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Decorate Your Dinner,
Add A Vegetable

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August 2008 - Times-Standard Articles

August 6, 2008 - Many Ways to Add Interest to Veggies Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Green Peas

August 13, 2008 - Let Children Help Choose and Prepare the Produce Unfried Rice with Chicken and Vegetables

August 20, 2008 - Make a Plan for Healthy Lunch Meals Hawaiian Chicken Salad

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August 6, 2008 - Many Ways to Add Interest to Veggies

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that your family will enjoy eating more vegetables when they are creatively prepared. Many people have unpleasant childhood memories of vegetables that were overcooked and waterlogged. To be sure, choosing the right cooking technique, combining vegetables, cooking appropriately, and adding a variety of herbs and spices can each help add flavor and interest to otherwise plain side dishes.

Most vegetables are best when they are cooked gently with simmering, braising and steaming, or cooked quickly using very hot methods such as roasting, sautéing, grilling, stir-frying, and microwaving. No matter which cooking method you use, cook vegetables only until they are crisp but tender so that flavors and nutrients are maximized.

Grilling, broiling or roasting vegetables helps to caramelize their natural sugars and intensifies flavors. They can be cooked without additional seasoning, marinated before cooking, or cooked with a seasoning. A variety of vegetables are appropriate for grilling, roasting or broiling, and include: Summer squashes (including zucchini), mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers all colors, onion and green onion, and corn. You can speed the roasting process for vegetables such as beets, fennel, white or sweet potatoes, winter squashes, artichokes and leeks by blanching them in boiling water or partially cooking them with steam.

Try combining different vegetables. It’s a good way to introduce new vegetables to your family, and it’s a good way to enhance flavors. Combining dark leafy greens with a sweeter vegetable such as corn, onions, tomatoes, or root vegetables, tends to mellow out flavors and may make them more appealing to family members.

Try different herbs, spices and other flavorings than have been usual for you. Garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs like basil, mint, cilantro, and others can add a lot of interest. Or add a small handful of nuts or dried fruit. Instead of butter or margarine, consider mixing in a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil. Experiment!

Vegetables in the cruciferous family, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and cauliflower merit special attention. They are best when cooked for short periods of time, and when cooked correctly they actually taste a little sweet. When overcooked they become bitter and can fill the entire house with a strong smell.

The following recipe focuses on cauliflower. The curry and cooking method help it retain a delicious flavor. This dish makes an excellent lunch or side dish. Enjoy!


Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Green Peas
(adapted from The New American Plate Cookbook)

¼ c. canned light coconut milk, divided
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tsp. curry powder
¾ c. 1% or nonfat milk
4 c. small cauliflower florets (about 1 ½ lbs.)
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 c. frozen green peas
2-3 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and black pepper
¼-1/3 c. lightly chopped, loosely packed cilantro leaves

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of the coconut milk over medium-high heat. When the liquid starts to bubble, stir in the onion and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring until the onion is translucent. Stir in the curry powder and cook for about 30 seconds, until the mixture becomes fragrant.
2. Add the remaining coconut milk and the nonfat or lowfat milk, cauliflower, and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost tender.
3. Add the green peas, cover and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the peas are heated through. Mix in the lime juice and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Makes 8 side dish servings, with 91 calories per serving, 1 g. fat, 0 mg. chol., 200 mg. sodium, 5 g. fiber, 15 g. carb., 5 g. protein.

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August 13, 2008 - Let Children Help Choose and Prepare the Produce

We still have a number of beautiful days left in our summer, and it’s a great time to share some delightful food experiences with your children. Children learn positive attitudes about food, especially vegetables, when they can help raise them in a garden, or when they can help choose them for family meals from the Farmer’s Market or grocery store. This is a good time to put a few vegetable plants in the ground (or in pots) for fall harvesting.

Take your children to the Farmer’s Market and introduce them to the wonderful variety of the north coast! This is the time of year that our local Market flourishes! Encourage your children to ask the farmers questions about the foods they grow. After you’ve purchased something your child has expressed an interest in trying, take it home and try it a variety of ways…raw, as well as cooked, and individually or with another food. Make it as appealing and flavorful as possible. We all benefit from learning about new foods, and there are lots of new foods to explore!

If you’re interested in learning what vegetables are good to grow on the north coast in August and September (or other times of the year), call the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Eureka at 445-7351. They have a lot of useful information.

As I mentioned above, for children, positive feelings about vegetables also come from helping choose and prepare them for family meals. Depending on their ages, children can help wash, peel, and/or cut vegetables. They also enjoy measuring, pouring, mixing, cooking, or simply tearing lettuce for the salad. They also enjoy doing something as easy as helping set the table for a meal. Once a meal is prepared, be sure to sit down and enjoy it together at the table (with the television off). Family conversation and family sharing at mealtime can do a lot to help children enjoy a variety of foods, including vegetables.

