:00.026-06:00

Here is a cute recipe adapted from one I saw in Potpourri magazine. It is always a good idea to serve a vegetable at snack for a little extra "insurance" towards making sure kids get all of the vegetables they need in a day!

Buried Treasure Eggs
12 large eggs
1 cup skim milk
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
salt and black pepper to taste

Combine the eggs and milk in a bowl and mix together using a whisk. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and pour the egg/milk mixture in. Cook and stir until the eggs are thoroughly cooked. Add the peppers, onion, salt and pepper. Serve warm. Encourage the children to search their eggs for the different colors of "buried treasure" (the peppers)!

Crediting information:
Makes 8 servings, each serving creditable for 1 meat/meat alternate and 1/4 cup of the vegetable requirement at lunch or supper for 3-5 year old children. (Or makes16 servings meat/meat alternate at lunch or supper if not counting the vegetables toward the vegetable requirement). If served at snack, makes 48 servings of meat/meat alternate for 3-5 year old children.

Online Resources for Providers

2010-08-08T08:23:00.006-06:00

I just came across a new nutrition website called "The Taste Buddies" for kids aged 6-10. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has just launched this colorful site which has healthy activities, kid friendly recipes and fun nutrition facts. Check it out here.

Whole Grains

2010-08-06T12:26:00.001-06:00

Have you been trying to eat more whole grains and/or serve more whole grains to the kids in your care? If you said yes, you are not alone! According to a recent study by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, most people are trying to consume more whole grains. The study found that 73% of the respondents said that they were trying to eat more whole grains, and 72% were trying to include more fiber in their diets. This is very encouraging, however, the study also showed that many people are still confused about just why they should be eating more whole grains.

What are whole grains? All grains start life as whole grains. For example, wheat plants growing out in a field contain wheat seeds. The wheat seeds, or "kernels" are whole grains. Seeds contain 3 key parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. To be considered a whole grain, the seed must retain all of its 3 key parts. When grains are refined, such as when "white" flour is made from wheat seeds, some of the 3 key parts are removed. White flour (also known as "wheat" flour on food labels) contains only the starchy endosperm of the seed, the bran and the germ have been removed. This strips important nutrients from the flour. Food manufacturers often "enrich" the flour and add back some of the missing nutrients, but they do not add them all back.

What do you miss by eating refined grains? The bran which contains antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber and the germ which contains B vitamins, protein, minerals, and healthy fats. When the bran and germ are removed you lose 17 key nutrients and food processors are only required to add back 5 of the lost vitamins and minerals. They cannot add back the antioxidants.

Why are whole grains important in the diet? The medical benefits of eating 3 servings of whole grains per day instead of refined include:

better weight maintenance
decreased stroke risk
decreased type 2 diabetes risk
decreased heart disease risk
decreased risk of some cancers.

Your next question may be "That's all great but how do I know which products are truly whole grain"? This is an excellent question because food companies often engage in deceptive practices when trying to get you to buy their product. The answer lies in reading the labels carefully, and I have blogged previously about this here I have also previously blogged about whole grain recipes for use in your child care home using millet, barley, and whole grains in general.

What is your favorite whole grain recipe?

Wildwood Conference

2010-08-02T09:32:00.000-06:00

It's August already?!? I simply cannot believe that August is upon us, but that just means that the Wildwood Conference is only about 3 months away. We are all starting to get excited about the conference and we are getting speakers lined up and ironing out all of the details. The conference will once again be held at Children's Hospital. (Check out this link to see the flyer for the conference). If you haven't already marked your calendar, please do so now. It is going to be so much fun, and we can't wait to see you all there!

Upcoming Wildwood Workshops

2010-07-31T13:00:00.022-06:00

Are you looking for an opportunity to learn about nutrition for children, mingle with your peers, and earn some continuing education hours? The newest Wildwood workshop, "Scrumptious Snacks and Marvelous Meals" will be offered on Thursday, August 12 at the Denver County Association Meeting. This meeting will be held at 7 pm at the Salem United Church of Christ at 5300 E. Florida Ave, Denver 80224. Additionally, the workshop will be presented on Wednesday, September 22 at the Jefferson County Association Meeting at 8 pm. The address for that meeting is the Clement Community Center at 1580 Yarrow Street in Lakewood.

This workshop is full of tips for serving healthy meals and snacks to the children in your care. If you attend, you will also receive lots of recipes and menu ideas. This workshop will be offered throughout the state during the next year. If neither of these locations is close to you, keep watching for more dates, or call your program rep. to see when a workshop will be offered in your area!

