Fresh Food Perspectives

Don't Give Up Packing Lunches! Ideas to Make them Healthy & FUN

Ugh....Sigh...What am I going to do??

Can you hear it? These are the sounds of parents everywhere as they prepare to pack their kids' lunches again.

For some, it's pure joy to pack lunches every day. But I've talked with many parents who run out of ideas by the end of the first week and eventually just give up and give their kids money.

While eating lunch at school is not a bad thing, I encourage you parents, DON'T GIVE UP! Packing lunches from home is both economical and healthy. Most kids are not mature enough to make healthy lunch decisions day in and day out. With a few tricks up your sleeve and prepping ahead, you can conquer lunch-making from the first day of school to the last!

Watch these two clips from News 4 Jax The Morning Show on News 4 Jax to see my easy, do-able and delicious ideas for healthy lunches your kids will actually eat. 

 

If you have any great tips for easy and fun lunches, please leave a comment and let me know. 

Go get 'em parents! Conquer those lunches. 

Disclosure: These segments were sponsored by California Raisins and Cabot Creamery. I was compensated for my time and the food used. I support both of these foods and am happy to represent them as healthy lunch options. 

{Recipe Redux} Mango Power Crunch

Disclosure: I received free pistachio samples from the Pistachio Health Institute mentioned in this post. By posting this pairing I am entering a contest sponsored by Pistachio Health Institute and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Because I just can't get enough of pistachios, I'm back bringing you another pairing suggestion. (View my Pistachio Cardinal Sin pairing to get caught up on what I've been up to in the FFP kitchen this week.) 

One of my favorite afternoon snacks is cottage cheese and mango. It's sweet, a touch savory and really satisfying because it's packed with protein. Adding pistachios to this combo just takes it to the next level by adding crunch with a little healthy fat and another punch of protein. I prefer to cut the mango into pieces and add it right in to the cottage cheese. Then I may eat the nuts on the side or add them right in to the cottage cheese as well. Either way is a win! 

30 pistachios +

1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese +

1/2 cup mango 

This super satisfying (and yummy) snack boasts only 230 calories! I'm loving the fact that pistachios are so reasonable in calories. There's no reason to avoid enjoying these nutrient nuts. They can fit in anyone's healthy eating plan. 

I encourage you to add this power snack to your afternoon this week. It always picks me up and gets me through the day. Enjoy!

 

 

 

NYE Party Food (shhh, they're healthy too)

Maybe you are excited about your NYE party tonight. But maybe you also have new year's resolutions on your mind too. Hmmm. Wouldn't it be nice if you could enjoy some reasonable party food that tasted great and got you started on eating healthy? 

This morning I had the honor of being on News4Jax sharing some ideas to help you deal with the above dilemma. Read on and swing by the store now to pick up some last minute (healthy) party foods. Or, keep these ideas for some satisfying afternoon snacks that will power you through the day and keep away the excess calories. 

• Get your whole grains in with these Whole Wheat Toritlla Pinwheels. They are super easy, pretty to look at and definitely tasty. They make a great lunch too. Stuff these babies with lots of chopped bell peppers!
• Serve tasty bagel chips to satisfy your need for crunch. They are a great option for both sweet and savory preferences because they have half the fat of regular chips. Top savory chips with hummus and cucumber, brushetta, cheese, salsa, black bean dip or any other veggie-filled topping. 
• Cabot cheddar cheese is full of flavor so a little goes a long way. Healthy eating is not always about eating as few calories or fat grams as possible. Use just 1 oz of this uber flavorful cheese with sliced apples (my favorite) or with this great Black Olive Tapenade. I also love this company and all they stand for. 

What do you think? Do any of these sound good to you? What are you serving tonight? Don't forget to also check out my NYE (easy) Mojo Pork and Black Beans recipe. If you are new to FFP, thanks for stopping by and check out my 2013 in Review post to get caught up. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Disclosure: This TV segment was sponsored by Wheat Foods Council, New York Style Bagel Chips and Cabot Coop. I was compensated for my time. 

