Don’t Take it with You!

This blog posting is a bit unusual. Instead of offering up our latest favorite recipe or nutrition news, we’d like to talk about organ donation. You see, Janice’s friend Ann has a 20-year-old daughter named Laura who is in desperate need of a liver transplant. They have moved to Jacksonville, Florida where the wait for a liver is shorter than it is here in Boston.
Thousands of people die each year waiting for a transplant. Ann says the most important thing her friends can do for them it to spread the word about the importance of organ donation. We encourage you to learn more about organ and tissue donation and consider becoming a donor, as we have. Follow this link to The Gift of a Lifetime, an educational, web documentary where you can learn more: http://www.organtransplants.org/. You may well save a life, or two, or three…

Valentine Treat

Chocolatey Raspberry Pudding

Makes 6 Servings

2 cups lowfat chocolate milk, divided

1 cup frozen raspberries

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk

Fresh raspberries, optional

Place 1 ½ cups chocolate milk and raspberries in a blender and process until smooth. Strain the mixture into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk together the remaining ½ cup chocolate milk and the egg yolk and add to the cornstarch mixture, stirring well. Slowly add half the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Return the milk/cornstarch mixture to the pan and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until thick. Spoon the pudding into 6 small bowls, cover surface with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with fresh raspberries on top as desired.

Nutrition Information per serving: 146 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated), 157mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 5g protein, 10% vitamin C, 10% calcium

A Week of Lunches

We recently received a question from Michelle, a mother of two young children, ages 1 and 4, who asked us for some quick and easy lunch ideas. Since her children are not in school yet, we whipped up five weekdays' worth of hot and cold lunch ideas to be enjoyed at home.

Day 1: Cowboy Breakfast Wraps – You can find this recipe on page 150 of our cookbook, The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers. When Liz’s son, Simon, was in kindergarten and was asked to write down his favorite food in the world, he proclaimed Cowboy Breakfast Wraps as his number-one fave. Basically, it’s a flour tortilla filled with a mixture of scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and lowfat shredded cheese. The salsa is optional.

Day 2: Cheesy Broccoli English Muffin Pizzas – This is our new & improved twist on English muffin pizzas. We take whole wheat English muffins and top them with pasta sauce, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, steamed broccoli florets (cut them up into tiny pieces so the kids say, “oooh”) and grated Parmesan cheese. Toast in the oven or toaster oven until the cheese melts.

Day 3: Salmon Salad in Pita – We featured this recipe in Nick Jr. Family Magazine and it was a big hit. Made with canned salmon, mayo, and diced apple, it’s a fun and flavorful twist on the usual tuna salad sandwich (though we do have a great recipe for Scoop-It-Up Tuna Salad on our website as well!

Day 4: Mixed Up Mac & Cheese – For this fast weekday dish, take a box of all-natural, whole wheat mac & cheese and prepare with lowfat milk and 2 tablespoons canola oil (versus the 4 tablespoons butter often called for). From there, you can serve as is or mix in a host of kid-friendly ingredients such as tiny steamed broccoli florets and leftover chicken, frozen thawed peas and flaked canned tuna (or boneless, skinless salmon), or black beans, frozen thawed corn kernels, and salsa.

Day 5: Bean & Cheese Wraps – Flour tortillas are versatile to say the least. Janice’s go-to lunch for 8-year old Leah is made by spreading refried beans over a whole wheat flour tortilla and then topping with shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, frozen/thawed corn kernels, and salsa. Heat in the microwave, roll up, serve with sour cream and guacamole, and you’re good to go. Another filling idea we recently tried is cooked chicken cut into strips, honey BBQ sauce, shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and finely diced red bell pepper. Fold in half, cook in a skillet with canola oil, and serve with a salad or fresh fruit on the side.

If you have other yummy lunch ideas you’d like to share, post them here!

Pure Pumpkin!

We have something to confess (other than the fact that we are deeply depressed over the Patriots' Superbowl loss):

We're obsessed with canned pumpkin (yes, we know, we need to "get a life")! Last Friday, at the ridiculously early hour of 7:00 AM, Liz decided to create a new recipe and test it out on her boys. As you can only imagine, weekday mornings are insane when kids have to be dragged out of bed, fed breakfast, and reminded to brush their teeth. But that didn't stop Liz from working on a new recipe for pumpkin pancakes. Her motivation for the new recipe was twofold: she had some leftover canned pumpkin in the freezer that she was itching to use up, and her friend, Barbara (also a mother of two boys), was looking for a way to make her basic pancake batter more nutritious. Anyway, here's what Liz came up with (more on Janice's obsession in a moment):

Pumpkin Pancakes
Makes 4 to 5 Servings (about 14 pancakes total)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large omega-3 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups 1%lowfat milk
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons canola oil

Whisk together the flours, flaxseed, sugar, chocolate chips, baking powder and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Set aside. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and pumpkin in a separate bowl until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Pour the batter onto the hot skillet using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, forming 4-inch cakes. Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the pancakes and the bottoms turn golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter.

