529 I Street
Eureka, CA 95501
TEL: (707) 441-5081
FAX: (707) 268-0415
jhouston@co.humboldt.ca.us
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May 6, 2009 - Avocados Have Many Healthy Elements
There are many things that we, as mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers can do to create a positive atmosphere around food for children, grandchildren, and families as a whole. We’re now heading into the warmer months when families spend more time together, so it is a good time to share some ideas for helping children have good feelings about food and meal time.
Ellyn Satter has been in Humboldt County several times to share her philosophy and wisdom around child feeding. Ellyn is a registered dietitian, family therapist, and internationally recognized authority on eating and feeding. There aren’t many people I will claim to be a “groupie” for, but she is one of them! Consider one of her excellent books as a Mother’s Day gift for someone you know and love (especially a new mother or mother-to-be).
Child of Mine; Feeding with Love and Good Sense and
Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family are examples of two of her books that contain some wonderful ideas for creating good eaters.
The Humboldt County Office of Education and the Northcoast Co-op are doing their part to help children learn about fruits and vegetables through the Harvest of the Month program. Each month a new fruit or vegetable is introduced to more than 6,000 children in about 300 classrooms throughout Humboldt County. This month, as part of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, children and their families will learn about avocados.
Because of its mild, nutty flavor and smooth texture, children often like this fruit from the first time they taste it! Although they don’t have a sweet flavor and are frequently used like a vegetable in many dishes, they are actually a tropical fruit that originally came from Central America. Only California and Florida have been successful at growing them commercially, and together the two states provide a year-round supply of this luscious fruit.
Some people avoid avocados because they have a high fat content and therefore more calories than other fruits. Actually, the fats in avocados are high in monounsaturates (like olive oil) and omega-3 fatty acids, and are known to be healthful and offer protection from heart disease. In the past, heart healthy diets focused on the total amount of fat consumed, but today it is more important to think about types of fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered healthy, whereas saturated and trans fats are unhealthy. All types of fat contain the same amount of calories, so eat avocadoes in moderation, using them in small amounts to balance and enhance the flavors in a meal. Beyond fat, avocados are a good source of beta-carotene, potassium, fiber, and Vitamins E and K. They also provide iron, and magnesium.
California and Florida grow all of the commercially available avocados, and most are grown along the coastline of Southern California. The Hass variety is the most popular and widely available, and they are most plentiful between March and August. They do not begin to ripen until picked from the tree and are commonly shipped unripe to prevent damage.
When shopping for avocados look for ones that are unblemished and with unbroken skin. A ripe avocado will give slightly to gentle pressure. If a dent remains after applying slight pressure the avocado is overripe. Ripe avocados will keep up to four to five days if refrigerated. Avocados purchased hard will generally ripen within two to three days if left out at room temperature or placed in a paper bag.
To keep the flesh of cut or peeled avocado from discoloring, rub or sprinkle it with lemon or lime juice as soon as it’s cut, and mix a small amount of the juice to mashed avocado. The discoloration that can occur doesn’t affect flavor, but it isn’t very appealing. You can also slow down discoloration by leaving the pit embedded in an uncut avocado half.
Although most known as the main ingredient in guacamole, avocados can be enjoyed in a number of ways. Try sliced avocados on your favorite sandwich or make it into a spread and use instead of mayonnaise, add it to salsas, soups and salads. Mix mashed avocado into baked potato for a rich and healthy addition to a meal. Try the following family-friendly recipe.
Mexican Sushi Bites
8 oz. cream cheese, 1/3 less fat
1/3 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 avocados, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. lime juice
8 spinach or whole wheat tortillas
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, salsa, chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, lightly sprinkle the avocado slices with lime juice to prevent browning.
- Trim the rounded edges off each tortilla to make it a square.
- Spread 3 Tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture onto the tortilla.
- Arrange 2 rows of spinach in the center of the tortilla. Then top with a row of avocado, and red & yellow bell pepper. Roll the tortilla tightly.
- Slice into ½ inch pieces and serve with extra salsa for dipping.
Serves 12 as a snack, with 207 calories per serving, 3 g. saturated fat, 0 g.trans fat, 11 mg. chol., 296 mg. sodium, 4 g. fiber, 22 g. carb., 6 g. pro.
May 13, 2009 - Raise Kids who Value Nutrition
As was mentioned last week, helping children have a positive attitude about food and meal-time begins in infancy, and is important for decreasing the food-related health problems seen today, from overweight on one end of the spectrum, to starvation-related eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia on the other end of the spectrum. To raise well-nourished children we need to look at eating and mealtime as a cheerful, positive venture that includes cooking, serving, and regularly enjoying a wide variety of foods together in a friendly atmosphere.
The feeding relationship begins at birth, and to be successful there needs to be a division of responsibility. Parents are responsible for the
what, when, and where of child
feeding. Children are responsible for the
how much and whether of
eating.
