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
April 1, 2009 - Get Kids Interested in Fruits, Vegetables
This is no joke: “More” is definitely better when it comes to fruits and vegetables, and the more
different vegetables and fruits you eat, the more nutritional benefits your family will receive. Get your children interested and involved in trying new foods while they’re young, and the habit will stay with them for life!
Here are six easy steps to help your kids enjoy more fruits and veggies:
- Help your children list their favorite fruits and vegetables for meals and snacks. Include them on your weekly shopping list as often as possible, along with some new ones.
- Plan to take the kids shopping at the supermarket sometimes. Have them take turns choosing a “never-before-tried” fresh, frozen, canned or dried vegetable or fruit.
- Encourage children to help prepare the vegetables and fruits the way they would like to try them. They may prefer them raw instead of cooked, or vice versa. Support their creativity, and try new recipes. Experiment.
- Keep fruits and vegetables available and convenient to eat for meals and snacks. That may mean cleaning, trimming and cutting them into easy-to-eat forms so that they’re a tempting “fast food”!
- Generate enthusiasm for fruits and vegetables by having the kids keep a count of how many servings they eat in a day. Have them keep track of what they eat on a chart, or having a weekly contest to see how many days each family member can successfully include at least 2-2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables. Make rewards active…a trip to the zoo or beach, or a little extra time with you.
- Many children who don’t like vegetables have parents who don’t eat them. Parents and other “important people” in a child’s life are key “role models” for eating a variety of healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables. Keep in mind that food tastes change on a daily basis (for everyone), and foods you didn’t enjoy as a child may taste great to you now. Encourage eating nutritious foods, and avoid “passing on” your dislikes.
As was mentioned several weeks ago, if you qualify, you could help bring a million dollars to Humboldt County by enrolling in the Food Stamp Program. Using food stamps helps the Humboldt County economy and helps people purchase and eat a wider variety of health-promoting foods. Find out if you’re eligible by calling the Department of Health and Human Services in Eureka at
268-3471, in Garberville at
923-2759, or in Hoopa at
625-4251. You can also get information at Food for People at
445-3166.
The following tasty recipe is easy enough that your kids can help with some of the preparation. Have fun!
Tuna Salsa Wraps
(adapted from North Dakota State University Extension Service)
1 (7-oz.) can tuna, drained and flaked
¼ c. light or low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
½ c. salsa (your favorite)
¼ c. shredded carrots
6 large corn or whole wheat flour tortillas
1½ c. shredded leaf lettuce
¾ c. shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in waxed paper and heat in microwave for 30-45 seconds.
- In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients in the order given. Mix well.
- Place a tortilla on a cutting board or other clean surface. In the center of the tortilla, place an equal portion of shredded lettuce and tuna mixture, and top with 2 Tbsp. of cheese.
- Fold in one end and tightly roll the tortilla over the ingredients. Place in baking pan and warm in oven until cheese is slightly melted (10-15 minutes).
Makes six servings, with 264 calories per serving, 10 g. fat, 27 mg. chol., 507 mg. sodium, 2.6 g. fiber, 25 g. carb., 16 g. protein.
April 8, 2009 - Work place Health is Healthy for Business
This week is National Public Health Week, with the theme of “Building a Foundation for a Healthy America”. Some foundations for health need to be built and maintained at our work places. Employers pay millions of dollars annually for costs associated with physical inactivity, obesity, and overweight. They do this through medical insurance, workers’ compensation, and lost productivity on the job. It’s a lot of money, and we can do something about it!
Many of us spend so many of our waking hours on the job. It is very challenging to include enough physical activity or healthy foods and beverages unless some opportunities are available at or near work. Workplaces of all sizes and types are starting to offer different levels of employee nutrition and physical activity programs. These programs are showing positive returns on investments for employers.
The World Health Organization has stated that workplace physical activity programs in can reduce short-term sick leave by 6-32 percent, reduce health care costs by 20-55 percent, and increase productivity by 2-52 percent. Such programs could contribute immensely to decreasing healthcare costs in Humboldt County, as well as improving the overall health of our communities. Everyone in the workforce needs to be offered some type of worksite wellness program so that everyone has equal opportunity for good health.
Studies have shown that a fit workforce reduces health care costs. As a result, some health insurers are getting more interested in partnering with employers who focus on decreasing health costs. Small business owners are sometimes concerned with the possibility of increased insurance liability as a result of wellness programs, but there are creative ways to avoid liability issues, such as partnerships and off-site programs.
Few businesses can offer a complex, expensive gym for exercising, or a nutritionally balanced, free lunch program, but they can offer healthy food and beverage options in vending machines, at meetings, or in their lunch rooms. They can also map out and educate employees about access to walking areas, or provide time for physical activity breaks.
