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

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July 2009 - Times-Standard Articles

July 1, 2009 - Expand your Grill Creativity Roasted Corn, Black Bean & Mango Salad

July 8, 2009 - A Steady Steam of Benefits Carrot and Ginger Pancakes

July 15, 2009 – Plan Ahead for Safe Travel Food Giant Peach Pancake

July 22, 2009 – Maximize Nutrition by Using Local Food Green Beans with Tomatoes and Herbs

July 29, 2009 - Tips for Smart Dining-out Choices Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers

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July 1, 2009 - Expand your Grill Creativity

This is a great time of the year for cooking on the grill or barbecue! In fact, I’ll bet that many of you are getting ready to barbecue in the next few days for the fourth of July holiday. Be adventurous and remember that delicious out-door cooking can be greatly expanded from fish, burgers, and other meats. Other options include tofu or veggie burgers and other soy products, as well as fruits and vegetables. The results are delightful! Try some of the following ideas:

• Foil-wrap vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, green beans, summer squash or cauliflower with fresh or dried herbs and quickly steam on the grill.
• Skewer veggies such as chunks of raw zucchini or other summer squashes, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onions, lightly steamed white or sweet potato pieces, butternut squash, eggplant or baby artichokes, and alternate with small pieces of marinated chicken, shrimp, turkey breast or tofu on your “shish kabob”. Partially cooking the denser vegetables (such as potatoes and winter squashes) before skewering helps them cook quickly without burning.
• Soak ears of corn in water for 1/2 hour; grill in the husk for 15-20 minutes. Serve with a wedge of fresh lime instead of butter.
• Grill fruits in chunks or thick slices (apples, pears, pineapple, bananas, figs, peaches, nectarines, plums or apricots) to use with a main dish or as a dessert topping. Mmmmmm
• Any of the above-mentioned vegetables or fruits can also be roasted in your oven. Preheat the oven to 375-400 degrees. Place chunks of trimmed vegetables or fruits on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Lightly spray the vegetables with cooking spray and roast for 10-15 minutes. After that time, remove any vegetables or fruits that are cooked. Turn over any that need additional cooking and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes. Check them occasionally and remove cooked items. They may be partially browned, and the roasting carmelizes and intensifies the natural sugars of each food. They are yummy!!
• Soy or veggie burgers cook very quickly, as do tofu cutlets. Spray patties with nonstick cooking spray and grill at the last minute. A thawed burger needs only 3-4 minutes a side. Frozen veggie burgers can be put directly on the grill and cooked for 5-6 minutes per side. Frozen or thawed, be careful not to flatten, poke, or overcook—they can easily dry out. Tofu cutlets can be marinated for at least 20 minutes in a preferred marinade and grilled for no more than 3-4 minutes per side.
• Cooking and charring meats using high-heat techniques such as grilling, broiling, and frying may increase our risk of cancer. Prevent barbecue flare-ups and charring by removing visible fat from meats before cooking. Decrease grill time, and therefore the possibility of charring by partially precooking meats in the microwave or oven. Precooking helps to release some of the meat juices that could otherwise drop onto the coals. Cooking foods in the center of the grill and moving coals to the sides prevents flare-ups by keeping juices from dripping on coals. Cut off any charred portions of meat before serving.

The following recipe is a perfect accompaniment for summer meals. It adds some tasty variety to grilled meat, fish or tofu. For variation, try using peaches or nectarines instead of mangoes.


Roasted Corn, Black Bean & Mango Salad
(adapted from The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook)

2 tsp. canola or olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ c. corn kernels (fresh from 3 ears, or frozen, defrosted and dried on a towel)
½ large ripe mango, peeled and diced (or substitute a peach or nectarine)
1 - 15 1/2-ounce or 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed
½ c. chopped red onion
½ c. diced red bell pepper
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 small canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, drained and chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. salt, or to taste

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Transfer the corn mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the mango, beans, onions, bell pepper, lime juice, chipotle, cilantro, cumin and salt. Mix thoroughly. Can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 8, with 125 calories per serving, 2 g. fat (0 g. sat., 0 g. trans.), 0 mg. chol., 245 mg. sodium, 4 g. fiber, 26 g. carb., 4 g. protein.