New Foods I'm Sampling

Lately (as in the past couple of months), I received samples of some new food products to try out and review here on FFP. I like to do this for many reasons:

• I love healthy food and trying new things.
• I want to give you all my honest opinion and advice.
• I like knowing what is new in the food industry.
• I enjoy connecting with food companies as it kind of connects you to them as well. I like knowing the people behind a product and the story of the company. It's important to me. 

So here is my review of two new products. I'll roll out a couple more later this month and even include a giveaway!

Taste Nirvana Real Coconut Water with Thai Chili Extract This coconut water really surprised me. It's not like a punch-you-in-the-face chili flavor but a very pleasant, refreshing beverage. One bottle is only 60 calories so I consider this an acceptable amount of calories for a drink. Coconut water is naturally high in potassium, which is an important nutrient for good health. It is an electrolyte too so coconut water can help replace the potassium lost in sweat. I also like that it is a naturally flavored beverage with no added artificial things. If you have tried coconut water, want to like it, but just can't seem to, you should try Taste Nirvana. It is good stuff. I forsee me drinking this after a good hot yoga session.  http://www.tastenirvana.com/

Somersault Snack Co. I stumbled upon this delightful little snack in one of the isles of Target back in August. I am always looking for a portable, wholesome snack with protein for Jackson, who is my little hungry, hungry hippo. This one fit the bill perfectly so I was thrilled to be contacted by the company to do an official review. Somersaults are a sunflower seed and toasted grain crunchy little round snack. The nutrition facts make me happy at 14 pieces for 140 calories, 3 g of fiber and 6g protein. They also have good ingredients with nothing artificial. Another perk is that because they are made with sunflower seeds you don't have to worry about nut allergy issues when sending them in school lunches. With a super crunchy texture and great flavor, these are a satisfying snack for the whole family. My favorite flavor (and my hubby's fav) is the Salty Pepper flavor. Man they are good! Jackson is a fan of the Cinnamon Crunch. On a completely superficial front, I love that this company is based out of Sausalito CA, one of the most beautiful places to visit. (Read about my trips there here and here.) Maybe I will get a chance to visit the headquarters on my next trip to Northern Cali.  http://www.somersaultsnackco.com/

Disclosure: I received free products to sample from both Taste Nirvana and Somersault Snack Co and asked to write a review. I was not compensated for my time in any way. All opinions are my own. 

Back to School Low Sugar Snack Ideas

What a crazy time of year August can be! Even though our little guy is just 2 years old, we deal with the back to school rush every year because my hubby is a high school teacher and I teach at the University level. It's always a shock to our physical systems as we are thrown right into the football season as well. 

Saturday I appeared on Good Morning Jacksonville for my monthly segment and I was so excited to share some tips and ideas on finding low sugar lunch and snack options for your kiddos. I seem to get asked a lot about sugar and I've been meaning to do a TV segment on the topic. Back to school seemed like the perfect time! Click here to see the full segment.

There are no specific sugar recommendations for children. MyPlate gives recommendations for children for "empty" calories that you can translate into grams of sugar. If you were to use all the empty calories alotted on added sugar, then it would equal about 30 grams or 7.5 teaspoons a day. In reality, about half of that should be added sugars at 15 grams or a little over 4 teaspoons a day. Remember that added sugars are exactly that, added during processing, not the ones that are naturally found in fruit and dairy sources. 

In preparation for this segment, I spent quite some time in my local grocery store looking for no-sugar-added and low sugar foods that your (and my) kids would actually like. I think I came up with some good ideas for you. 

Since it's sort of a given, I'm not going to list all the delicious kinds of fruits you could be enjoying as your sweet treat or snack. Fruit is packed with nutrients and has nature's natural sweetness, which is the perfect combination. Recently, I discovered Midnight Beauty grapes. These might be the most delicous, sweet grapes I have ever had! They are in season now until the end of September and you should definitely pick some up! My other favorite super-sweet fruit are mangos, which I'm hoping to plant in my backyard "grove" next summer. I love them chopped in up and mixed with cold cottage cheese. It's the perfect snack mix of sweet and savory and it's packed with vitamins and protein. 