Many employers are establishing healthy food and beverage policies for meetings and other gatherings so that healthy options are always more abundant than foods with lower nutritional value. For increased physical activity, some companies have instituted walking meetings. These can be great for small groups whose agenda doesn’t require a lot of writing or special equipment. Of course, this type of meeting also works better on a day when it’s not raining.
If any local businesses are interested in reviewing a healthy food and beverage policy for meetings, we would be happy to share some ideas that have been adopted by the Public Health Branch. In the meantime, try the following recipe for your next office potluck.
Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta
(adapted from The Essential Eating Well Cookbook)
1/3 c. lemon juice
1/3 c. chopped fresh dill (or 3 Tbsp. dried dill weed)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt (optional)
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
3 c. cooked brown or green lentils (or 2 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
1 c. crumbled reduced fat feta cheese
1 medium red bell pepper seeded and diced (about 1 c.)
1 c. diced cucumber, seeds removed
½ c. finely chopped red onion
- Whisk lemon juice, dill, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.
- Remove seeds from cucumber by cutting in half lengthwise and scooping the seeds out with a teaspoon. Dice the cucumber. (Cucumber seeds can be chopped and used in a different salad later.)
- Add lentils, feta, bell pepper, cucumber and onion to bowl; toss to coat.
Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each, with 280 calories per serving, 16 g. fat, 7 mg. chol., 535 mg. sodium, 10 g. fiber, 24 g. carb., 13 g. protein.
April 15, 2009 - Include Children in Kitchen Activities
Some people have difficulty saving money on food because they don’t know how to cook . . . that is, prepare their meals “from scratch.” Sadly, in this day and age, there are many adults who as children only learned to open a box, bag or can, add something like water or an egg and heat. Don’t get me wrong, convenience foods can be very helpful on some days for some meals. The problem begins when they are used as the most usual sources of nutrition for your family. They are limited by variety and therefore by their nutritional value. They frequently contain a lot of sugar, salt and/or fat, and are highly processed so that the majority of their value may be in the vitamins that are added while they are being processed.
It’s never too late to learn how to prepare simple, tasty meals. And if you’re interested in helping your children stay healthy throughout their lives, it would be good to include them in any kitchen activities, whether they’re a toddler or a teen.
Many of the activities children love to help with in the kitchen can benefit motor skills, as well as encourage their willingness to try new foods that they’ve worked on. If your young child shows an interest in helping you in the kitchen, keep the following age-appropriate information in mind:
- Two-year-olds can help tear lettuce or greens, scrub vegetables, play with the utensils, break cauliflower, wipe table tops, wash lettuce or greens, bring ingredients to you, snap green beans, or other similar tasks;
- Three-year-olds can do all of the above and help mix ingredients, spread soft spreads, put trash in the garbage, knead bread, pour liquids, shake liquids in a tightly covered container, or other similar tasks;
- Four-year-olds can do all of the above and set the table, form round shapes with their hands, mash bananas or other soft ingredients with a fork, peel oranges or hard cooked eggs, cut herbs or green onions with children’s scissors and other similar tasks; and
- Five-year-olds can do all of the above as well as measure ingredients, use an egg beater, cut with a blunt knife, and other similar tasks.
As children get older, they can be even more helpful. They can assemble simple recipes, and eventually read and independently follow recipes. Remember that cooking is interesting to many children because it means spending time with you. Because of that special time and overall safety, it’s important that you stay in the kitchen while they are cooking. They may have questions, and it may be an ideal time to talk about food-related topics.
Talk with your children about how to plan a meal or a menu, what food labels tell you, and how you do food shopping. It’s all brand new to them, and it is all information that they can use as they grow into adulthood. If you’re interested in learning the basics of food planning and preparation, check out some of the classes offered at the Eureka Co-op or at HSU Extension. If you don’t find what you need, send me a message and let me know what types of classes you’d like to attend.
Send a message to
jhouston@co.humboldt.ca.us
At this time of the year, a good way to get you child interested in preparing food is to grow at least a few vegetables in a pot or in your backyard. If you aren’t sure how to do that, a lot of easy-to-use information is available at the UC Cooperative Extension office at 5630 South Broadway, Eureka. You can also call for information at
(707) 445-7351. There is a selection of flyers and brochures on growing vegetables, pest management, etc.
Another place to learn about gardening is through classes taught at Redwood Roots, a local CSA (Community Sustained Agriculture) garden in Bayside. You can find a list of their classes by going online to
http://redwoodrootsfarm.com/classes.php. They have a variety of classes that sound like a lot of fun and very useful.
While we’re still having cool weather, the following recipe is one to have your children help you create.