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July 8, 2009 - A Steady Steam of Benefits

Do you wonder why so many of these articles are dedicated to vegetables and fruits? It’s because we are firm believers in their health benefits. By learning to enjoy them early in our lives, we “harvest” a steady stream of benefits that keep us healthy. It is the one food group where more is definitely better. If you have children or grandchildren, today is the best time to start helping them have a good relationship with these very important foods.

Some people think that children have a “natural” dislike for vegetables, but I have found that to be untrue. If a child is introduced to a variety of vegetables, and allowed (not forced) to taste them each time they are prepared, they will probably eat and enjoy a wide variety of vegetables throughout their life . . . A child (or adult) that is forced or coerced into eating any food will probably refuse it over time.

Summer time is a wonderful time to help your child or grandchild (or the whole family) become familiar with a wider range of fresh vegetables and fruits. Our local farmers’ markets and CSA (community supported agriculture) farms are great places to find old favorites and new varieties. Check out Humboldt County’s growing number of CSA’s at www.duhc.org/CSAs.html. If you can’t use a whole share, they can help find someone to share with you. Following are some ways you can encourage use of vegetables and fruits:

• Keep some vegetables and fruits washed and cut up in the refrigerator, ready to eat, and take them with you as snacks wherever you go. Children eat fruits and veggies much better when they are available and cut up. The most common reason for children not to eat vegetables is their lack of availability at home or other places they go.
• Thicken tomato sauces or other sauces by pureeing vegetables into them.
• Find ways to add fruits and/or vegetables to many of the foods you traditionally make; add them chopped, sliced, grated or pureed in breads, pancakes, salads, casseroles, bean, dishes, stews, and/or desserts. Start by adding small amounts and gradually increase, if desired.
• Puree fruit and add to fruit juice, ginger ale or lemonade, or use in frozen fruit pops.
• Double up on the amount of vegetables called for in a mixed dish recipe.
• Use fruit juice as the liquid in gelatin desserts.
• Toast fresh berries on your bread, and then spread them around (this only works if you have a toaster oven!).
• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter as a tempting snack.
• At least once a month, have a member of your family choose a new vegetable or fruit for the family to try. Make it an experiment…try it raw, then try it cooked, or try it with different spices and herbs. Prepare it a little differently each time you try it...roast, stir fry, microwave…mix it up!
• Keep trimmed and cleaned spinach leaves and shredded cabbage or broccoli on hand for quick salads or stir-fries.
• Plant a garden…in the ground, or in containers. Children will usually eat what they grow.
• Visit the Farmer’s Market or a CSA and try some new foods.

Always remember to wash all fruits and vegetables before you or your children eat them. This advice is true for salad mixes found in open containers at the grocery store, and fruits such as melons that will be cut and served.

A unique way to entice children to eat a wider variety of vegetables is to mix them into pancakes. A wide variety of veggies can be used, including asparagus, beets, carrots, zucchini, and many others. It’s important to remember that the batter for vegetable pancakes needs to be freshly mixed and cooked. If it is mixed ahead, it can become watery and discolored…and unappetizing. Serve the following pancakes with some low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt.


Carrot and Ginger Pancakes
(adapted from The Parenting Cookbook)

3 large eggs (or 1 whole egg and 2-3 egg whites-if too dry, add another egg white)
2 ¼ c. grated carrots
3 tsp. grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp. dried ground
¾ c. plus 2 Tbsp. whole wheat bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. canola oil
Vegetable oil cooking spray

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Stir in the grated carrots, ginger, ¾ cup of the bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. Add another tablespoon of bread crumbs as needed to hole the mixture together.
2. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Heat over moderately high heat until it just starts to smoke. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter into the pan for each pancake, and flatten with a spatula. Cook about 1 ½ minutes on each side.

Makes 12-14 pancakes. Using whole eggs, for each two pancakes there are 90 calories, 4.5 g. fat (1 g. sat., 0 g. trans), 106 mg. chol., 211 mg. sodium, 2 g. fiber, 8.5 g. carb., 4 g. protein. Using 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites there are 72 calories for 2 pancakes, 3 g. fat, (0.5 g. sat., 0 trans), 35 mg. chol., 206 mg. sodium, 8.4 g. carb., 4 g. protein.