Choking Prevention Poster

2010-07-16T07:24:00.001-06:00

I just uploaded a new resource to the Wildwood website. The "Prevent Childhood Choking" poster is now available in the "forms and documents" section of our website. This poster was developed by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and the International Food Information Council Foundation. It is a colorful poster that would be great to post in your childcare home or even to pass out to the parents of children in your care. I am continuously amazed at how many parents are unaware of foods that can be choking hazards for young children!

More Web Resources

2010-07-09T07:16:00.001-06:00

If you are a Denver Post subscriber, you may have noticed that a nutritional website developed by a Boulder company is in the running for a prize from Michelle Obama's campaign to fight childhood obesity. The website, ZisBoomBah.com, is the only entry from Colorado to make it into the finals in the "Apps for Healthy Kids" competition (which is part of the Let's Move! campaign started by Michelle Obama).

ZisBoomBah is a free website that is aimed at kids ages 9-12. Kids can design their own meals by dragging and dropping foods onto their plate. Once they have filled up their plate, they can "Add It Up" and various meters rate the nutritional value of the foods chosen. My kids liked this aspect because it allowed them to see the nutritional value of the choices that they made. The website also has nutrition videos, recipes, and kids can even email the meals they have created to their parents.

If you want to check out some more of the nutrition websites that are in the running in the "Apps for Healthy Kids" competition click here. There are some other contenders which also offer nutrition games for kids. Additionally, this link will allow you to vote for your favorite one after July 14.

McCormick Spices

2010-06-30T09:20:00.002-06:00

I received a free sample of McCormick's "Recipe Inspirations" spices in the mail the other day. As you can see, the package includes 5 individual spices (there are 6 little packets of spices but 2 contain paprika). It also includes a plastic-coated recipe card (which can be saved for later use) on the back of the package to make an entree using the spices included in the package. The one I received is for "Spanish Chicken Skillet" and includes paprika, minced garlic, thyme leaves, black pepper and red pepper.

The thing I like about this idea is the fact that it is a seasoning mix that does not include salt! Most packaged spice mixes that you can buy at the store are jam-packed with salt but this one just contains herbs and spices. The recipe on the package does recommend that you add 1 teaspoon of salt when you make the recipe, but you could easily leave it out if you want to keep the sodium level low. The recipe that you make with this card also includes 1 can of diced tomatoes and you could use the low-sodium variety to further limit the sodium if you wanted to.

While someone who cooks all the time and has these spices on hand might not find this to be a useful product, this would be a good trade-off for someone who doesn't. For example, using this product could produce a much more nutritious product than buying a frozen dinner. The recipe lists prep time as 10 minutes and cook time as 25 minutes, and the recipe is a fairly simple one, making this a good product for a beginning cook. Also, the McCormick website touts these as "putting flavorful twists on traditional recipes". I think they want people to get a chance to try spices that they may not be familiar with (rosemary, cilantro, sage, and dill) without having to buy a whole bottle of the spice. For those of you with lots of cooking experience, who knows, it may be just what you are looking for too- new recipes and a little "inspiration"!

90% of Americans Get Too Much Sodium

2010-06-28T08:46:00.074-06:00

New data from the CDC indicates that only 9.6% of U.S. adults limit their daily sodium intake to the recommended levels! At first that was very shocking to me, but upon thinking about it, it really is not. It seems as though many people are eating out more frequently and eating more processed foods. These foods are usually very high in sodium and people are often unaware of that fact. Quick quiz: do you know what the daily sodium recommendations are?

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines suggest that adults get less than 2,300 mg of sodium each day. Of course, this recommendation is for only about one-third of Americans. The guidelines for anyone who is over 40, has high blood pressure, or is African-American are far stricter at 1,500 mg of sodium each day. Note: it looks like the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines that will come out later this year will encourage all Americans to make 1,500 mg of sodium per day their goal!

Any guesses as to how much sodium the average American takes in every day? A whopping 3,466 mg of sodium! What are the risks for taking in so much sodium? A high sodium diet has been shown to raise blood pressure in most people. This is unfortunate because high blood pressure increases a person's risk for stroke, heart disease and also kidney disease. In fact, the CDC estimates that if everyone followed the sodium recommendations, there could be 120,000 fewer cases of heart disease and 66,000 fewer strokes every year.

Where is all this sodium coming from? As I mentioned before, many people mistakenly believe that most of their salt comes from the salt shaker. In reality, salt that we add ourselves only accounts for about 10% of our daily sodium. About 75% of sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods. I found it interesting that the CDC report listed the three food groups from which we get the most sodium. These included 37% of our daily sodium from grains (this included pizza crust and breads). 28% of our daily sodium comes from meats, including poultry, cold cuts and fish. 12% of our daily sodium comes from vegetables (this included potato chips, french fries, canned vegetables, canned vegetable soups and vegetables with sauces).

