Ingredients
1 package Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 can Low Sodium Refried Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 package Spanish Rice
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
½ Head of Lettuce, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare Spanish Rice according to the directions on the package. Be sure to use a brand that has less than 11% of your daily value worth of sodium per serving.
2. While the rice is cooking, heat the black beans in either a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat, or in a microwave safe dish in the microwave. At the same time heat the refried beans in the same manner in a separate container.
3. Add the diced red bell pepper, and the chopped onion to the sauce pan or the bowl with the black beans in it, and continue heating till the onions and the red bell pepper begin to soften.
4. When both the refried beans and black bean mixture are thoroughly heated, and the rice is done you can begin to assemble the burritos.
5. Warm a tortilla in the microwave, or in a pan on the stove for 15-20 seconds just to soften the tortilla.
6. Spread the refried beans over the tortilla in a smooth, thin layer. Then spoon in roughly 1/8 cup rice, 1/8 cup of the black bean mixture, and 1/4 cup of the chopped lettuce.

This recipe makes enough for 4 people to each have 2 burritos. Feel free to customize to your own tastes!

Ingredients
1lb Chicken Breast
4 cups Fresh Spinach
½ Package Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
1 Cup 2% Milk
½ box (2 cups) Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1 clove garlic minced

Directions

1. Place a large skillet on the stove over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken breasts and sear for roughly 7 minutes on each side making sure not to let them burn.
2. When the chicken has been seared on both sides, remove from pan and place on cutting board to rest and cool.
3. Place approximately 1 gallon of water in a large pot over high heat on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Add roughly 2 tablespoons of salt to the water to help flavor the water.
4. Once water reaches a rolling boil, add 2 cups (Roughly half a box) whole wheat penne pasta to the water and cook per the package instructions.
5. While the pasta is cooking, sweat the garlic in the same pan the chicken was cooked in, and then add the milk. As the milk heats, use a plastic heat-resistant spoon to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese
6. After the pasta is done cooking and has been drained, dump the milk and cheese sauce over the pasta and toss in the spinach and tomatoes using the residual heat from cooking to wilt the spinach and warm the tomatoes.
7. Slice, or cube the chicken breasts and toss into the pasta.
8. Serve roughly 1 cup in either a bowl or on a plate.

This recipe makes approximately four 1 cup servings. If more flavor is desired, marinate the chicken breast overnight in 1 cup of Italian salad dressing. Discard the dressing after marinating is complete.

Ingredients
4 Large Portabella Mushroom Caps
2 Medium Tomatoes, 1 diced, 1 sliced
1 cup Breadcrumbs
1 cup Shredded Skim Milk Mozzarella
¼ cup Chopped Green Onions

Directions

1. Start by rinsing the mushroom caps and scooping out the gills from the caps.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, the diced tomato, and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese.
3. Divide the mixture into fourths and stuff the mushroom caps with it.
4. Take the slices from the second tomato onto the tops of each stuffed mushroom cap.
5. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese over the tops of the mushrooms with the tomato slices on them.
6. Place the mushroom caps onto a small baking tray, and place in the oven to broil until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.
7. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and sprinkle the green onions over top.

Add other ingredients and seasonings to taste.

Ingredients
1lb Chicken Breast bought on sale
1/2lb Brown Rice bought on sale
1/2 bag Frozen Broccoli florets (About 2 cups)
1 cup Fat Free Shredded Cheese

Directions

1. Cook the chicken breast thoroughly by cooking over medium heat for 7 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from the pan and place on a cutting board.
2. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. While the rice is cooking, put the frozen broccoli in a microwave safe dish, with 2 tablespoons of water and microwave on low for 2 minutes.
4. When the rice is done cooking, add the cheese to the rice and mix as it melts. Toss in the broccoli.
5. Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces and mix with the rice, broccoli, and cheese.

Serve about a 1 cup serving in a bowl or on a plate. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
1 cup Brown Rice
2 cups Red or Green Lentils
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
2tbs Tomato Paste
1 cup Ketchup
2tbs Yellow Mustard
Whole Wheat Buns
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions

1. Cook the rice and lentils according to the package directions. Set aside.
2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat until the oil begins to glisten.
3. Add the diced green bell pepper, and the chopped onion. Sauté until the onion turns translucent.
4. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the yellow mustard, the tomato paste, and the ketchup.
5. Add the rice, and lentils to the skillet with the vegetables.
6. Stir in the sauce and heat through.
7. Served roughly half a cup of the meatless sloppy joes on a whole wheat bun.