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July 15, 2009 – Plan Ahead for Safe Travel Food

Now that it’s summer (we can tell by the amount of fog and over-cast skies we’re seeing), many families are taking to the road or to the air for vacations. No matter where you’re going, or how far, food is always involved . . . and so is food safety.

If you’ve flown any distance recently, you know that most airlines provide very limited food choices for premium prices. For long flights (or flights that take a long time because of delays) some airlines encourage us to purchase foods at the airports, or suggest that we plan ahead and bring foods from home. Be mindful of these food choices because we are each responsible for the safety of any food we take on board and most airlines do not provide refrigeration.

The general rule of thumb is that refrigerated foods (such as any salad, meat or fish sandwiches, and mixed protein/vegetable dishes) should be eaten within 2 hours of leaving refrigeration. The same is true for hot foods. They can be considered safe no more than 2 hours after they leave their heat source. This time limit becomes shorter if the food is left out in very warm weather.

Here are some things you can do to keep your traveling foods safe:

• Think and plan ahead. Make sure that you will eat any perishable purchased items within 2 hours of purchase, or
• Carry snack items that don’t require refrigeration such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, whole grain crackers, healthy energy/protein/granola bars, pretzels, popcorn, nut-butter sandwiches, jerky, fresh fruits (apples and oranges are good choices because they don’t easily bruise).
• Purchase or bring from home an ice pack that can be used in a thermal-type lunch bag, cooler, or in a pocket of your carry-on baggage to temporarily store from-home or purchased perishables.
• Good traveling food that should ideally be refrigerated include: raw vegetables, plain or fruit flavored low fat yogurt, pizza, cheese sticks, and similar foods.

Harvest of the Month is continuing through the summer at various school sites, and this month’s featured fruit is peaches -- a much loved fruit that is great as a snack, added to salads, desserts, cereals, or a variety of cooked dishes. They’ve been around in the United States since it was first settled. The most common varieties seen in grocery stores and at the Farmer’s Market are freestone, which means that the flesh slips easily off of the pit. They’re juicier and softer than clingstone varieties, which are usually used for commercially canned fruit.

When you purchase local peaches during the summer, you’ll undoubtedly find sweeter, softer, more fragrant fruit than you’ll ever find other times of the year. Peaches don’t get any sweeter once they’ve been harvested. They do get softer and juicier as they mature. The best places to find local peaches are at the Farmer’s Market or a fruit stand that specializes in local produce.

When buying fresh peaches, look for skins that have a yellow or creamy background color, rather than any green undertones. Blush or pink tones don’t tell you about ripeness, they are dependent on the variety of peach. Undertones of green indicate the peaches were picked too soon and won’t be as sweet. Look for plump, medium- to large-sized peaches with unwrinkled skins. Choose mildly fragrant fruits that yield slightly to pressure along their “seam”. These peaches will soften if kept at room temperature for several days. Placing them in a paper bag will encourage the process. After that, store them in the refrigerator crisper and use within three to five days.

Here’s tasty way to start the day with some fresh, local peaches-YUM!


Giant Peach Pancake
(adapted from Healthy Treats and Super Snacks for Kids)

1 Tbsp. trans fat free margarine
2 large eggs
1 c. skim or 1% fat milk
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
4 fresh, ripe peaches
¼ c. orange juice
½ c. nonfat vanilla or plain yogurt

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place margarine in a 10-inch round oven-proof pan and melt in the oven.
2. Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl. Add flour and beat until smooth.
3. Pour batter into hot pan with melted margarine and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 7 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.
4. While pancake is baking, wash, peel and slice peaches into the orange juice, and stir to coat peaches with juice. When pancake is done, cover with peaches in orange juice and serve with yogurt.

Makes 4 servings with 285 calories per serving, 6.4 g. fat (0 trans, 1.5 g. sat.), 108 mg. chol., 118 mg. sodium, 6 g. fiber, 47 g. carb., 13 g. protein.

