IN THIS ISSUE:
25 Ways to Use Nutrient-boosting ingredients
FOR KIDS ONLY: Make a Fruit Pizza!
Read Connie's interview with the Diet Channel
NEWS IN BRIEF
Athletic Teens make better food choices
Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge
Recommended Site: Your Gross & Cool Body

25 Ways to Use Nutrient-boosting ingredients

There are many foods that pack an extra-big dose of nutrients and other beneficial ingredients such as antioxidants, phytochemicals, probiotics or omega-3 fatty acids. I chose five of my favorite ingredients and quickly came up with five ideas for each. Brainstorm and you may find many more ways to sneak foods with extra health benefits into your family's diet.

Walnuts::

1. Toss 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts into hot or cold cereal.
2. Crush with a rolling pin and add to bread crumbs as a coating for baked chicken or fish.
3. Add to healthy whole grain muffins. (Try whole-grain banana muffins.)
4. Top a fresh fruit yogurt/parfait with crushed walnuts.
5. Add toasted walnuts to stir-fried vegetables.

Blueberries:

1. Toss blueberries into a salad with baby salad greens, blue cheese crumbles, toasted pine nuts and raspberry vinaigrette.
2. Make Blueberry Lemon muffins.
3. Add to cold or hot cereal.
4. Stir into whole-grain pancake or waffle batter.
5. Make blueberry vinegar. Here's an easy recipe.

Salmon:

1. Add thinly sliced smoked salmon to pizza during the last minute or two of baking.
2. Add smoked salmon to omelets or scrambled eggs.
3. Make a focaccia sandwich with grilled salmon, a slice of provolone, 2-3 avocado slices, a tomato slice, fresh basil, and balsamic vinaigrette.
4. Use salmon instead of chicken in Caesar salad.
5. Use leftover grilled salmon chunks in a pasta salad. Mix with chilled cooked pasta, fresh tomato chunks, chopped green onions and broccoli florets. Toss with reduced-fat Italian dressing and chill for at least one hour.

Yogurt:

1. Use plain, nonfat yogurt as a basis for dip or salad dressings.
2. Make a fruit yogurt smoothie with your favorite fresh, frozen or canned fruit, vanilla yogurt, and crushed ice.
3. Add a dollop of fruit-flavored yogurt to pancakes, waffles, or French toast.
4. Substitute plain non-fat yogurt for half the oil in muffins and quick breads.
5. Make a Greek cucumber salad: Mix 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. red wine vinegar, 1 small clove crushed garlic and 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh mint. Add to 1 large (or 2 medium) peeled and sliced cucumber(s). Toss and chill for at least one hour.

Tomatoes::

1. Slice fresh tomatoes and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil. This can accompany breakfast, lunch and dinner!
2. Make fresh Salsa.
3. Too many garden tomatoes? Blanch for 30 seconds, slide off the peel and freeze in freezer bags for later use in soups or stews.
4. Dehydrate. Check out this site for complete instructions and great ideas!
5. Serve broiled. Cut in half, spray lightly with olive oil spray, and add 1-2 tsp. grated fresh Parmesan cheese. Broil 3-4 minutes.

You will need:

• 1 prepared thin-crust 12” pizza crust
• 8 oz. light cream cheese
• 1 banana, peeled and sliced
• 4 cups assorted fresh fruit, such as pineapple chunks or slices, blueberries, strawberries, honeydew, cantaloupe, pitted cherries, peach slices, etc.

1. Spray 12-inch pizza with nonstick spray.
2. Place crust on pizza pan and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool.
3. Spread light cream cheese over cooled crust.
4. Arrange banana slices and assorted fruit on pizza. Vary colors and shapes to make a design or even a face. Be creative!
5. Cut into 10 wedges.
   Makes 5 two-slice servings.

Source: Produce for Kids, Healthy Kids Club

Read Connie's interview on the Diet Channel

I was recently interviewed on The Diet Channel regarding my views on child nutrition and current trends related to the rise in childhood overweight. Click here to read the interview.

News in Brief

Teens involved in athletics have better eating habits
This study, part of the "Project EAT (Eating Among Teens)" program at the University of Minnesota, looked at the eating habits of over 2500 teens in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The study found that sport-involved adolescents have better eating habits and nutrient intake than their non-sport-involved peers. However, they are still in need of nutrition interventions, particularly around calcium intake.
Source: Croll JK, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Wall M, Perry C, Harnack L. Adolescents involved in weight-related and power team sports have better eating patterns and nutrient intakes than non-sport-involved adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006 May;106(5):709-17. Abstract can be found here.

Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge
Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge is an all-inclusive, fun event for students, parents, teachers, administrators and others to celebrate coming back-to-school with a fresh approach. The Game On! event integrates nutrition, physical activity and learning through a series of activity stations that will stimulate minds and bodies. Communities and schools across the nation can register to host a local Game On! back-to-school event through the Action for Healthy Kids’ website.

Recommended Site: Your Gross & Cool Body
The "Yuckiest Site on the Internet" is actually a science education site that uses a laugh and learn technique. This site entices kids to learn more about body systems and body functions, even the ones we would rather not discuss here!
http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/body/index.html

The information contained in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for medical and/or nutrition advice. See your physician and/or registered dietitian for individual health and/or dietary concerns.

©2006, by Connie Evers, All Rights Reserved. There is a modest reprint fee for reproducing the material in this newsletter in either print or electronic publications. Please send an email to reprint@nutritionforkids.com for details and rates.

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