So, what can the average American do to cut down their sodium intake?
You can take simple steps like: eating fewer processed foods and restaurant foods (if you make food at home you can control the amount of sodium you add), eating more fresh vegetables or frozen vegetables without added sauces, reading food labels to help you choose low-sodium foods, rinsing canned vegetables and beans to remove as much salt as possible or buying the "no added salt" varieties.

Don’t Forget Your Vitamin C!

2010-06-24T09:38:00.052-06:00

We all know that we need to remember the sunscreen when we are headed outside for a day of fun in the sun. But according to some new studies, you might want to consider taking along some strawberries to munch on as well!

Previous studies have shown that topical vitamin C (the type found in cosmetics and lotions) can help protect our skin from sun damage. (This is why you often see vitamin C added to sunscreens.) Eating foods rich in vitamin C has also been associated with "better skin aging appearance" (fewer wrinkles) in other studies But new research has shown that eating foods rich in vitamin C not only keeps those wrinkles away but actually may protect our skin from sun damage. This is a great discovery if it turns out to be true! We already know that vitamin C is necessary for healthy skin, and sun protection would be another bonus for eating yummy vitamin C rich food!

It is thought that vitamin C's role as an antioxidant is the reason for this protection (previously another antioxidant, lycopene, had also been shown to help prevent sunburn). So now you have another great motivator to make sure your children are getting enough vitamin C every day- the knowledge that it just might help them avoid a painful sunburn!

Vitamin C rich foods include: oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, red bell peppers, papaya, broccoli, kiwi, guava, and cantaloupe.

Lycopene can be found in "red" foods such as tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit

Where's the fruit?

2010-06-14T07:39:00.001-06:00

You have probably heard the message that most people do not eat enough fruit. Depending on how many calories you eat in a day, the MyPyramid recommendation for fruit can be anywhere from 2- 3 1/2 cups per day. The majority of Americans do not eat this much fruit every day, but I believe that many people are trying to do better.

One thing that makes it difficult for many people is the misleading packaging on many food products. Consider "fruit snacks" for example. On more than one occasion, I have observed people at the store who are stopping by with their child to pick up snacks for their baseball team, soccer team, etc. Often these parents will tell the child that they need to choose fruit snacks because they are "healthier". When I hear this it really makes me sad. The food companies have done a great job of convincing people that fruit snacks actually contain fruit! In reality, they are more like candy than fruit.  Most contain concentrates of nutrient-poor juices such as apple and pear and then they add more sugar and artificial colors.  Some throw in a few vitamins to make their nutrition label look a bit better, but fortified sugar is still just sugar!

What are some other products that people mistakenly think contain a lot of fruit, but really don't? How about toaster pastries? The packages of these pastries often claim "made with real fruit", but how much is really in there? One toaster pastry averages about 200 calories, but really only about 2% of those calories are coming from fruit! You are also getting 6 grams of fat (some brands even contain unhealthy trans fats), 16 grams of sugar, 160 mg of sodium and less than 1 gram of fiber. That is a lot of extras that you don't need if you are really just trying to get the nutrients from fruit.  On the other hand, if you ate the equivalent 200 calories worth of dried apples, you would get 7 grams of fiber (and very little sodium, no fat and no added sugar).

Bottom line: fruit snacks and toaster pastries are a "sometimes" (or "whoa") food. Most of the time choose fresh fruit, canned fruit without added sugar, and unsweetened frozen fruits to meet your daily fruit quota.  Fruits such as grapes, apples, and bananas can be an easy and portable snack. Dried fruit as part of a trail mix is even less perishable and is easy to carry around on a busy day.  Making smoothies can also be a great way to help children get more fruit, and you can control the ingredients yourself (thereby preventing added sugar)!

New Information Available on the Wildwood Website

2010-06-07T08:09:00.001-06:00

I have just added some new informational handouts to our website that I wanted to make you all aware of. Our juice flyer, and a flyer outlining the benefits of breastfeeding are now available under the "forms and documents" section of the Wildwood website. Both flyers can be shared with the parents of children you care for. The breastfeeding flyer lists the benefits of breastfeeding for both the mom and infant. This flyer also includes safe milk storage tips and tips for heating breastmilk. The juice flyer offers information about why limiting juice consumption in children is recommended.

Do you have any suggestions for information you would like to see posted, questions you would like answered, or topics you would like to see covered in this blog or on our website? Feel free to leave us a comment below!