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July 22, 2009 – Maximize Nutrition by Using Local Food

What does “buy local” mean when talking about vegetables and fruits? It may mean different things at different times of the year. At this time of the year, when we can celebrate a wonderful variety of Humboldt County produce, buy local means growing food at home or focusing on choosing vegetables and fruits that are grown in our immediate communities. At other times of the year, we may stretch the definition to cover first California, then region, and finally, country. When you use vegetables and fruits grown and harvested at home or in our immediate communities, there is a greater opportunity for maximizing your nutritional benefits, and our health is worth it.

The Community Alliance with Family Farms (CAFF), is best known in Humboldt County for its’ Farm to School program. It connects teachers directly to local farms through field trips, educational activities and nutritional awareness of fresh fruits and vegetables. This year they have launched a “Buy Fresh Buy Local” (BFBL) campaign. From June to August, CAFF is promoting local restaurant partners that serve creative dinners using Humboldt County produce. Each Buy Fresh Buy Local restaurant will highlight items on their menu that are locally produced so consumers can easily choose to support local farms.

The first Buy Fresh Buy Local dinner was at F Street Café in Eureka on June 19^th and celebrated the cuisine of Chef Dan McHugh. If you missed the first dinner, you can still enjoy some of our local specialties at the next BFBL dinner this Friday, July 24. It will be serving vegetarian options at Wildflower Café in Arcata. It will feature Little River Farms baby greens tossed with raspberry honey dressing as well as delicious side dishes of Warren Creeks canario beans and a blueberry cobbler for dessert. Local wines from Briceland will also be served. To complete the picture, Wildflower café will present the artistry of our abundant produce through the work of local photographer Chris Wisner.

In August, Buy Fresh, Buy Local dinners will be served at Avalon in Eureka. They will be showcasing a summer menu created from local producers of grass fed beef and goat cheese, as well as local organic vegetables and beans from Warren Creek Farms and G-Farm. On August 26^th, the Buy Fresh Buy Local dinner will be hosted by Larrupin Café. Chef Tamara Tafoya will be designing a fixed price menu for an evening in Trinidad.

Supporting the local restaurants that purchase from our local farms protects our Humboldt County food system, secures our agricultural lands for the future, strengthens our economy by circulating money locally, preserves the culture of agriculture and brings together our community to celebrate the abundance of our region.

Last September, at the height of our growing season, CAFF also launched “local food month.” It celebrates the great variety and quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables available in our region and at our farms. This September, the Local Food Month events provide opportunities to enjoy and learn about local foods and the people who produce them. Local Food Month is a county-wide celebration of local food, local farmers, and local abundance, intended to raise awareness of agriculture and healthy food systems in Humboldt County. Each event brings people together to share food and fun in support of Humboldt County agriculture. A full calendar of events can be found at www.caff.org/humboldt or by calling CAFF at 444-3255. CAFF works to promote Humboldt County agriculture, provide nutrition education and support market development for local farmers. The chapter is part of a statewide organization building a movement of rural and urban people in support of family farming and sustainable agriculture.

The following easy recipe is delicious using local produce. It includes ideas for preparing when our local produce isn’t in season.


Green Beans with Tomatoes and Herbs
(adapted from The New American Plate Cookbook)

1 tsp. olive or canola oil
1 small onion, minced
1 large ripe tomato, diced (or ½ can diced tomatoes, drained)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. minced fresh basil (or ½ tsp. dried basil)
1 tsp. minced fresh oregano (or ½ tsp. dried oregano)
¼ lb. fresh green beans, trimmed (or 10 oz. frozen green beans, thawed)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until onion is translucent and tender.
2. Add tomato, garlic, basil, and oregano and cook for 2 minutes. Add the green beans, cover, and cook for 6 minutes, until beans are crisp but tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4, with 54 calories per serving, 2 g. total fat, 0 mg. chol., 7 mg. sodium, 3 g. fiber, 10 g. carb., 2 g. protein.

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July 29, 2009 - Tips for Smart Dining-out Choices

It used to be that during the summer months, many of us ate more meals in restaurants-because of travel, or maybe just because we wanted to get out of the kitchen. Now, many of us use restaurants frequently throughout the year. For many families, it’s no longer a special occasion. Therefore, it’s important to make smart choices (health-promoting choices) most of the time.

For any style of restaurant or eating establishment, if portions are large, consider splitting them or requesting “to go” containers. Then you have an entree for two meals and save some money. If you go into a restaurant chain, ask for calorie, fat, and sodium information and use it to help determine your choices.