Children do best when they are offered regular meals and snacks that they can rely on, and they are offered a wide range of foods so that their preferences have an opportunity to grow as they grow. Regular meals and snacks help children regulate their appetites. If they don’t get enough to eat, or fear they won’t, they may think about food all of the time and overeat when they can.
Parents who restrict foods in an effort to help their child avoid the discomforts of being overweight may actually set their child up for weight problems. Studies now show that restricting a child’s food will frequently result in the child getting fatter, not thinner. Instead of trying to control and restrict, parents will be wiser to use good feeding practices that include regular meals and snacks, and refusing to hand out food and beverage between meals, except water.
Food acceptance is another concern for many parents. They complain that their child doesn’t eat much, only eats a few foods, or eats the same food over and over. Actually, these behaviors are all normal. How parents react to them is absolutely critical. Offer a wide variety of food on a regular basis. Children sometimes need opportunities to interact with a new food 10 or 15 times before they’re willing to really try it, but if parents are patient and don’t put pressure on eating, children will eventually learn to like most of the foods their parents like...and sometimes more…
The general recommendation is: “non-react”. Prepare and serve foods in small quantities at regular meals and snacks, without pressure to eat, and without lots of praise for eating. It’s a major way to make mealtimes more pleasant and family relationships better throughout childhood.
Introduce your family to this easy, delicious recipe with Southeast Asian flavors. It’s especially good served over brown rice or whole wheat rotini. Enjoy!
South Pacific Shrimp
(adapted from The Essential Eating Well Cookbook)
1/3 c. “lite” coconut milk
2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (use red ones if you can get them)
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
¼ c. lime juice
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 lb. medium shrimp (30-40/lb.), peeled and deveined
Sauce:
1 tsp. olive oil
½ c. diced tomato
4 c. baby spinach
- Combine coconut milk, chiles, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain well, reserving marinade.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until barely pink, about 30 seconds per side; transfer to a plate.
- Add tomato and spinach to the pan; cook, stirring, until the spinach starts to wilt, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved marinade; simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan; heat through and serve immediately.
Makes 4 generous servings, with 176 calories 5 g. fat (2 g. sat., 1 g. mono), 172 mg. chol., 282 mg. sodium, 1 g. fiber, 9 g. carb., 24 g. protein.
May 20, 2009 - Spring into Health
For some people, it is overwhelming to think about making big changes in their eating and activity patterns, because it has taken a lifetime to develop their current patterns. And yet, if someone wants to improve their overall health, and the health of their family, three of the BIGGEST and best changes they can make are to increase the total amount of vegetables and fruits in meals, reduce saturated and trans fats in foods, and increase daily activity.
Actually, you can “kill two birds with one stone” and reduce the proportion of fat in your meals by simply increasing the total amount of vegetables, fruits and grains (preferably whole grains). Another strategy for limiting saturated fats is decreasing the amount of animal fat (butter, margarine, mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream, full-fat cheese etc.) used at the table and/or during food preparation. Increasing physical activity can be easy by adding multiple short walking times every day or riding your bike more frequently.
Here are some simple ideas to help you "spring" into health during the months ahead:
- Plant an indoor (or outdoor) herb garden in an area with plenty of light, and use the fresh herbs in salads, or to add flavor to any dish. They will add pizzazz to dishes that have had their fat decreased.
- Try decreasing the overall fat, or at least the animal fat used in some of your family’s favorite recipes, and add extra vegetables. Calories DO count (and fat contains the most calories), so eat moderate portions and save some for a “leftovers meal” (or the next day’s lunch).
- Eat breakfast every morning. It gets you off to a good start, and helps curb overeating, especially when high fiber whole grains and some type of protein are included. Breakfast doesn’t have to be big or complicated. If necessary, make it something that can be grabbed and eaten on your way to work or school.
- Take a walk…often. Give yourself a health-break several times during the day, and get outside for at least 10-15 minutes of movement. Ten-minute walks during break time, walking meetings, and lunchtime journeys to favorite places can all enhance daily activity levels. You'll feel better and your thinking will be clearer.
- Ride your bike! May is National Bike Month, so hopefully, you’ll join your co-workers and bike to work at least a few times. Today is “Wheelin’ Wednesday”, so maybe I’ll see you at the Eureka Gazebo at noon for the rally to celebrate health.
Try the following quick recipe for dinner and then take a walk or bike ride in your neighborhood.
Shrimp Enchiladas Verde
(adapted from Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook)
1 lb. peeled, cooked shrimp (21-25 per pound, thawed if frozen), tails removed, chopped (or use 16-oz. canned shrimp that has been drained and rinsed)
1 c. corn, frozen and thawed or canned (drained)
2 – 4-oz. cans chopped green chiles (not drained)
2 c. canned green enchilada sauce or green salsa, divided
12 corn or whole wheat tortillas
1 – 15-oz. can nonfat refried beans
1 c. reduced fat shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or cheddar)
½ c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Combine corn, chiles and ½ c. enchilada sauce (or salsa) in a microwave-safe medium bowl. Cover and microwave on High until heated through. 2 ½ minutes.