Chunky Corn and Ham Chowder
(adapted from The 5 in 10 Cookbook)
2 cans (17 oz. each) cream-style corn
2 cans (14 ½ oz. each) reduced salt, fat free chicken broth
1 medium potato, scrubbed, cooked and diced
1 c. finely diced cooked smoked ham (about ¼ lb.)
½ c. chopped green onion
1 c. skimmed evaporated milk
2 c. frozen vegetables such as peas, green beans, broccoli, mixed vegetables
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Pour the corn and the chicken broth into a medium saucepan. Stir in the diced ham, potato and green onion; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes;
- Stir in the evaporated milk and frozen vegetables, and heat through.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls, and sprinkle each with 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Makes 6 servings, with 223 calories per serving, 1 g. fat, 2 mg. Chol., 932 mg. Sodium, 6 g. fiber, 142 mg. Calcium.
April 29, 2006 - Mix Up Vegetables for Optimal Nutrition
Many people are looking for “magic potions” or “special supplements” that will protect them from some of today’s health problems. This week I’m going to talk about some “magic” that can promote your health.
The first place to look for “nutrition magic” is your shopping cart. Vegetables are the best candidates for any “magical food” award. The more different vegetables you include in your daily meals and snacks, the more protection you receive from heart disease, cancers, diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases. The protection comes from a combination of substances that they contain: Fiber, a wide variety of nutrients, and specific plant chemicals (phytochemicals and antioxidants).
Three words describe my overall nutrition philosophy . . . variety, moderation and balance. They also describe how we need to look at making our weekly vegetable choices. Keep those three words in mind when you are planning or constructing family meals, and incorporate a
wide variety of vegetables each week, and broaden your use of different colors. Use them as snacks, in salads, in side dishes, or as major components of main dishes. Use your imagination, and give your family the opportunity to try the many varied flavors and textures that nature provides.
The following point has been mentioned before, but just in case you didn’t see it, here it is again. The more times a child (or adult) is exposed to a food, the greater the chance that they will eventually accept it and like it. That’s an important message where vegetables are concerned. If a child sees other members of their family enjoying a particular vegetable, they will usually do the same. Some parents mistakenly believe that if a child tries a vegetable one time and expresses dislike, it’s out of their diet for the rest of their life…not true!! In fact, adults would benefit from re-trying vegetables that weren’t
their favorites during childhood. Our tastes change continually, and what tasted unacceptable as a child may taste yummy as an adult. Preparation style, length of cooking time, and seasonings used can all affect the acceptability of many vegetables to your tastebuds.
Vegetables are available from a variety of sources. It’s wonderful to have access to homegrown or locally grown organic vegetables that are REALLY fresh, and now is the time to think about what you’d like to grow this year. But if they aren’t accessible to you (for whatever reason), please know that you get very similar nutritional value from vegetables available in the grocery store that are frozen, canned, or fresh. Getting them in ANY form is more important than not getting them at all. Purchasing frozen and canned vegetables can make it is easier and less expensive to expand the variety that you regularly include in family meals. They can also help you create healthy meals in a very short amount of time.
As we get into our spring and summer calendar we’ll see increasing varieties at the Farmer’s Markets, and it’s always fun to try something new. If you have questions about preparing a vegetable you see at the market, ask the farmer. The Farmer’s Market is now open on Saturdays in Arcata. Although variety is somewhat limited at the beginning of our growing season, it’s a wonderful time to get super-fresh vegetables that grow beautifully here at this time of the year. It’s also a good place to get vegetable starts that you can grow at home. The following recipe is a delicious way to include broccoli, one of nature’s more versatile vegetables. Try it, you’ll like it!
Ginger & Orange Broccoli
(adapted from 1000 Healthy Recipes)
1 lb. broccoli
2 thin slices fresh ginger root
2 garlic cloves
1 orange (or ½ c. orange juice)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. olive or canola oil
- Divide broccoli into small florets. Peel the stems, using a vegetable peeler, and then cut the stems into thin slices, using a sharp knife.
- Cut the ginger root into thin sticks and slice the garlic.
- Peel 2 long strips of rind from the orange and cut into thin strips. Place the strips in a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside.
- Squeeze the juice from the orange and mix with the cornstarch, light soy sauce, sugar, and 4 Tbsp. water.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet.
- Add the sliced broccoli and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the ginger slices, garlic, and broccoli florets and stir fry for 3 more minutes.
- Stir the orange juice and soy sauce mixture into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and coated the broccoli.
- Drain the reserved orange rind and stir rind into the wok. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.
Serves 4, with 127 calories per serving, 7 g. fat, 0 mg. chol., 497 mg. sodium, 5 g. fiber, 15 g. carb., 3 g. protein.