Try the following recipe as a family meal, using an assortment of local produce.


Unfried Rice with Chicken and Vegetables
(adapted from Easy Meals in Minutes)

3 quarter-size slices (1/4-inch thick) fresh ginger, unpeeled
3 cloves garlic
2 ½ cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
1 c. brown rice
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 green onions
¼ c. packed cilantro sprigs
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 c. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 c. snap peas
1 medium-sized zucchini or other summer squash, sliced
¾ lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
1 egg white
1 c. chopped spinach, Swiss chard or kale (optional)

1. In a food processor, finely chop the ginger and garlic.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 c. chicken broth to a boil. Add rice, bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Then let stand for 10 minutes with lid on.
3. While the rice is cooking, bring the remaining ½ cup broth in a large skillet with a lid. Add the ginger-garlic mixture, the soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer.
4. Prepare vegetables and chicken and add to the broth mixture. Return to a boil, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 3-5 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, beat the egg white. Stir beaten egg white into the boiling broth. Finely chop the green onions and cilantro, and stir into the broth along with the cooked rice.

Serves 6, with 242 calories per serving, 4 g. fat, 33 mg. chol., 479 mg. sodium, 32 g. carb., 20 g. protein.

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August 20, 2008 - Make a Plan for Healthy Lunch Meals

Another school year is about to begin, and for many families the beginning of school ushers in an altered style of eating. Work schedules and school activities make meal planning a continuous challenge. For some families breakfast presents the greatest challenge, but for others it could be lunch or dinner. "What's for breakfast...lunch...or dinner?" It’s an age-old question, and not always easy to answer. It’s important that meals taste good, as well as keep our families healthy. Today, let’s take a look at lunch. Some families choose to make lunches at home and carry them to work or school because it’s easier to maximize variety. If that’s something you’re interested in doing, take a look at the following ideas for giving home “constructed” lunches diversity.

• Keep lunches from becoming overwhelming . . . make a plan. Over the weekend, discuss lunch possibilities for the following week and encourage family members to help decide what they want available for lunch packing. The more regularly they are asked about food preferences, the more they will let you know when preferences change, or when they want to try something new.
• Explore USDA’s new food guide pyramid website together (www.mypyramid.gov). At the website you can enter the age, gender and activity level for each family member, which will tell you how much of various foods are now recommended for each individual. Strive to include something from each food group in your lunches. Ideally, base your meal on whole grains or cereals, and gradually replace refined grains with those that are whole. Decide what your "main dish" is going to be. If it's a sandwich, your grain will be the bread, but it could also be crackers, tortillas, rice, a pasta dish, leftover pizza, or some other leftover grain. Use whole grains frequently.
• Along with the grains include some protein from cooked dried beans or tofu, poultry, fish or meat, and some vegetables and fruit (the mypyramid website recommends 2 ½ to 5 cups daily). Vegetables can be included as a salad; can be sliced or shredded and added to a sandwich, or washed well, cut up into circles or sticks, and put into a bag so they don't dry out. Fruits can be fresh, canned or dried. They might also be part of a main dish leftover. Plan ahead so that foods stay appropriately hot or cold until they are eaten. Use cold packs or a thermos to keep temperatures safe.
• If your "main dish" doesn't contain cheese, milk, calcium-tofu or yogurt, consider how you might obtain one of these calcium-rich foods at work or at school.
• And then, there's “dessert”. Having something special with lunch that might be considered “dessert” can add fun to the meal. Choose homemade cookies, cakes or quick breads that have reduced amounts of fat, are made with whole grain flours, and/or contain fruit and nuts. Eat “goodies” in moderation, and be aware of the total calories they add to the meal.
• Each week, make a list of what foods you will make available from each of the food groups, and encourage “mixing them up.” Gradually, family members will get more comfortable looking at the list and trying new items or new combinations in their lunch!

Here’s a simple salad that’ delicious any time of the year. It can be packed in a lunch or enjoyed with a family dinner. Give it a try.


Hawaiian Chicken Salad
(adapted from Quick & Healthy, Volume II)

2 c. cooked chicken or turkey, cubed
2 cups cold cooked brown rice or cooked whole grain orzo
1 c. celery, diced
½ c. thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 – 8 oz. can sliced chestnuts, rinsed and drained
1 – 15 ¼ oz. can of pineapple tidbits (in juice), drained (add the juice to other juice, or save for future use
¼-1/3 c. light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. skim milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt (optional)
½-1 tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. ground pepper

1. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, rice or orzo, celery, bell pepper, water chestnuts, and pineapple.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the remaining ingredients for the dressing. Toss the dressing with the chicken mixture.

Yields approximately 6 cups (4 servings), with 263 calories per cup, 7 g. fat, 44.4 mg. chol., 3.5 g. fiber, 33 g. carb., 17 g. protein.