- Author: Emily Harris
It's time to go back to school! During this busy time of year, cooking is one of many items on your "To Do" list. This month's tasty tips will help you when you're in a time crunch and need healthy meals for your family.
Breakfast
Breakfast Egg Cups
- 1 – cooking spray
- 6 large – egg
- 1/4 cup – milk
- 1/8 teaspoon – salt
- 1/8 teaspoon – black pepper, ground
- 1 medium – bell pepper, red
- 3/4 cup – spinach
- 1/4 cup – cheddar cheese, shredded
- Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat oven to 375°F.
- Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Dice the bell pepper into small pieces. Stack the spinach leaves, roll them up, and slice them thin. (This method is called chiffonade.) Add the peppers, spinach, and shredded cheddar to the egg mixture.
- Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until centers are set and no longer runny.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Extras may be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, and in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to a month. Microwave thawed egg cups on high for 45-60 seconds or until hot.
Source: Super Healthy Kids
- 1 banana
- ½ cup strawberry greek yogurt
- ¼ cup blackberries
- ¼ cup raspberries
- ½ cup granola
- mini chocolate chips for garnish
- Prepare yogurt.
- Place container of yogurt in the freezer until firm, not frozen solid, just scoop-able.
- Scoop out two scoops of yogurt and place each scoop in a separate paper muffin liner.
- Put back in the freezer until ready to use.
- Split banana in half.
- Add 2 scoops of frozen yogurt
- Add berries, granola and chocolate chips.
- Serve immediately.
Source: Art from my Table
Lunch
Mix it Up!
Help your kids eat a variety of foods with the packing list above! Choose foods from each food group to create healthy, filling lunches all year long.
Source: Happy Strong Home
Snack Time
Frozen Fruit Cups
INGREDIENTS
- 16 ounces frozen strawberries, thawed
- 12 ounces pineapple-orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 2 (20 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, undrained
- 6 bananas, diced (yellow but not too ripe)
- 1⁄3 cup lemon juice (bottled is fine)
- 16 ounces frozen blueberries
DIRECTIONS
Source: food.com
Dinner
Crock Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers
- 5 bell peppers
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup cooked Mexican rice
- 1 cup shredded Colby-jack cheese, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cut the tops off of each bell pepper. Remove any seeds and stems from the inside. Dice the tops of each bell pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the raw ground beef, enchilada sauce, onion, rice, diced bell peppers and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Stir to combine with a spatula. Stuff each pepper with the ground beef mixture.
- Fill crock pot with one inch of water. Place bell peppers inside. Cover with lid and cook on Low heat for 6 hours OR on High heat 4 hours. Top each stuffed pepper with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover with lid until cheese has melted.
- Serve warm with favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Source: Loft in the Lofthouse
Garden Grilled Cheese
- 2 slices bread
- Butter
- 4 oz. cheese
- 1 Tomato
- 1/2 Avocado
- 1/2 yellow onion, caramelized
- Handful microgreens of your choice
- Preheat cast iron skillet over medium heat
- Butter one side of the two pieces of bread
- Place buttered piece of bread face down in skillet
- Top with cheese
- Add caramelized onion, avocado and tomato
- Top with more cheese
- Place other piece of bread with buttered side up on top and flip once browned
- Toast the other side for a few minutes until done
- Remove from heat and gently open up sandwich and stuff with microgreens
- Press sandwich together, slice and serve.
Source: California Grown
Did you try a recipe? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
- Author: Emily Harris
In honor of National Breakfast Week, this month's Tasty Tips is all about the first meal of the day. Many of us are busy and find excuses to skip this important meal that “breaks the fast” after sleeping through the night. If this is you, then look no further than this post! You'll find tips and recipes to get over your breakfast slump and find out what it feels like to start every day right with breakfast.
1. Skip the excuses, not breakfast.
“I don't have time.”
“I don't like breakfast.”
“I'm not hungry in the morning.”
If you identify with any of these breakfast excuses, you're not alone. But before you make another excuse, remember that breakfast fires up your metabolism after 8-plus hours without any food.