This recipe makes roughly 8 half cup servings. To add a more savory flavor, add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce to the sloppy joe sauce before mixing into the rice and lentils.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch to 1 Inch cubes
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 bay leaf
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup onions
⅔ cup green peas
⅔ Cup diced carrot blend
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Cut chicken into ½”-1” cubes. You want the pieces to all be roughly the same size so that they cook evenly at a similar rate.
2. Dice potatoes, onions, and carrots. Once again you want the vegetables to al be roughly the same size so that they cook at a similar rate.
3. Add the carrots, peas, potatoes, and chicken to the crock pot.
4. Sprinkle the thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt over the vegetables and chicken.
5. Add 3 ½ cups of the fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth to the crock pot. Save the remaining ½ cup for later. Add the bay leaf to the crock pot.
6. Cover the crock pot and set to “high”. Allow ingredients to cook on high for 4-6 hours. Make sure chicken is cooked all the way through before proceeding to the next step.
7. About half an hour before serving, whisk the ¼ cup together with the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth.
8. Stir the chicken broth and flour slurry into the soup and allow to cook uncovered on low for another half an hour to thicken the soup. Once soup is thickened, serve as desired.

This soup will not get as thick as one made with heavy cream or whole milk. If desired, for added flavor brown the chicken pieces on all sides before adding them to the crock pot. A pie crust cut into ¼” wide strips and baked till golden brown can be used as a garnish.

Ingredients
1 medium to large eggplant
1 medium to large zucchini
1 medium to large yellow squash
1 ½ cup thinly sliced Yellow onion
2 green bell peppers (about 1 cup)
2 cloves mashed garlic
1 pound tomatoes (peeled and then seeded and juiced) ~ 1 ½ cups
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced parsley (fresh or dry)

Directions

1. Begin by peeling and then cutting the eggplant into roughly ¼” thick pieces. You want them to all be about the same size.
2. When eggplant is sliced, slice off each end of the zucchini and then slice it into slices that are the same thickness as you sliced the eggplant. Do the same with the yellow squash.
3. Once the eggplant, zucchini, and squash are sliced set them aside and get the onions and bell peppers.
4. First, cut each end off of the bell peppers. Next remove the seeds and the pith (the white part) from inside of each bell pepper. You can then either cut the bell peppers into ringlets the same thickness as the eggplant slices, or slice them into match sticks that are about ¼” thick.
5. When you are finished with the green peppers, slice the onion into rings about ¼” inch thick, or into matchstick slices about ¼” thick.
6. Take the eggplant, zucchini, squash, green peppers, onion, peeled, and the seeded, and juiced tomatoes (or canned), and place them all into a large bowl and toss in the olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper over top.
7. After everything is thoroughly coated in the olive oil, move to the crockpot. Allow to cook on low for 2-4 hours. You can either just dump all of the vegetables into the crockpot or arrange them into layers if preferred.
8. When the ratatouille is done cooking, sprinkle with the minced parsley and serve.

Makes approximately 8 servings.

Ingredients

Pasta Salad
6 oz. uncooked whole wheat pasta, cooked, drained
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
¾ cup chopped tomato
½ cup shredded carrot
6 hard cooked eggs (commonly referred to as “hard boiled”), cut into wedges

Dressing
⅓ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
¾ teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

1. Whisk dressing ingredients in small bowl until blended.
2. Combine pasta, broccoli, tomato and carrot in large bowl; toss. Pour dressing over pasta mixture; toss until evenly coated. Add eggs; toss briefly
3. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours to blend flavors.

For a different flavor or to reduce cost, use any other vinegar you have on hand.

Source: Meeting your MyPlate Goals on a Budget

Ingredients
1 medium or large Zucchini diced
1 medium or large Yellow Squash diced
3 Roma Tomatoes, sliced into 1/4” slices
1 Green Bell Pepper diced
1 cup Low Fat Cheese
4 large Eggs
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions

1. Place the top oven rack in the upper 3rd of the oven.
2. Heat an 8” oven proof sauté pan over medium high heat, and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Heat the pan until the olive oil just begins to glisten.
3. Add the diced zucchini, the diced yellow squash, and the diced bell peppers to the pan and sauté till the edges just begin to brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
4. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and then add to the pan. Slowly stir in the low fat cheese until it begins to melt and the egg begins to coagulate.
5. Cover the pan and allow eggs to cook undisturbed for 3-5 minutes until the bottom begins to set and the top begins to slightly bubble. Turn the broiler of the oven on and allow to heat while you cook the eggs.
6. Quickly place the sauté pan in the oven uncovered and allow the mixture to broil until the top become golden brown, roughly 3 minutes.

If an oven is unavailable, you can finish the frittata by removing the lid and allowing the frittata to cook until the egg is fully set. Feel free to adjust the vegetables based upon what is seasonally available, on sale, or your preferences.

The bad news: Adults gain about a pound of weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s – and this weight doesn’t come off in January, according to a study on holiday-related weight gain from the New England Journal of Medicine.

