529 I Street
Eureka, CA 95501
TEL: (707) 441-5081
FAX: (707) 268-0415
jhouston@co.humboldt.ca.us

Decorate Your Dinner,
Add A Vegetable

---

June 2007 - Times-Standard Articles

June 06, 2007 - Milk is an Important source of Nutrients Bugs Bunny's Smoothie

June 13, 2007 - Lycopene is a “Super” Nutrient for Dads and Others Breakfast Burritos

June 27, 2007 - Ensure Summer Meals for Children Stir-Fry Chicken Fajitas

---

June 06, 2007 - Milk is an Important source of Nutrients

Milk is a valuable food, an excellent source of calcium, protein, and riboflavin (a B-vitamin), and a great way to quench your thirst!  I am troubled when I hear someone say they don’t drink milk because it’s a “high carbohydrate food”, or because they’re not calves. Milk does contain carbohydrate, but it is also a valuable source of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and riboflavin. Another bonus is that in California, nonfat and low fat milks are fortified with nonfat milk solids, which give it a richer, fuller flavor than you’ll find in many other states. As a result, they contain even more nutrients and flavor.

How much milk or dairy food is recommended in a day? The equivalents of 2 cups of milk are recommended for children between 2 and 8 years of age. It is recommended that the rest of us have the equivalent of 3 cups of milk each day. Go online to www.mypyramid.gov to find out how much of other calcium-rich foods is equal to a cup of milk.

If you want to reduce carbohydrates in your meals, consider reducing those that are considered refined, such as sodas, white breads, white rice and pastas, French fries, movie-theater popcorn, sweets, and similar items.  It’s important to continue building your meals around vegetables, fruits, seafood, poultry, beans, whole grains, nuts, moderate amounts of healthy oils, and 1% low-fat or nonfat dairy foods.

If you don't like to "drink" milk, consider one or more of the following ideas for incorporating it into your daily meals.

1. Choose nonfat or 1% low-fat milk as your "milk of choice".
2. Cook oatmeal or other hot cereal in nonfat or 1% milk.
3. Add low-fat milk to your coffee or other hot beverage. A 12-oz latté commonly contains 8-ounces of milk.
4. Make soups such as tomato, chowders and "cream-type" soups with nonfat or low-fat milk instead of water.
5. Add powdered milk to casseroles or mixed dishes. One tablespoon is equal to 50 milligrams of calcium.
6. Make instant hot cocoa with milk instead of water. Or, when using packets of hot chocolate, add 1/3 cup of powdered milk, which is equivalent to a cup of milk.
7. Serve milk-based desserts such as puddings, tapioca, frozen yogurt, custard and reduced-fat ice cream frequently. Make puddings with nonfat evaporated milk and get double the calcium!
8. Use plain or flavored yogurt as a dressing for fruit desserts or salads. For example, key lime yogurt is delicious as a dressing over fruit desserts. Lemon, vanilla, pineapple or apricot yogurt works well with waldorf-type salads (typically made with some combination of apples, raisins, bananas, grapes, celery and walnuts).
9. Top baked potatoes with your favorite salsa and nonfat plain yogurt. For added flavor, mix in some chopped green onion.

The following recipe is a delicious way to use milk and other calcium-rich items. It’s a great warm-weather beverage. Give it a try, and enjoy!


Bugs Bunny's Smoothie
(from foodandhealth.com)

1 cup nonfat milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup orange juice with calcium
1/4 cup cooked carrots (can be frozen)
1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
6 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in a blender and whirl until smooth.

Makes 2-1 cup servings, with 252 calories per serving, 0.5 g. fat, 6 mg. chol., 0 mg. trans fat, 184 mg. sodium, 1.1 g. fiber, 12.1 g. protein, 50 g. carb., 532 mg. calcium.

---

June 13, 2007 - Lycopene is a “Super” Nutrient for Dads and Others

Sunday is Father’s Day! What are you doing to help the fathers in your life stay healthy? How about taking regular walks with them and/or creating some healthy meals that they’ll enjoy?  Be sure to include a plentiful supply of fruits and vegetables that are rich in flavenoids and powerful antioxidants like lycopene. A regular supply will help them lower their risk of getting macular degeneration disease and a variety of cancers, including prostate cancer.

