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TEL: (707) 441-5081
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Decorate Your Dinner,
Add A Vegetable

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January 2009 - Times-Standard Articles

January 7, 2009 - Program Teaches Kids about Fresh Produce Lettuce, Jicama, and Orange Salad with Lime Dressing

January 14, 2009 - Engage in Regular Physical Activity Chicken Sausage & Kale Stew

January 28, 2009 - Cabbage is a Versatile Vegetable Super Sunday Quesadillas

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January 7, 2009 - Program Teaches Kids about Fresh Produce

Harvest of the Month is a state-wide nutrition education program that locally has been a partnership between Humboldt County Office of Education and the North Coast Co-op. In an effort to encourage more children to enjoy a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, a different fruit or vegetable is highlighted in participating classrooms all over the county each month during the school year. We’re joining in their efforts by sharing information in this article each month about a featured fruit or vegetable.

For the past four years the program has been expanding in schools throughout the county and currently the Humboldt County Office of Education works in 175 classrooms, the majority of them from Kindergarten to 5^th grades. Each month participating classrooms receive a supply of the featured fruit or vegetable along with workbooks, story books, lesson ideas and the necessary supplies to do some type of clever tasting activity. Funding for the program determines which schools can participate through the County Office of Education, so the North Coast Co-op agreed to expand the efforts to an additional 90 classrooms where they support the cost of materials, and make staff available to do both nutrition lessons and tastings. It’s an amazing effort!

This program is successful because it’s easy for teachers to put into practice; it teaches about one specific food each month, and gives children an opportunity to experience a food in a variety of ways that includes listening to a story about it and tasting it. It’s also important that all of the children in each classroom are learning and tasting at the same time-they learn a lot from each other, including acceptance of new flavors.

This month classrooms will be learning about citrus fruit and receiving at least two different kinds of oranges that might include “cuties”, mandarins, Navels, Valencias, Cara Caras or Clementines. They’re all good sources of vitamin C, as well as folic acid and a bunch of other nutrients. Other citrus fruits include lemons, limes, grapefruit, citron, kumquats, tangelos, and ugli fruit.

Some fun ways to help kids enjoy citrus:

• Peel and section the fruit so it’s easy to eat
• Freeze orange juice in ice cube trays and use the cubes as a frozen dessert or as ice cubes in carbonated water
• Add oranges or grapefruit to cooked or cold dishes, and season foods with lemon or lime juice

Navel oranges are very available on the north coast at this time of the year. When shopping for them, choose fruit that is firm, heavy for their size (they’ll have more juice) and evenly shaped. It’s also good to choose fruit that has smooth rather than deeply pitted skin. Smooth skinned oranges usually have thinner-skins, and are frequently juicier than thick-skinned oranges. Another hint: small to medium-sized oranges are usually sweeter than the largest ones. Choose some different oranges at the market and see if you agree with this information.

The following salad features two citrus fruits. Give it a try!


Lettuce, Jicama, and Orange Salad with Lime Dressing
(adapted from The Living Heart Cookbook)

1 medium-sized head Boston, red leaf or Romaine lettuce, thoroughly washed and drained
½ pound jicama, thinly sliced and cut into strips
4 small green onions, sliced crosswise
4 oranges, peeled, sectioned and sections cut in half, crosswise
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
Lime Dressing (below)
Garnish with parsley or cilantro (optional)

1. Combine lettuce, jicama, green onions, orange sections, and celery stalks in a bowl.
2. Toss with the dressing and serve, garnished with cilantro or parsley, if desired. (Add grilled chicken breast slices to make a main-dish salad, and garnish with toasted almonds or pine nuts.

Lime Dressing:
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. finely grated lime peel
Pinch dry mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Mix together lime juice, lime peel, mustard, and cayenne in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil and season with pepper. Makes 5 Tbsp.

Makes 4 servings (1 cup servings), with 145 calories, 6 g. fat, 0 mg. chol., 24 mg. sodium, 23 g. carb., 3 g. protein.

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January 14, 2009 - Engage in Regular Physical Activity

Have you made any New Years resolutions? The most popular resolutions frequently incorporate losing weight, increasing exercise, or becoming “fit”. Resolutions focusing on wellbeing can be started any time during the year, and we try to support your success by sharing easy ways to incorporate healthy eating and increased physical activity into busy lifestyles. The important thing is to keep those resolutions going for the whole year!

Information published in popular and scientific media emphasizes that regular physical activity aids in weight reduction, and decreases risk for a variety of chronic diseases -the benefits continue to grow. Physical activity is important for everyone’s health, and it is especially important if there is a family history of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, high blood pressure or stroke.

Physical activity should not be painful or overly strenuous. “No pain! No gain!” is a myth. When it simple, it’s easier to incorporate into your daily routine. Walking part or all of the way to work, gardening, or housecleaning are all ways to get some good physical activity. Research suggests that moderate levels of physical activity can help you sleep better, have more energy, increase your sense of well-being, and decrease stress. According to health and exercise experts, every person should engage in some type of physical activity for at least 30-60 minutes each day most days of the week.

A big challenge to increasing physical activity is overcoming individual barriers. They might include:

• a perceived lack of time,
• competing priorities,
• finances,
• lack of access to facilities/programs, or an unsafe neighborhood

Do you see a familiar “reason”? If you are determined to succeed, there are ways past these barriers.

1. Make two lists of activities - one for indoor activities, and one for outdoor:
   

   Indoor list: Include household chores, dancing to favorite music, exercise videos or equipment, swimming, gym, jogging in place, or climbing stairs, lifting weights while watching favorite television programs. Ignite your imagination!