Nutrition Information:
320 calories, 10g fat (2.5g saturated, 1g omega-3 fats), 400mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate, 4g fiber; 11g protein; 80% vitamin A; 25% calcium; 15% iron


Now back to Janice. The day before Liz whipped up her new pumpkin pancake recipe, Janice was busy giving our Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe a mini makeover. Instead of adding 2 bananas (1 cup mashed), she substituted with 1 cup pure pumpkin puree. The result was two dozen moist and incredibly flavorful mini muffins. Here's Janice's recipe (by the way, you can easily freeze leftover pumpkin in zip-top plastic bags).

Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 24 Mini Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
2 large omega-3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together the flours, ground flaxseed, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir until well combined. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and cool an additional 5 minutes before serving. When making 12 full-size muffins, bake for 20 to 23 minutes.

Nutritional Information per 2 Muffins:
220 calories, 11g fat (2g saturated, 1g omega-3), 135mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 4g protein, 60% vitamin A

Superbowl Chili

As we gear up for Superbowl Sunday our thoughts inevitably turn to what foods to eat and serve. So far this (perfect) season, Janice has made our Halftime Taco Chili for every Patriots game. The chili is a huge favorite with her family and any guests who come over to watch (which, if you know Janice, is usually about a dozen neighbors and friends). With healthy tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole on the side, this warm winter dish is guaranteed to please fans across the nation (even Giants fans!). If you or your guests are vegetarian, use meat-free grounds in place of the ground beef. Double (or triple!) the recipe if you are having a crowd or if you want leftovers. GO PATRIOTS!

Halftime Taco Chili
Makes 6 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 15 1/2-ounce can blackeye peas or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can hominy or corn kernels, drained and rinsed
One 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, optional
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup pre-shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and beef and cook, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat.

Stir in the tomatoes, beans, hominy or corn, chili powder, cumin, and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve in individual bowls and top with shredded cheese.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
340 calories, 10g fat (3.5g saturated fat), 570mg sodium, 37g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 27g protein, 110% vitamin A, 20% vitamin C

Nutritious Zucchini: Who Knew!

Zucchini is one of those veggies that gets little attention. It's not as nutrient packed as say sweet potatoes or as sexy as asparagus, but it does, in fact, contain a healthy helping of good nutrition. Zucchini is a good source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium and fiber (both good for the heart). Interestingly, zucchini contains two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, both important for good vision. We use zucchini, plus a few other convenient ingredients -- onion, canned beans, salsa, cheese and tortillas -- for this fast weeknight meal. When Liz recently made it for her family, both her boys, Josh and Simon, happily ate every last bite.

Beany, Cheesy, Zucchini Quesadillas

Makes 6 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1 small onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon dried cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
One 15 ½-ounce can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa (we like mild)
1 1/2 cups preshredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Six 8-inch flour tortillas

Lightly oil or coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, onion, cumin, and chili powder and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Stir in the beans, salsa, and 1 cup of the cheese to the skillet and cook until the mixture is heated through and the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. To assemble the quesadillas, arrange the bean mixture evenly over half of each tortilla. Fold over, press down gently, and place each on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tortillas. Bake until the cheese melts and the tortillas become crisp on the outside, about 10 minutes. Cut into quarters and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 320 calories,11 g fat (4g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 580mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 15g protein, 15% vitamin C, 30% calcium, 15% iron

Think About Your Drink

Unfortunately, when teens are thirsty, they often grab for sweetened beverages -- soft drinks, juice drinks, and sports drinks -- guzzling lots of calories ... but little to no nutrients. Now, a new pilot program in Boston called, the Boston Corner Store Iniative, aimes to change all that. Through the project, eight convenience stores located near six Boston middle schools will market healthier beverages such as lowfat milk, plain water, and 100% fruit juices to the kids who frequent corner stores before or after school. The goal is to get kids to nix the nutritionally lackluster, sugary drinks in favor of other nutrient-packed options. According to Mayor Thomas Menino, "The increased consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages is directly linked to rising obesity and diabetes rates among children and youth. This is an effort to get students to think about what they drink before they make their purchases." We applaud this initiative and hope other communities will follow suit. What efforts are underway in your community to promote better health and nutrition among children and teens? We'd love to hear from you!