Six tips to keep weight off during the holidays

Be active to burn calories from your holiday feast. Think about adding extra movement throughout your day this time of year. A brisk 30-minute walk for a 155-lb. person burns 186 calories while a light jog can burn 372 calories.

Eat breakfast to control your appetite later. Fiber keeps you feeling full, carbohydrates give you immediate energy and protein gives you energy to tap later. Try whole-grain cereal, low-fat milk and fruit.

Seek out healthier options, such as steamed green beans over green bean casserole.  Start with a salad or veggies to fill you up before heading to turkey and potatoes. Choose baked over fried foods. Choose vegetables when you go back for seconds.

Control portions by keeping serving size in mind: a deck of cards equals a serving of meat; a baseball is a cup of grain, pasta, fruit, or veggie; and one dice is equal to a teaspoon of oil or nut butter.  Skip what you know you can live without.

Savor the flavor by eating slowly. Lay your fork down between bites to pace yourself.  It takes the brain takes about 20 minutes to register the chemicals from the foods and drinks consumed to feel satisfied.

Stay hydrated with plenty of water throughout the day. Sometimes our brain and body misinterpret signals to make us feel hungry when we are, in fact, thirsty. Staying hydrated will help reduce these mistaken cues. Avoid alcoholic beverages’ extra calories that can quickly add up.

Sources
heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Recipes/Green-Bean-Casserole_UCM_465525_RecipeDetail.jsp
livestrong.com/article/169712-how-to-lose-holiday-weight-gain/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/tips-avoid-overindulging-thanksgiving/story?id=27196908#5
http://workouttrends.com/hungry-or-thirsty#
readersdigest.ca/food/healthy-food/6-healthy-eating-tips-thanksgiving/3/
webmd.com/diet/features/10-tips-for-a-thinner-thanksgiving#1
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/stomach-full-stop-eating-3080.html
health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities
webmd.com/food-recipes/most-important-meal#1
livestrong.com/article/429328-what-is-the-difference-between-baking-frying/
eatouteatwell.com/why-is-it-so-easy-to-gain-weight-over-the-holidays/

Low-calorie traditional holiday side dish

Vincent also offers a great low-calorie version of a traditional holiday side dish that saves more than half the calories of the traditional recipe (70 vs. 197 per cup).

Ingredients
1 lb. frozen green beans (French cut is best), thawed
10.5 oz. canned, reduced-fat, low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small onion, cut into thin strips
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a 9×13 casserole dish, combine green beans, soup, sour cream and pepper. Stir until well mixed and bake for 20 minutes. While casserole bakes, spread out onion sticks and lightly spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle flour over onion pieces, tossing to coat equally. Spray a medium-large skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until crisply, stirring occasionally. Remove casserole from oven, add ½ onions and stir well. Top with remaining half and return to oven, bake 5 minutes more.

Nutritional Analysis
Servings: 8
Serving size: 1 cup
Per serving Calories 77, Total Fat 2.0 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Sodium 138 mg, Potassium 401 mg, Fiber 2 g Protein 3 g, and Calcium 80 mg.

Spring marks the beginning of the produce growing season here in Ohio. Berries are one of the many fruits and vegetables coming into season. Did you know that studies have found that eating as little as one serving a week of anthocyanin-rich berries may help reduce your risk for developing cardiovascular disease? How about the fact that one cup of sliced strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange? Also, if you are on a diet, berries are a great food for getting the most nutrients out of a reduced-calorie eating plan!

~ Kristi Campbell
dietetic technician student

10 REASONS BERRIES RULE

• Low-calorie, healthy carb snack! Each ¾ cup serving has about 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates.
• Rich in vitamin C! One serving contains 40-80 milligrams of vitamin C. One cup of sliced strawberries contains more Vitamin C than an orange!
• Full of fiber! Berries count as a good source of fiber. Raspberries pack a whopping 8 grams of fiber into a one-cup serving.
• Folate! Women of childbearing age should get 400 micrograms of folate a day. Eight medium strawberries contain 80 micrograms of birth-defect preventing, cancer-stopping and brain-helping folate.
• Packed with potassium! Berries also contain potassium that improves cardiovascular health and minimizes the effects of a high-sodium diet.
• Remarkable anthocyanins and other health-boosting compounds! Berries are high in phytonutrients that reduce oxidative stress on the body and reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
• Full of flavor! Berries give you a sweet treat at a low-calorie, high-nutrient value.
• Fast, easy, portable! You can take berries with you on the go without a lot of prep work. Fresh or dried berries make a quick, easy and healthy snack!
• Fun for kids! Kids like colors, love finger foods and desire something sweet. Berries hit the mark on all three.
• Family friendly! Take the family out to go berry picking to help teach kids about where food comes from.