Now back to the list. If you have a low-sugar snack idea to share, please post it to the comments section and I'll add it on. I appreicate reader input.

Snacks with No Added Sugar - There are no sugars listed in the ingredients list. All sweetness is naturally found in the fruits included.

• Fruit
• Unsweetened applesauce - It's actually a nice sweetness so don't think it's going to be bland. Add your own flavorings like cinnamon. You can even make your own with my Easy Fall Applesauce. 
• Fruit Leather - I like Stretch Island.
• Dried fruit - Look for ones that don't add any sugar like raisins and apricots.
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk - It can be tough to find a flavored drink for lunches without added sugar of some kind. Almond Breeze has a great option at only 30 calories and zero grams of sugar. Pour this in a thermos and pack with an ice pack for a delicious low calorie drink.

Snacks that are Low in Added Sugars and/or Use 'Natural' Sweeteners - My goal was to find snacks with 12 grams of sugar per serving or less. 

• Somersault Snack Co. Cinnamon Crunch Someraults - 7 g sugar
• Kashi Chewy Granola Bars Cherry Dark Chocolate - 8 g sugar
• Kind Bar Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein - 10 g sugar
• Clif Kid Z Bar Peanut Butter - 10 g sugar
• Chobani Champions Banana Honey yogurt - 10 g sugar
• Apple & Eve Waterfruits box drinks - 10 g sugar
• Quaker Chocolate Crunch Rice Cakes - 4 g sugar

The Healthy Snack List

Identifying a "healthy snack" can sometimes feel like figuring out a complicated physics problem. There are just so many ideas of what constitutes a snack and soooo many products out there to choose from.

I'm hoping to help you with this challenging eating episode today by sharing my simple equation for a balanced, healthy snack. Are you ready?

Balanced Snack   =     High Fiber Food   +     Protein Source     

High fiber foods: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans

Protein sources: meat, dairy, soy, beans, nuts, seeds

Now, a snack can come from 2 or 3 different foods (like veggies with hummus and a Greek yogurt) or in one combination food (like a Clif Bar). Sometimes you might only eat part of the equation and it works for you.

At the end of the day, the snacks that work for you are unique to you. I always encourage people to find their "power foods" - combinations of foods that really give you energy. So do the same with snacks. Find snacks that satisfy, but also are nutritious and give you lasting energy (thus the formula listed above). 

Here's a list of some of my favorite snacks that I enjoy regularly to give you some ideas. If you have a good idea, please share it in a comment and I'll update the post with your ideas.

• Roasted edamame 
• Raw almonds or walnuts (about 3 tbsp), 2 tbsp dried cherries, and 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
• Avocado smeared on whole grain crackers
• Apple and Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
• Greek yogurt and fresh fruit
• Raw carrots and broccoli with hummus
• A Hidden Honey Bar and piece of fruit or raw veggie
• Juice Plus Complete chocolate shake made with light soy milk and PB2 (you can easily throw in spinach too)
• Clif Crunch granola bar (white chocolate is my favorite flavor) and baby carrots
• Luna Bar (Lemon Zest is my fav) and fresh blueberries
• Clif Builder's Protein Bar
• Low fat cottage cheese and chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, or chopped mango (I also love throwing in fresh, chopped herbs)
• Mini Babybel Light cheese and sliced zucchini or cherry tomatoes
• Whole grain chips (with fiber) and organic salsa or black bean dip
• Veggie burger patty with avocado slices on top
• Larabar (Cashew Cookie is my fav)

Raspberry Ribbon Muffins

 

So lately I've been a little obsessed with baking muffins. I just love them folks and have since I can remember asking my mom to make blueberry muffins for any special occasion. I am always on the hunt for tasty, whole grain, fruit-filled muffins. 

I have a favorite base recipe now and every time I make it I switch something up. This week, I made raspberry ribbon muffins. Oh man! This is a winner. It's a two step process (make jam first then make muffins) but totally worth it. I actually made the raspberry "jam" about a week ago when raspberries were on sale at the store. It's been in the fridge just waiting for its true destiny. 

Keep reading till the end. I'll throw in a little food science lesson and a tip on the best muffin tin to buy. Enjoy!

