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

Dinner Dilemma: Chicken Nuggets Again?

This past week, Liz spent two warm, sunny days in New York City. On the flight home, she sat next to a fellow Bostonian and father of two who, once he discovered Liz was a dietitian and cookbook author, asked for ideas on how to expand his sons’ dinner favorites beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets. To help our dad, and parents everywhere, we hope you’ll try one of our favorite dinnertime recipes for Confetti Chicken Wraps. The dish starts with chicken, because most kids love it. From there, we use orange bell peppers instead of green since they’re sweeter (and more nutritious!) as well as red beans (just open the can), one of nature’s most nutritious, antioxidant-rich foods.

Let us know what you and your kids think!

Confetti Chicken Wraps
Makes 6 to 8 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large orange bell pepper, finely diced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
One 15 1/2-ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed
One cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup salsa (we like mild)
Six to eight 8-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, cumin, and chili powder and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, corn, cheese, and salsa and cook until the mixture is heated through and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, uncovered, and heat in the microwave until warmed through, 30 to 45 seconds. Assemble by placing the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Wrap burrito style and serve with sour cream as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 330 calories, 8g fat (1.5g saturated fat), 510mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 24g protein, 20% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 15% calcium

Want to Know More about Food Safety in Your Home Kitchen? Watch Our Video Tip! Click here

Fruits & Veggies: Bring ‘Em On!

Last week, we spoke to a packed crowd of 200-plus Boston-area seventh graders and their parents. When we asked the students what they ate for breakfast, many said, “nothing!” Others told us they grabbed a bagel with cream cheese or a Pop Tart as they dashed out the door. The more we talked about their typical choices for meals and snacks, the more we all realized that nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables were missing.

Just days after our lecture, the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveiled a new public health initiative, “Fruits & Veggies -- More Matters™”, the next generation of their “5 A Day for Better Health” program. In fact, Janice was a speaker at the Boston launch of this program. Given the fact that a staggering 90 percent of both adults and children don’t consume the recommended daily number of fruits and vegetables, the campaign is timely to be sure.

Okay, so how many fruits and vegetables should everyone eat each day? In a word, MORE! For our 13-year old students, the suggested amount is about 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables (to learn more go to http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/). That goal may seem daunting given the fact that families are so busy these days, but the suggestions below may convince you that it’s really quite doable.

4 large strawberries = 1/2 cup
1/4 cup raisins = 1/2 cup (1/4 cup dried fruit = ½ cup fresh)
1 small banana = 1/2 cup
4 ounces 100% juice = 1/2 cup
Green beans = 1/2 cup
Baked potato = 1 cup
Green salad = 1/2 cup (1 cup leafy greens = 1/2 cup of vegetable)
Carrots with dip = 1/2 cup

On a final note, students at our lecture prepared and tasted one of our favorite new recipes: Mom’s Mango Smoothie. Delicious with breakfast or as an after-school snack, each serving
provides about a cup of fruit!

Mom’s Mango Smoothie
Makes 4 Servings

2 cups frozen mango (one 10-ounce package)
1- 1/2 cups mango juice, mango juice blend, or orange juice
1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

Place the mango, mango juice/nectar, and yogurt in a blender. Process until smooth.
Pour into four individual glasses and serve with a straw.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 150 calories, 1g fat (0.5g saturated), 45mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein, 35% vitamin A, 25% vitamin C, 10% calcium

Easy Ways to Add Fruits & Vegetables to the Family Diet: Watch Our Video Tip! Click here

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