- Spread ¼ c. enchilada sauce in the prepared baking dish. Top with an overlapping layer of 6 tortillas. Spread refried beans evenly over the tortillas. Top the beans with the shrimp mixture, followed by the remaining 6 tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas. Cover with foil.
- Bake the enchiladas until they begin to bubble on the sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle cheese on top. Continue baking until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Top with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Makes 8 servings, with 320 calories per serving, 9 g. fat (4 g. sat.), 136 mg. chol., 538 mg. sodium, 7 g. fiber, 37 g. carb., 26 g. protein.
May 27, 2009 - Strawberry Season is Under Way
Have you eaten a locally grown fresh strawberry yet this year? There is nothing like the flavor of a fresh, juicy strawberry, especially if it’s at its peak of flavor and fresh off the vine! Students in Humboldt County will finish their school year with the fresh taste of strawberries through the Harvest of the Month program.
You can find California-grown strawberries in the market now, and our local berries are just coming into season. Locally grown berries are naturally the best because they’re riper, tastier, and usually less expensive than those flown in from other areas. Because they’re riper, they also may need to be eaten or used within a day or two of purchase.
Berries are fun to eat! They’re small, juicy, and packed with flavor. Strawberries, and other berries, don’t ripen after harvesting, so when shopping for them in the grocery store, be sure to choose those that are bright red, have a natural shine, and have a green cap that looks fresh. When you get them home, take them out of the container and check for any soft, overripe berries…eat them right away. If the berries are moist, dry them on a towel and store in the box or on a plate covered with a paper towel and then plastic wrap. Store them unwashed in the refrigerator, and for best flavor allow them to reach room temperature before serving.
Strawberries are the first summer fruit to ripen. They contain more vitamin C than other members of the berry family, and a half cup contains more fiber than a slice of whole wheat bread! It’s the most popular berry, and in fact, if all of the strawberries produced in California this year were laid end to end, they would reach around the world 15 times and would be enough to provide every household in the United States with 12 – 1 pt. baskets! That’s a lot of berries!
Strawberries are also easy to grow, whether it be in a container or in the ground. It’s important to put the plants where they will get at least 6 hours of sun each day. It’s not too late to start some plants, and if you’d like to know more about growing them, contact the UC Cooperative Extension office at
445-7351, or one of the local nurseries.
May has been National Bike Month as well as National Fruit and Veggie Month. During the month we celebrated Bike-to-Work Days in Arcata and Eureka, with great success. More than 50 people participated in the events. To continue encouraging increased use of bicycle transportation, several free workshops will take place in the near future for county employees and the public. They will include hands-on skills and safety training for bicycling to work, school, the grocery store, lunch, or other locations. Interested people are encouraged to RSVP, but it’s not required. Contact Dorina Espinoza at
441-5549 or
despinoza@co.humboldt.ca.us
-
Fix-a-Flat! (Fix a flat tire in less 5 than minutes. Bring your bike, a wheel, or fix one of ours. Learn to use a patch kit and tire irons, and leave with a complimentary set.)
May 27, 12:10-12:50 pm
Community Wellness Center
908 7th Street, Eureka
-
What about my stuff? (Learn how to transport your work-clothes, groceries, or basketball so you arrive at your destination on time and looking great!)
June 17, 12:10-12:50 pm
Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
828 7th Street, Eureka
This is a great time of the year to bike down to the farmer’s market and pick up some locally grown strawberries for some quick strawberry freezer jam. It’s really easy to make when using something like Sure Jell Low Sugar Pectin. Just follow the directions, and you’ll have a fruit spread that tastes like fresh strawberries-YUM! Your family would also like the following tasty Strawberry Marmalade Salad.
Strawberry Marmalade Salad
(adapted from Sunset Recipes.com)
3 c. fresh strawberries (1 ½ pts.)
2 cans mandarin oranges, partially drained (or 2 oranges)
2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
3 Tbsp. mandarin orange juice from can or regular orange juice
- Wash, and hull and slice strawberries.
- If using canned mandarin oranges, partially drain, saving approximately 3 Tbsp. of the juice. (If using fresh oranges, use a sharp serrated knife; cut off and discard ends from the oranges. Follow the curve of the fruit and cut off peel and outer membrane. Slice oranges crosswise in 1/8-inch-thick rounds).
- In a small bowl, combine marmalade and juice. Add to fruit and mix gently to coat. Serve in bowls.
Makes 6 servings, with 73 calories per serving, 0 g. fat, 0 mg. chol., 9 mg. sodium, 2 g. fiber, 18 g. carb., 1 g. protein.
