July 2013 Newsletter
July Choose Cherries: Summer screams cherries! These delectable super fruits are not only delicious, but provide many health benefits as well. Cherries contain many antioxidants and valuable nutrients that make them a powerful super food. Whether you are fighting pain and inflammation, trying to regulate those sleeps patterns or wanting to give your brain a little boost, choose this small and flavorful fruit for your next healthy snack!
Why Cherries? Antioxidants: Sweet cherries are considered among the top 20 foods with the highest concentration of antioxidants. Antioxidants occur naturally in some foods and may protect cells from future damage. Cherries have many different antioxidants, including melatonin, quercetin and a flavonoid called anthocyanin. Heart-healthy: Today, heart disease is the single leading cause of death in America. Anthocyanin and quercetin may decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by protecting the heart and preventing plaque formation within the body. Natural pain and inflammation relief: Do pain and inflammation get you down? We’ve got great news – a bowl full of cherries may help relieve discomfort related to arthritis and gout. Cherries contain anthocyanins – natural pigments responsible for the red, purple and blue colors of many fruits and vegetables. Cherries act as pain relievers by blocking inflammatory enzymes in the body, which may help to reduce pain. Bone health: Cherries contain a valuable mineral called boron, which supports bone health and helps to maintain a good calcium balance. Insomnia: Cherries are one of the few foods that contain melatonin, a natural hormone in the body, which helps control when we fall asleep and wake up. Eating a handful of cherries before bed may be a great, natural way to regulate sleep patterns. Brain function: Not only does melatonin aid in falling asleep, but it also supports and maintains brain function. Anthocyanins may protect cells found in the brain and promote brain health as well. So, what are you waiting for? Load your meal and snack times with red yummy cherries! Try these 10 great ways to include cherries into your next meal or snack.
Adapted from: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
1. Peanut Butter & Cherry. Try a hand at making your own cherry preserves! Great on your usual peanut butter creation or as a spread for breakfast breads. 2. Perfect Pie. Who doesn’t love cherry pie? See how to make healthy cherry desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. 3. Cherry Salsa. Try out this delicious family side dish. Here’s the Recipe: Cherry Salsa! 4. Sundae Station. At your next summertime party, set up an ice cream sundae station and combine the creaminess of low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt with the sweetness of fresh fruit. Include cherries as one of the fruit toppings. 5. A Ruby Salad. Add sliced or whole cherries to any salad, or try our Minted Peach and Cherry Salad - ready in only 10 minutes! April Graff, MS, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Dietitian
[email protected]
6. Succulent Substitute. Easily switch cherries with blueberries and strawberries in any of your favorite recipes. 7. Cherry Shake. Combine fat-free vanilla, banana or plain yogurt along with cherries in a blender for a delicious drink anytime of the day! Recipe: Banana Sour Cherry Smoothie 8. Fizzed-Up Fruit. Beat the heat on a hot summer’s day with a refreshing cherry spritzer made by combining ice, cold seltzer, water and puréed cherries. 9. Cherries on the Run. Rinse, dry and enjoy whole cherries. They’re a great on-the-go snack! 10. Cherry Mustard? It may sound like a strange combination but it goes great with grilled chicken and roast beef sandwiches … or as a glaze on fish. Try Berry Cherry Mustard or Spicy Cherry Sauce recipes.
Apple, Walnut and Fresh Cherry Quinoa Salad (Serves: 8)
Source: Chef Andrew, Ankeny Hy-Vee
All You Need: ½ cup uncooked quinoa, prepared in Hy-Vee apple juice ½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts 1 cup pitted and quartered fresh cherries 1 large apple, chopped 1 large celery stalk, chopped 2 tbsp. chopped red onion 1 tbsp. Hy-Vee honey 2-3 tbsp. Hy-Vee White Balsamic Raspberry Blush Vinegar Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste All You Do: 1. Prepare quinoa as directed on package, using Hy-Vee apple juice in place of water. Cool completely in refrigerator, about 30 minutes. 2. Toss cooled quinoa, walnuts, cherries, apple, celery and onion together in a large bowl. 3. Mix Hy-Vee honey and vinegar in a separate bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 4. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. 5. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until serving time. Nutritional information per serving: 140 calories; 20 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g dietary fiber; 5 g fat; 3 g protein; 0.5 g saturated fat; 10 mg sodium; 12 g sugar; 0 g trans fat; Daily values: 2% vitamin A; 4% vitamin C; 2% calcium; 4% iron.