Lycopene is one of those naturally occurring phytochemicals that have been mentioned in previous articles. In case you don’t remember, phytochemicals are potent antioxidants that are found in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains. Not only do they protect the plants from viruses, bacteria and fungi they also appear to protect us from a variety of cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases.  How they work isn’t fully understood, but ongoing nutrition research continues to unlock their secrets.

Lycopene is found in a number of foods, but the best sources appear to be tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava. When considering tomatoes, keep in mind that this means tomatoes in any form...raw, cooked, sauced or dried. (Some people may use this as an excuse to put catsup on everything...) In fact, lycopene is more concentrated by cooking and absorbed more efficiently by the body when it is processed into sauce, paste, juice and catsup. Hence, there is actually more lycopene in cooked or canned tomatoes than in fresh!

Keep these valuable foods in mind when planning your weekly meals (and especially Father’s Day meals). Incorporate them frequently! Consider having the "kids" in the family help prepare the following easy dish for a special brunch or lunch this Sunday.


Breakfast Burritos
(adapted from Recipe Rescue Cookbook)

4 corn or whole wheat tortillas*
1 tsp. canola or olive oil
½ c. chopped green onions (4-6 green onions)
2 medium-sized red potatoes, cooked and diced (1 ½ c.)
2 strips turkey bacon, diced (optional)
1 - 15-oz. can diced tomatoes drained (save juice for soup or stew), or use 1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 - 4-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
Pepper, to taste
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or ¼ tsp. hot sauce)
2-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
½ c. tomato salsa
¼ c. low-fat grated mozzarella, cheddar, or Jack cheese

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to warm.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add 1/3 c. chopped green onions, turkey bacon (if using) and potatoes and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes and chilies and sauté until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with pepper.
3. In a small bowl, beat eggs, egg whites and cayenne pepper (or hot sauce) together with a fork. Push the vegetables to the side of the skillet, and pour the egg mixture into the center of the pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until some "curds" are formed, but the mixture is still creamy, 1-2 minutes.
4. Sprinkle cilantro over mixture, and stir the vegetables and eggs together. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Divide the mixture among the warm tortillas. Fold up one side to make a bottom and then roll like a log. Top each with a spoonful of salsa, a little grated cheese, and a sprinkle of the remaining green onion.

Serves 4, with 345 calories per serving, 11 g. fat, 120 mg. chol., 844 mg. sodium, 4 g. fiber, 44 g. carb., 16 g. pro.

*Total calories for each burrito can be decreased to 260 calories when using corn tortillas instead of whole wheat.

---

June 27, 2007 - Ensure Summer Meals for Children

Summer is here, and children and young adults are finished with school and ready for different activities. One of the things that children often miss about school is the opportunity to socialize and eat with their friends. Families seem to go in many different directions, so it is helpful to learn of programs that facilitate this kind of continued interaction. There are some great programs in our county that promote learning, physical activity, and healthy eating, and one of them is the Children’s Summer Lunch Program. It is fantastic because it is open to ALL children 18 years of age or younger, and it is available at various community sites all over the county. The lunches are free! Children don’t need to enroll or do anything else except show up at a designated site during the designated time, eat the lunch at the site, and enjoy!

The summer lunch program was created to feed children during summer vacations when the National School Meals programs are not available. Some of these delicious, nutritious meals are prepared fresh each day by the staff and volunteers of the Seniors and Kids Program at the Humboldt Senior Resource Center, and managed by Food for People.

From June 15 through August 27, the Manila Community Center will be creating freshly prepared breakfasts and lunches for children at five locations on the Samoa/Manila peninsula, including Fair Haven, the boat basin, Samoa Park, Phillips Court and the Manila Community Center. For more information, call 445-3309.

Following is a list of other county-wide lunch sites, the times lunch will be served, and the dates available. Take a look and see which one is closest to where your children will be Monday through Friday during the summer. Or, if you know of children who would benefit from these meals, let their parents know. This is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed!