2. Make breakfast prep an evening routine.
Prep everything you'll need for breakfast the night before, whether that's setting your bowls, spoons and cereal on the table or making a grab-and-go bowl of yogurt and fruit that you can take with you as you run out the door. If everything is already done, you're more likely to make this morning meal a priority.
3. Toss aside the idea of “breakfast food.”
Whether you have a child who doesn't like traditional breakfast foods or you find yourself cringing at the idea of eating a scrambled egg or oatmeal in the morning, forget the idea that breakfast is only made with certain foods. There are no rules to what you are allowed to eat at breakfast! If you have left over spaghetti that needs to be eaten or you prefer a grilled cheese sandwich with apple slices, go for it! All that matters is that you eat in the morning, while aiming for at least three food groups when you do.
Need some #BreakfastInspiration?
Check out the recipes and articles below to start your day with food that energizes and inspires you.
Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings
Easy Breakfasts for Kids to Make
Smart Nutrition Solutions for Busy Mornings
Try one of these recipes, take a picture and tweet it to us @UCCalFreshFC with the hashtags: #BreakfastInspiration #UCCE #UCANR and the name of the recipe!
- Author: Emily Harris
In honor of National Wear Red Day today, this month's Tasty Tips is all about heart health. Whether you are dealing with heart health issues, know someone who is, or want to prevent any heart issues in the future, this post is for you! The best place to start when thinking about your heart health is to think of the foods you eat. Below are some tips and tricks to help your heart:
1.Choose foods that promote heart health more often.
Fruits and vegetables. At least half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables.
Whole grains. At least half of your grains should be whole grains. Whole grains include:
- whole wheat
- whole oats
- oatmeal
- whole-grain corn
- brown rice
- wild rice
- whole rye
- whole-grain barley
- buckwheat
- bulgur
- millet
- sorghum
Fat-free or low-fat dairy products. These include milk, calcium-fortified soy drinks (soy milk), cheese, yogurt, and other milk products.
Seafood, skinless poultry, lean meats, beans, eggs, and unsalted nuts.
Source: www.womenshealth.gov
2. Reduce your intake of foods that hinder heart health.
Saturated fats. Saturated fat is usually in pizza, ice cream, fried chicken, many cakes and cookies, bacon, and hamburgers. Check the Nutrition Facts label for saturated fat. Less than 10% of your daily calories should be from saturated fats.
Trans fats. These are found mainly in commercially prepared baked goods, snack foods, fried foods, and margarine. The Food and Drug Administration is taking action to remove artificial trans fats from our food supply because of their risk to
Added sugars. Foods like fruit and dairy products naturally contain sugar. But you should limit foods that contain added sugars. These include sodas, sports drinks, cake, candy, and ice cream. Check the Nutrition Facts label for added sugars and limit the how much food you eat with added sugars.
Source: www.womenshealth.gov
3. Bring heart healthy recipes to life.
Now that you know what's best to eat for your heart, try out some of the recipes from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute below to turn your knowledge into action.
Want more information? Check out the resources below for more tips, studies, and inspiration:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service Information Center
The American Heart Association
Have you seen how healthy eating and dietary changes have made an impact on the heart health of you or someone you know? Let us know in the comments below!
- Author: Emily Harris
Super Bowl 50 brings many opportunities to snack this Sunday. UC CalFresh would love to help you make healthy snack swaps as you sit down to watch the big game. Check out our ideas below:
Try a twist on a classic with our
Mango Salsa
Makes: 8 (2 Tablespoon) servings | Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (or 1 cup thawed, frozen mango chunks)
1 Tablespoon diced red onion
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lime or 2 Tablespoons bottled lime juice
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Serve with baked tortilla chips.
Need more ideas? Try these:
Whole Wheat Garlic Bread Sticks
- Author: Emily Harris
This morning our Nutrition Educator Nora Lopez was interviewed on Univision 21 Fresno for Arriba Valle Central with Lupita Lomeli. Nora shared how it is possible to share healthy traditions and recipes from generation to generation. Make sure you tune in on Monday, December 21st between 5am and 7am to check out her interview!