Preserve Fresh Herbs Summertime is the best time to capture the freshest flavors, with an abundance of local produce items from the supermarket as well as your backyard gardens. But the trick is capturing those summer flavors and making them last year-round. That’s where freezing comes in. Most people have experience with frozen fruits and vegetables. Did you know that you can freeze some herbs, too? Drying herbs is much more common, but certain herbs like basil, chives, marjoram and thyme can be frozen, too. In fact, some of these herbs will preserve better by freezing than drying. Here are a few tips to get you started: First, start with the freshest herbs immediately after harvesting. Next, be sure to clean the herb with running water, then drain. No need to blanch. Then, chop the fresh herb, and mix with a small amount of water. This step works well in a food processor. Freeze the herb/water mixture in ice cube trays. Remove the herbs from the trays and store in a sealed plastic bag with all the air removed. Remember to label the plastic bag with the date and contents. April Graff, MS, RD, LD Hy-Vee Dietitian
[email protected]
Store at 0⁰F and use within eight to twelve months for the best quality.
Frozen herbs can easily be added to dishes throughout the year. Add basil to pesto, pasta sauce or pizza. Add chives to mashed potatoes or homemade veggie dip. Add marjoram to a meat marinade. Add thyme to roasted vegetables. The benefit of adding herbs to cooking is that you can maximize flavor while limiting the need for salt, which makes the recipe healthier. Herbs also offer antioxidants, another health benefit. Preserving herbs from the summer months will allow you to savor the freshest flavors, save money and improve the nutritional quality of your cooking year-round.
Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob with Basil Butter (Serves 4) All you need: ¼ cup Hy-Vee unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil 1/8 tsp Hy-Vee salt 1/8 tsp Hy-Vee black pepper 4 ears corn-on-cob, husks and silk removed All you do: 1. Stir butter, basil, salt and black pepper until combined; set aside. 2. Wrap each ear of corn individually in aluminum foil. 3. Grill over medium-heat about 20 minutes or until kernels are tender, turning occasionally. 4. Remove corn from grill; unwrap corn and serve with basil butter.
Nutrition per serving: 190 calories; 18 g carbohydrates; 30 mg cholesterol; 2 g fiber; 14 g fat; 4 g protein; 7g saturated fat; 75 mg sodium; 5 g sugar; 0 g trans fat
Summer Road Trip: Get More Bang for Your Buck Despite what most people think, it is possible to eat healthy and save money. There are healthy economical foods located throughout all the grocery store aisles. Now that the kids are home from school and more people are traveling, planning out your meals and snacks ahead of time can help you make healthy choices while saving money. For example, making breakfast sandwiches ahead of time rather than stopping for an Egg McMuffin can save you $1.52. For lunch, pack a homemade Lunchables made up of mini Triscuits, low-fat cheese slices and Jennie-O turkey slices for $1.85 less than a turkey and cheddar Lunchables plus you save extra calories, fat, and sodium. For a healthy snack bar, choose a Kashi peanut butter bar for $.39 per bar instead of a Snickers bar for $.89. The Kashi bar offers more fiber, protein and less sugar than the Snickers bar. Here are three tips for eating healthy and saving money while traveling. Save this summer by packing healthy vacation foods. Before you buy a product, check the ingredient list on the package. The first few ingredients listed are the primary ingredients in that food. Consider what you are paying for. Are you buying mostly sugar, refined flour and sodium – or whole grains, fruit and vegetables? Start “packing” in advance. To save on last-minute preparation, begin making and freezing food prior to your trip; as a bonus, the frozen foods will help keep your cooler cold during the trip. Make and freeze sandwiches in zip-top bags or get your kids involved by making homemade trail mix. Don’t forget: Plastic silverware Extra zip-top bags (they’ll come in handy while traveling) Roll of paper towels Recycled Hy-Vee shopping bags (great for corralling trash) Hand wipes and sanitizer Reusable water bottles An old towel, blanket or tablecloth (great for roadside picnics to cover the table or spread out on the ground)
Try these easy substitutes to get more nutritional bang for your precious dollar!