• Where: Orick School, Rte. 101, Orick
  Time: 12:00 – 12:30  Dates: June 18 – August 17
  
  
• Where: Willow Creek Community Center, 38882 Highway 299, Willow Creek
  Time: 12:00-1:00  Dates: June 25-August 17
  
  
• Where: Pierson Park, 1620 Pickett Rd., McKinleyville
  Time: 12:15 – 1:00  Dates: June 18 – August 17
  
  
• Where: Redwood Park, 14th and Union Streets, Arcata
  Time: 12:30 - 12:55 Dates: June 18 – August 17
  
  
• Where: Boys and Girls Club, 3117 Prospect Ave, Eureka
  Time: 12:00 - 1:00 Dates: June 21 – August 13
  
  
• Where: Food for People, 307 W. 14th Street, Eureka
  Time: 12:45 - 1:30 Dates: June 21 – August 13
  
  
• Where: Ross Park, 11th and M Streets, Eureka
  Time: 12:30 - 1:00 Dates: June 18 – August 10
  
  
• Where: The Art Lab California & W. Clark, Eureka
  Time: 11:30-12:00 Dates: June 18-August 17
  
  
• Where: Boys & Girls Club of Humboldt County 3117 Prospect Ave., Eureka
  Time: 11:00-12:00 Dates: June 18-August 17
  
  
• Where: Food For People, Inc., 307 W. 14^th Street, Eureka
  Time: 12:00-1:00 Dates: June 18-August 17
  
  
• Where: RAVEN Project 523 T Street, Eureka
  Time: 12:30-1:30 Dates: Mondays, Weds. & Fri. June 18-August 17
  
  
• Where: Salvation Army 2123 Tydd Street, Eureka
  Time: 12:00-1:00 Dates: June 18-August 17
  
  
• Where: Loleta Boys & Girls Club 700 Loleta Drive, Loleta
  Time: 11:30-12:30 Dates: June 18-August 17
  
  
• Where: Fortuna Summer Fun, 5 Park Street, Fortuna
  Time: 12:00 – 1:00 Dates: June 18 – August 17
  
  
• Where: Rio Dell Fireman’s Park, W. Center and Wildwood Sts., Rio Dell
  Time 12:00 – 1:00 Dates: June 18 – August 17
  
  
• Where: Redway Elementary, 344 Humboldt Ave., Redway
  Time: 12:00-12:30 Dates: June 25-August 18
  
  
• Where: Carlotta Community Center, Cuddeback Elementary, Carlotta
  Time: 11:00-12:00 Dates: June 18-June 29
  
  
• Where: Bridgeville Community Center, 38717 Kneeland Rd. Bridgeville
  Time: 12:30-1:00 Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays, July 10-August 10
  
  

For more questions about the programs managed by Food for People, call Mary Darcy at (707) 445-3166.

Try the following for a delicious lunch or dinner. It’s quick, and would be good for a picnic or camping.


Stir-Fry Chicken Fajitas
(adapted from The Twenty-Minute Low-Fat Gourmet)

4 - whole wheat flour tortillas
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in thin pieces for stir-fry
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. salt
1 medium bell pepper (your choice of color), cut into thin strips
½ medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
Nonstick vegetable spray
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. prepared salsa or picante
¼- ½ c. chopped cilantro
1/2 c. fat free plain yogurt or nonfat sour cream

1. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil, place in oven and heat to 350 degrees, or wrap in wax paper and microwave for 45 seconds.
2. Sprinkle chicken with cumin and salt.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with vegetable spray and place over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion and zucchini, and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
4. Add chicken and garlic and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or just until chicken is no longer pink. Add salsa and cook for 2 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp.
5. Spoon stir-fry down the center of the tortillas and sprinkle with cilantro. Fold tortilla over filling and serve with yogurt or nonfat sour cream.

Serves 4 with 271 calories per serving, 5.2 g. fat, 48 mg. chol., 518 mg. sodium, 3.7 g. fiber, 23 g. protein, 30 g. carb.