 

Easy Raspberry Jam

6 oz fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained

4 packets of Stevia sweetener of choice (I used Truvia)

1 tsp sugar (optional)

2 tbsp water

1 tsp cornstarch

In a small sauce pan, whisk cornstarch into water. Add the berries and sugar and stir to combine. Turn on heat and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer. Stir occasionally to break up berries. Continue to cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into glass storage dish and let cool before using in muffins. 

 

Raspberry Ribbon Muffin

2 cups 100% whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups 1% milk (or low-fatbuttermilk)

1 large egg

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

2 Tablespoons honey

6 oz fresh raspberries, roughly chopped

Raspberry jam from recipe above

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with mixer until pale in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add brown sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Then beat in egg until thoroughly combined. 

3. Mix in milk and honey until thoroughly combined. 

4. Mix in flour and baking soda, just until combined. Do not over mix. 

5. Fold in raspberries carefully. 

6. Scoop batter into muffin tin to fill only 25%. Then scoop about one tablespoon of jam over the batter. Finish by scooping small amount of batter, filling the muffin tin to about 75% of full capacity. (Bottom 6 holes are with first amount of batter and jam only. Top 6 holes are topped off with additional batter.) Doesn't the jam look like a beautiful, red ribbon?

7. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 4 minutes in tin then remove and full cool on wire rack. 

Now, let's talk a little food science. When I made these muffins I used two different muffin pans. One was light metal and the other was a dark metal. A darker pan is going to absorb more heat and therefore cook the edges of batter more quickly. This results in an undesirable flat edge and puffy middle giving uneven texture.

This is my other, more-desirable muffin pan. Both pans went in to the oven simultaneously and cooked the same amount of time. The lighter metal allows heat to disperse and cook the muffins evenly. No flat edge and and perfect height. 

If you have had trouble achieving pretty baked goods, check the color of your bakeware. I personally prefer the ligher metals and you may find that you do too. Remember that over mixing your batter can also cause muffins to have undesirable peaks. So only mix the dry ingredients until incorporated. A few lumps are ok in a muffin batter. 

I hope you can enjoy these delicious muffins at your weekend brunch.We will! 

 

What my Baby/Toddler is Eating These Days

Jackson is one year old so does that make him a baby or toddler? I'm not sure. Maybe I should read those baby blogs a little more reguarly...

Anyways, I wanted to give you a quick update on what the J-man is eating these days. Let me just say that this feeding-your-child thing is a struggle for me. I want him to magically want to eat everything I want him to eat. That's just not the case.

I also feel the struggle of wanting to provide him healthy options, being rushed for time, and having him in daycare. Moms, I get you!

So in an effort to release some inner turmoil, and maybe connect us sub-par moms around the world, I will share what's been on his plate (and in between his fingers, behind his ears, and sometime up his nose) these days.

My kid loves fruit. So far, I don't think there is a fruit he has rejected. His most favorite are bananas, blueberries and cherries. I am happy to give him berries anytime he wants because they are so full of nutrition. 

Jackson's other favorite food group is cheese and yogurt. I've been giving him Cabot cheese and Greek yogurt lately because I really like that company. I usually mix in a capsule of Juice Plus into his yogurt becaue that's the easiest way to get him to eat it. 

I've enjoyed introducing J to my morning smoothie. He started just reaching for it one day so I gave him a sip. Now, I pour him some in his sippie cup and we enjoy together. It's a favorite moment for me. 

There are many foods that J has a love/hate relationship with (as in one day he will eat and the next he won't). These foods are eggs, deli meat, chicken, fish, shrimp, vegetables, english muffins, avocadoes, hummus, and peanut butter. I just keep presenting them to him and see what kind of day it is.

My lifesaver that I use as needed are the squeezy pouches of fruits/veggies from Ella's Kitchen and Happy Baby. I buy them whenever they are on sale. Target carries coupon online for these brands a lot. (Both websites offer coupons when you sign up for their newsletter too.) I prefer the ones with veggies in them to just the fruit ones because then I know we got some vegies down the hatch. 