April Graff, MS, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Dietitian
[email protected]
Get this… (NuVal Score) 1 serving mini Triscuits (29) ($2.00 for 8 servings) 1 piece Kraft 2% cheese (23) ($3.99 for 12) 1 ounce Jennie-O VIP Turkey ($8.99 per pound)
Or pay for this… (NuVal Score) $0.25 1 Turkey & Cheddar Lunchables (9) $0.33
$2.99
$0.56 1.14
2 slices Hy-Vee 100% multigrain bread (30) ($2.49 for 20 slices) ½ banana, sliced (91) (at $0.59/lb.) 2 Tbsp Hy-Vee Peanut Butter (23) ($5.28 for 40 oz jar)
$0.25 1 Uncrustables sandwich (13) ($3.18 for 4)
1 Kashi Peanut Butter Bar (30) ($3.99 for box of six)
$0.67 Snickers bar (2) ($0.89 per 2.07-ounce bar)
Blue Diamond Butter Toffee Almonds (53) ($3.99 for 8 servings) WITH 1 tablespoon Hy-Vee Mini SemiSweet Chocolate Chips (12) ($2.19 per 12-ounce bag) 1 clementine (100) (at $6.99 per 3 lb. bag)
$0.50 Peanut M&M’s (2) ($0.89 per bag)
$0.10 $0.15 $0.50
Put together your own “Lunchables” and slash unnecessary sodium and fat from your kids’ diet while saving cash. JennieO turkey is lower in sodium than most varieties and Triscuits are whole grain. Opt for the Triscuit Minis to make this more kid-friendly. $0.80 Go homemade and add whole grain fiber with multigrain bread. Skip the sugary jelly and opt for sliced bananas instead; they’re still sweet but provide potassium and fiber. Let your kids make the sandwiches for some hands-on “cooking” practice. Consider making these in advance and freezing to cut down on lastminute prep. $0.89 Need a sweet fix? Try a Kashi Peanut Butter Bar to save money, calories, sugar and fat while gaining whole grain goodness! $0.89 Get satiating (satisfying) fiber, protein and heart-healthy fat from lightly sweetened almonds while fulfilling that “chocolate fix.”
$0.09 $0.59 $0.35 1 pouch of Gushers (1) ($2.76 per box of six)
$0.46 Cute, fun and easy to peel, clementines are a kid-friendly, easy-to-peel snack.
Hy-Vee IronKids Triathlon Join us on Saturday, August 3rd, at Spring Lake Park for the Hy-Vee IronKids Triathlon. This race is for youth between the ages of 6-15, and will take place within Spring Lake Park, 650 Webster Avenue, in North Mankato. To register for the race or to volunteer go to: http://hy-veeironkids.com/mankato/
April Graff, MS, RD, LD
Age
Swim
6-8
50 yards
2 miles
500 yards
9-11
150 yards
4 miles
1 mile
12-15
300 yards
8 miles
2 miles
Hy-Vee Dietitian
Bike
Run
[email protected]
April Graff, MS, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Dietitian
[email protected]
Watermelon Feta Bruschetta
(Serves 16)
Source: Watermelon.org
All you need: 24-inch loaf of Italian or French bread ¼ cup olive oil 2 cups diced watermelon 1 cup finely diced cubed feta cheese 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives 2 tablespoon minced fresh mint 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste Salt and pepper, to taste All you do: 1. To make toasts: Preheat broiler. With a serrated knife cut bread crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange bread slices in one layer in a shallow baking pan. Brush with olive oil and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 5-7 minutes. 2. In a bowl toss together watermelon, cheese, chives, mint, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Mound about 1 tablespoon of the watermelon mixture onto each toast.
Grilled Spicy Watermelon (Serves 8-10 servings) Transform watermelon from sweet to savory with this mouth-watering Thai-inspired sauce. Watermelon wedges are grilled until caramelized, drizzled with garlic chili sauce and garnished with cilantro. Serve as a side dish along with ribs, chicken or shrimp. All you need: 1 tablespoon lime zest 1/4 cup lime juice 1/4 cup honey, divided 2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce pinch salt 1 medium-sized watermelon 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro All you do: 1. Preheat grill to high. In bowl, whisk together lime zest, juice, 3 tbsp. honey, garlic chili sauce and salt. 2. Cut watermelon into 1-inch-thick (2.5-cm) wedges. Lightly drizzle each side with remaining honey and place on grill. Grill until just browned, about 2 minutes per side. 3. Place watermelon slices on a plate and drizzle with lime dressing. Garnish with cilantro.
April Graff, MS, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Dietitian
[email protected]