   
   

   Outdoor list: Include all sorts of “sports” activities, but don’t forget to include things like gardening, pushing a stroller, riding a bicycle, mowing the lawn, shoveling mud (a “popular” north coast sport), walking around the block, raking leaves, hiking, and chopping, hauling or stacking wood.

2. Plan to be active every day of the week. On days that your body really wants to move, treat yourself to some extra exercise time.
3. If necessary, determine the time of day your activity will take place...morning, during lunch break, or evening....whatever fits the best for you or feels the best for your body. For example, a 20-minute walk might work best during your lunch break at work.
4. Be flexible. Vary the time, day and activity if the original plan doesn’t work. Don’t give up—remember that a 15 minute walk IS better than no walk at all.
5. Workout with a friend. This allows you to catch-up/socialize with friends and can help keep you motivated.
6. Request “walking meetings” when you’re on the job. They usually work best with small numbers of people, and frequently inspire creative problem solving-maybe it’s because of all of the fresh air you’re breathing...

If you are trying to get your weight under control now that the New Year is here, remember that regular physical activity burns calories and preserves lean muscle mass. It is a key component of any weight loss effort and is essential to successful weight management.

Follow your body’s hunger cues (eat only when you’re hungry and stop eating when you feel satisfied), and eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. Eating a wide variety of foods in moderation makes sense—avoid diets that sound too good to be true (they usually are) or diets that restrict eating from one of the major food groups.

Here’s a quick, simple, and delicious one-pot meal your whole family can enjoy!


Chicken Sausage & Kale Stew
(adapted from Healthy in a Hurry)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 c. kale, rinsed, with tough stems cut out and leaves torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
3 c. reduced sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2 – 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 c. diced, cooked potatoes (canned potatoes can be used for a quicker meal (drain and rinse before adding)
1 tsp. fresh or ½ tsp. dried rosemary, chopped
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 – 12-oz. package cooked chicken sausages cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and kale and cook, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Stir in broth, tomatoes, potatoes, rosemary and pepper. Cover, increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sausage and vinegar and continue to cook, stirring often, until heated throughout, about 2 more minutes.

Makes 6 servings of 1 ½ cups each, with 214 calories, 7 g. fat, 40 mg. chol., 345 mg. sodium, 3 g. fiber, 26 g. carb., 14 g. protein.

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January 28, 2009 - Cabbage is a Versatile Vegetable

I don’t really believe in “super foods”. That is, individual foods that, by themselves, will make us healthy. There IS one group of foods that may contribute more toward our ongoing health than other foods, and that is vegetables. For overall health, we need a wide variety of foods that are balanced, and eaten in moderation. To go a little further, if I were to nominate a specific family of vegetables to a ‘hall of fame’, the cruciferous family would be high on my list.

Cruciferous vegetables have that name because their blossoms resemble a cross or crucifix. Cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, kohlrabi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, and cabbage-quite a variety of flavors. They are all good sources of vitamin C, some are excellent sources of vitamin A, and all contain substances that are natural ‘anticarcinogens’. These substances protect us against some types of cancers.

Earlier this month I introduced a new partnership with Humboldt County Office of Education’s Harvest of the Month. This program goes into many school classrooms with lessons that highlight a different vegetable or fruit each month. February’s featured vegetable will be cabbage.

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that comes in many forms, and all are available on the north coast, especially at this time of year. There is red, green, savoy, Napa, or bok choy. There are actually more than 400 different varieties of cabbage, but we won’t try to name them all here.

Cabbage is considered a sturdy, abundant vegetable that grows well in cooler climates. It’s inexpensive, keeps really well in the refrigerator, and is very versatile. The most common uses for cabbage include commercial coleslaw and sauerkraut, but it can be used for many other creative dishes. It can add flavor and texture to soups, stews and casseroles; it can be added to just about any vegetable or fruit salad, and it can be added to vegetable salsas. Try something really creative: use the leaves as a wrap for combinations of meats or other vegetables.

When shopping for cabbage, choose firm heads that feel heavy and are tightly packed. Once purchased, you can store it whole or chopped in a tightly closed plastic bag. Before using, rinse thoroughly and remove any tough outer leaves. I like to cut out the center core so that water can get into the inner surfaces. Then let it drain thoroughly in the sink before using.

Here’s a simple, tasty recipe to try while watching the upcoming super bowl game. And don’t forget to take a walk around the house, yard, or neighborhood when there are commercial breaks. It will keep you energized!


Super Sunday Quesadillas

15 oz. can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. salsa
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
2 c. finely shredded cabbage (or 2 c. cole slaw mix)
¼ c. finely chopped onion (green, red or yellow)
½ c. chopped fresh cilantro
8 corn tortillas (or whole wheat)
½ c. crumbled feta cheese
hot sauce (optional)

1. Combine beans, salsa and cumin in small bowl, and mash.
2. Combine cabbage, onion, cilantro and lime juice in a medium bowl, and drizzle with 2 tsp. olive oil. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper.
3. Spread ¼ of black bean mixture on each of four tortillas. Top beans with ¼ of cabbage mixture and 2 Tbsp. of cheese. Cover with a second tortilla.
4. Lightly coat a nonstick pan with vegetable cooking spray and place over medium heat. Place each quesadilla in the pan (you may have to cook them one at a time.) Cook 1-2 minutes, until beans are heated through. Turn over and cook one minute longer, or until cheese melts. Put on a plate, cut into four pieces, and serve.

Serves 8 as an appetizer and 4 as an entrée. Each quesadilla half (eight appetizer servings) contain 150 calories, 4 g. fat, 8 mg. chol., 314 mg. sodium, 6 g. fiber 25 g. carb., 6 g. protein.