Whole Grain Wednesdays-Southwest Pasta

I don't know about you, but the pace of my life starts to pick-up come spring!  It seems as though the activities at my children's school increase as they try to get all of the concerts, plays, etc. done before the end of the school year.  Add to that several spring sports and the time to make dinner seems to shrink dramatically.

I want to share a whole grain recipe that I make quite frequently for dinner because it is so quick and easy.  This would also make a delicious lunch for your hungry children.

Southwest Pasta

1 pound dried whole grain pasta (I like to use wagon wheel or bow-tie pasta if you can find whole grain varieties)
2 cups mild salsa
4 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (or use about 3 1/2 cups cooked black beans)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta and put it in a large bowl.

In a medium saucepan combine the salsa, green chilies and black beans and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add the salsa mixture to the pasta in the bowl.  Add the cilantro, green onions, and cheese.  Stir and serve warm,  or refrigerate until needed.

Whole Grain Pasta

Have you wanted to try whole grain pasta, but have been afraid that your children wouldn't like it?  Would you try it if you could get your money back if you didn't like it?  Well now you can!  Head over to the  Barilla website where they have a rebate form that you can send in if you try their whole grain pasta and don't like it.  They also have some coupons available on their Facebook page for savings on their products.   Many providers have shared with us that their children make the transition to whole grain pasta quite easily and don't even notice the change. 

Some other tips for introducing whole grain pastas to your kids include:

• mixing the whole grain pasta with regular pasta and gradually adding more whole grain pasta
• serving whole grain pasta with extra sauce if children find it dry

• serving a variety of shapes of pasta

Enjoy!

Whole Grain Wednesdays-Teriyaki Quinoa

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

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

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?

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!