100% Fruit Juice: AOK for Kids

Contrary to what many moms and even pediatricians may think, drinking 100% fruit juice doesn't make kids overweight or obese. In fact, new research shows that juice drinkers eat a pretty healthy diet -- consuming less fat, saturated fat, and added sugars and more nutrients like vitamin C, folate, and potassium. The study, which analyzed the diets of 3,618 children between the ages of 2 to 11, found that drinking 100% juice can actually reduce the risk of weight gain among kids.

A few tips for Moms:
* Choose 100% fruit juice or 100% fruit & veggie juice (check out new Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise -- Orange Mango, Tropical, & Grape -- made with a kid-friendly blend of fruits and vegetables including apples, pears, carrots and sweet potatoes).
* Stick to the American Academy of Pediatrics 100% juice guideline of no more than 4 - 6 ounces for 1 to 6 year olds and 8 - 12 ounces for older kids.
* Blend 100% juice into thirst-quenching smoothies for extra nutrition.

Tropical Strawberry Smoothie
Makes 3 Servings


2 cups Tropical Juicy Juice Harvest Surpise
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 ripe banana
3 straws

Place the juice, strawberries, frozen yogurt, and banana in a blender. Process until smooth.
Pour evenly into three individual glasses and serve with a straw.

Burgers Anyone?

Have you ever wondered how much saturated fat and cholesterol you get when you bite into a burger made with 80 or 90% lean ground beef? We sure have. Believe it or not, companies are not required to list the nutrition facts on ground beef. But now there's a tool, the Ground Beef Calculator, that crunches the numbers for you. By inputting a few key facts into the online calculator, you can view the full nutrient breakdown of different ground beef choices, including calories, fat, saturated fat, vitamins, and minerals. Check out the calculator at http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata/GroundBeefCalculator And while we're on the subject of ground beef, try our recipe for Cheesy Black Bean Burgers, perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.

Cheesy Black Bean Burgers
Makes 8 Servings

One 15 ½-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 hamburger buns

Preheat the grill to medium. Place the black beans in a large bowl and mash with the back of a large spoon until smooth but still a bit chunky. Add the beef, egg, cheese, bread crumbs and garlic powder and mix until well combined. Divide the beef mixture and shape into 8 patties. Place the patties on the grill and cook until no longer pink inside and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 160°F, about 4 minutes per side. Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings and condiments.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 310 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated), 510mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 28g protein

Canned Pumpkin: More than Pie

The other night, after speaking to one of our local Mothers of Twins groups, we left with a new and deliciously sneaky baking idea: add canned pumpkin to replace some of the butter or oil. People often use applesauce but canned pumpkin makes even better sense -- it's loaded with immune-boosting vitamin A, fiber, and hey, it's a vegetable! With idea in hand, Liz cruised by her neighborhood Trader Joe's and grabbed a box of chocolate brownie mix. Though it called for two eggs and a stick of butter – equivalent to 1/2 cup -- we tweaked things a bit. Here's our makeover:
- Switch from regular eggs to omega-3 eggs
- Replace the stick of butter with 1/4 cup heart-healthy canola oil AND 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- Add two tablespoons ground flaxseed (for even more omega-3)

Initially, we planned to use 1/4 cup pumpkin but couldn't resist the temptation to add more (after all, we're dietitians ... so cut us some slack). To compensate for the extra 1/4 cup of liquid, we baked the brownies for a few additional minutes. Bear in mind that brownie and cake mixes vary, so you may need to experiment a bit. Our sense is that anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup pumpkin puree will do the “trick.”

Now for the great part: The results were terrific. The brownies were rich and chocolaty and no one detected the pumpkin or the flaxseed. Who knew you could get 20% of your daily vitamin A in one small brownie by adding a little pumpkin.

TIP: Place half-cup portions of leftover pumpkin in small plastic resealable bags and freeze.

Home Runs All Around!

On Sunday night, the Red Sox swept their arch rival Yankees in a three-game series at Fenway Park. The icing on the cake during that game: four back-to-back home runs. It was pretty amazing and a thrill for the players and fans alike. That home-run thrill is something we feel every time we create a new recipe and our kids say, "Mom, I love it." Recently, we tested a new recipe, Mommy's Edamames, on Janice's 7-year old daughter, Leah. Not only did Leah agree to try a bite -- you know how kids feel about green veggies --she now lists edamame (the Japanese word for soybeans) as one of her favorite foods.

Check out the recipe below and Click here to watch a sneak preview of our Mommy’s Edamames cooking segment on MealMakeoverTV.com. You'll laugh when you see little Leah gobble it up.

Mommy’s Edamames
Makes 6 Servings

One 16-ounce bag frozen edamame (soybeans in pods)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil.
Add frozen edamame. Bring the water back to a boil. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes depending how crisp you like your edamame.
Drain and return to saucepan. Toss with the olive oil and salt.