At dinner time, I am now giving Jackson whatever we are eating. This is a practice I want to enforce from day one. Most nights he just eats a little, some nights he eats everything and others he wants nothing to do with my food. After trying to not let it hurt my feelings, I just move on. 

The biggest lesson I am trying to remember is that my child is the expert on his fullness level. Even if it doesn't make sense to me, he can say he's done at any time. The research is pretty clear that children have an innate ability to judge their hunger cues. This also means that he may eat frequently during the day because he gets full, and then hungry, quickly.

In conclusion, I'll write up what one of our typical days might look like for Jackson's eating. Please share with me your tips and ideas for feeding your little guys and gals. 

Breakfast: 1/2 banana, 1/4 whole wheat english muffin with butter and cinnamon, 2-3 bites of eggs

Snack: Squeeze pack

Lunch: 1 oz of cheese, 2 tbsp steamed vegetable, 2 tbsp of beans (If he's not going for veggies I'll give him a fruit)

Snack: 1/2 cup yogurt with JP mixed in OR Crackers and blueberries/cherries

Dinner: Whatever we are eating

Back-to-School Power Foods

This morning I shared some ideas for both moms and kids for power after-school snacks. After school is a tough time because kids are hungry and moms might feel rushed. Try these easy and tasty ideas to fuel everyone through a productive afternoon. Enjoy!

Apple Pie in a Bowl with Cabot Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup Cabot

2% Cabot Greek-Style Yogurt, plain or vanilla bean

1/4 cup lowfat granola

 

Directions:

In a small bowl or parfait glass, spoon alternating layers of chunky applesauce, greek-style yogurt, and lowfat granola. Dust with cinnamon.

www.cabotcheese.coop 

Blueberry Lime Smoothie

1/2 cup Cabot

2% Cabot Greek-Style yogurt, vanilla bean, plain, or strawberry

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup low fat (1%) milk

2 tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate, not thawed

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

www.cabotchees.coop  

Whole Wheat Pita Nachos

1 whole wheat pita, split and cut into wedges

Salsa

2% cheddar cheese

Scallions (optional)

 

Directions:

Broil pita wedges until golden. Then sprinkle with salsa and grated cheddar and broil until the cheese melts. Top with sliced scallions .

www.foodnetwork.com 

Crunchy Chickpeas 

Cook a 15-ounce can drained chickpeas in an ovenproof skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon each cumin and smoked paprika, 2 minutes. Season with salt, then bake 20 minutes at 425 degrees.

www.foodnetwork.com

 

My Favorite Snacks

Since today's theme on Good Morning Jacksonville's Food for Thought series is healthy snacks, I thought I would list some of my personal favorites. 

When choosing a snack, keep a couple of things in mind:

1. Know how many calories you want to spend. A healthy snack can quickly turn into a high calorie snack by eating too much (i.e. half the box of Wheat Thins as opposed to one serving of 12 crackers).
2. A 100 calorie pack isnt that great of a snack choice. By this I mean that 100 calories is really low. 100 calories of anything is likely NOT going to satisfy you for longer than 45 minutes. Add a 100 calorie pack to something else, like a fruit or veggie.
3. Choose something with protein, about 10 grams minimum. Protein helps keep you satisfied longer than just carbohydrate. It will also help manage your blood sugar (and therefore energy levels) better.

The Snack List

Low fat, low sodium cottage cheese with chopped fruit or with fresh dill and chopped cucumbers

Low fat Greek yogurt

Carrots, broccoli and hummus

Fresh bell pepper strips (all 4 colors if possible) and hummus 

An apple and a low fat cheese stick

1 oz walnuts or almonds with 2 tablespoons dried fruit

Cliff Bar (regular or the Builder bar if I need a super snack)

Shake - preferrably with Juice Plus Chocolate Complete mix

Cliff Granola Bars and raw veggies

Hard boiled egg and piece of fruit

Apple slices with chevre cheese spread on top

Reduced fat triscuits with cottage cheese on top, cucumber slices

 

What do you think of these ideas? Give something new a try. Leave me a comment about your favorite snack. The more ideas, the better.

And here's my segment from Good Morning Jacksonville. Enjoy!