We make smarter restaurant choices when we’re prepared, so consider the following recommendations for making healthier choices at a variety of eating establishments:

Eat More Often: When eating in a:	Eat Less Often:
Sandwich shop: Cold or grilled sandwiches of sliced roasted turkey, chicken, beef, tofu or vegetables; hummus or other bean mixes on whole grain breads with sandwich spreads on the side (so you can control the amount used)	Any type of mixed meat salad sandwich; grilled cheese and ham sandwiches; sandwiches with lots of mayonnaise or other sandwich spreads; deep-fried sandwiches or entrees
Dinner House: Grilled or broiled chicken or seafood; tofu, chicken or vegetable fajitas; veggie burgers, pasta with chicken or shrimp or vegetables in any non-cream sauce, baked or steamed potato (with a tablespoon sour cream...or request low fat sour cream or yogurt)	Large hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken “fingers”, baby-back ribs, steak fajitas, bacon and cheese in sandwiches, French fries, onion rings, stuffed potato skins, buffalo wings, fried mozzarella sticks, batter-fried vegetables, “loaded” potatoes; deep-fried anything
Italian Restaurant: Spaghetti or other pasta with tomato, vegetable or meat sauces; linguini with red clam sauce.	Lasagna, manicotti, eggplant or veal parmigiana, fettucine Alfredo, fried calamari
Mexican Restaurant: Chicken, tofu or vegetable fajitas, chicken. tofu or bean burritos, chicken or tofu taco (especially soft tacos), whole beans	Taco salad, chile relleno, cheese quesadilla, chimichanga, nachos, refried beans
Asian Restaurant: Broth-based soups, main dishes with vegetables (not deep-fried); steamed, roasted or broiled entrees; stir fries; edamame, sushi, mixed vegetables, salads	Fried vegetable dumplings (pot stickers), battered or floured & deep fried foods (such as tempura), fried rice, sweet & sour
Seafood Restaurant: Any broiled, grilled, blackened, poached or steamed seafood. Ask for sauces on the side.	Seafood casseroles, any fried seafood, baked stuffed shrimp, cream sauces, cheese sauces
Restaurant Breakfast: Hot or cold cereal, scrambled egg substitute or small serving of scrambled eggs, scrambled tofu, hash browns, ham, pancakes or waffles, toast (request whole wheat), bagels with preserves or marmalade (hold the butter, margarine or whipped cream, or ask for it on the side and use very little), fresh fruit or juice, potatoes with vegetables (hold the sour cream...ask for low fat sour cream or yogurt)	Biscuits & gravy, omelettes with meat and cheese, sausage, egg-pancake-sausage-bacon platters, waffle with whipped cream
Fast Food Restaurant: Look for healthy options such as: grilled chicken or fish; order regular size hamburgers with extra lettuce and tomato; ask for dressings on the side; if desired, order small fries; fill up on side dishes such as a green salad with dressing on the side, corn on the cob, whole, barbecued, or baked beans, and baked potatoes; “light cheese” and extra vegetables on pizzas	Be wary of “super-value” menus or items. They are usually high in fat and/or calories; large or double sandwiches; large fries; extra cheese or meats on pizza

The following easy recipe can be made at home for a quick meal. Put it together with a salad and side veggie, and you’ve got a delicious meal. Try using liquid or dried egg whites in the recipe so you don’t have to figure out what to do with 4 yolks. Enjoy!


Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers
(adapted from Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook)

Canola or olive oil cooking spray
½ c. sliced or chopped almonds
¼ c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tsp. olive or canola oil
4 egg whites
1 lb. chicken tenders (or use boneless, skinless chicken breast that has been sliced into ½-inch thick slices)

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.
2. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.
3. Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat. Transfer each piece to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Be sure to discard any leftover egg white and almond mixture.) Place tenders on the prepared pan and coat lightly with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side of each chicken piece.
4. Bake the chicken pieces until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20-25 minutes.

Makes 4 generous servings, with 147 calories per serving; 4 g. fat (1 g. sat., 0 trans), 49 mg. chol., 214 mg. sodium, 1 g. fiber, 4 g. carb., 21 g. protein.