Tip: The actual pods are not edible. It’s the beans inside that you want to eat. Just pop them out into your mouth and enjoy.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 120 calories, 5g total fat (0g saturated), 125mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 8g protein, 10% vitamin A, 10% vitamin C, 10% iron

Spring Showers Bring Inspiration

Spring is an amazing time of year in New England (that’s where we both live). But as diehard New Englanders know, the annual arrival of the daffodils and tulips can sometimes be usurped by rain and mud. Well, wouldn’t you know it: it’s school vacation week and it’s been raining solid for five straight days. To make the best of the situation, we took advantage of yesterday’s downpour by putting our two youngest taste testers – Janice’s daughter Leah, age 7, and Liz’s 8-year old, Simon, to work (well, sort of). As we rushed around the kitchen measuring ingredients and debating the merits of carrots, the kids built Legos, played knee hockey (a first for Leah to be sure), and sampled our latest recipe creation! So as we survive April showers, we bring you this delicious new seafood dish that’s sure to bring sunshine to everyone’s day!

Seafood is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fats, but it's not the only source. Watch our video for easy ways to increase your omega-3 intake. Click here

Teriyaki Salmon in Foil
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup lite teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger *
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 ½ cups snow peas (about 4 ounces), trimmed
1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch long very thin “matchstick” strips (about 1 cup)
Four 5-ounce salmon filets, skin removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut four 12-inch square pieces of aluminum foil. In a bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and cornstarch until well blended. Lay the snow peas and carrots in the center of each piece of foil. Lay the salmon on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the teriyaki mixture evenly over each piece of salmon. Seal each packet by bringing up the sides and folding the top edge over twice. Seal the edges in the same way. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 18 minutes. Open the packets (be careful of the steam!), place the salmon on individual plates, top with the vegetables and sauce, and serve. Top with toasted sesame seeds as desired.

* For convenience, use bottled minced ginger. Serve with rice and your favorite fruit on the side.


Nutrition Information per Serving: 240 calories; 7g fat (1g saturated; 1.6g omega-3); 450mg sodium; 12g carbohydrate; 2g fiber; 33g protein; 110% vitamin A; 25% vitamin C

Bring Back the Oranges … Please!

Last April, one week before the youth soccer season kicked off, Liz and her husband wrote a letter to their local newspaper urging parents to think twice before bringing junk food “team” snacks to their children’s weekend games. Liz’s two boys, who eat a pretty healthful diet during the week, were being inundated with sugary drinks, salty bags of chips, donuts, and even candy just for playing an hour of soccer or an afternoon of baseball. Things were out of control, to say the least.

Happily, their letter sparked a lot of sideline conversation, and the vast majority of parents agreed that junk food did not belong on the playing field. Once the community got behind the issue, Liz created a Fruit & Water Only team snack guideline which both the soccer club and the town’s Recreation Department adopted.

Now, every child who plays soccer looks forward to fresh fruit at halftime and right after the game. The parents are thrilled and the kids are just as happy eating a handful of sweet strawberries or a juicy slice of watermelon as they were with the donuts and cookies. The bottom line: One letter to the editor can change the behavior of an entire community!

Let us know what’s happening in your town – we’d love to hear from you.

Read the team snack guideline and sample letter to the editor: http://mealmakeovermoms.com/about/press/releases/index.html

Even Dietitians Love Cupcakes!

When Becky, a Moms' Club member, emailed us earlier this week requesting ideas for a springtime treat, we sprung into action (and into the kitchen). What we came up with was a sweet carrot cupcake with a maple cream cheese frosting. They're perfect for a party or an after-school treat. When our kids get home from school today, they're sure to be pleasantly surprised and perhaps a bit shocked!

While the kids are licking their lips, we'll be smiling about some of the ingredients we slipped into this recipe: whole wheat flour, heart-healthy canola oil and omega-3 eggs, and grated carrots. If you have a picky eater who typically shuns veggies, you'll be happy to know that each yummy cupcake has half a day's worth of immune-boosting vitamin A. Let us know what you and your family think.

Carrot Camouflage Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large omega-3 eggs
1/4 cup 1% lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups finely grated carrots (about 8 ounces carrots)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
4 ounces light cream cheese
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Mix in the carrots. Meanwhile, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. At low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Bake for 20 or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and maple syrup at low speed until blended (you can raise the speed to medium once the sugar is incorporated). Spread the frosting over the cupcakes; garnish with a jelly bean, an M&M, sprinkles or nothing at all!

* For a non cream cheese based frosting, whisk together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice or 1% lowfat milk.



Nutrition Information per Serving (1 cupcake): 260 calories, 12g fat (2g saturated, 1g omega-3), 150mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, 4g protein, 40% vitamin A