Recipe- Gazpacho!

http://www.eatright.org/kids/recipe.aspx?id=6442471533

Article of the Week- Vacation Eating!

Enjoy your vacation without packing on the pounds: http://sm.eatright.org/hlthvacation

Zucchini Week!

Who knew that you could make so many delicious recipes with zucchini?  I haven't used zucchini much in the past but must admit that I am now a huge fan of this green vegetable!   I bought some zucchini last weekend and told my husband to shred 1.5 cups for a chocolate chip zucchini bread I wanted to make. He ended up shredding the entire bag which filled an entire freezer bag full.  So, I decided that I wasn't going to let all of this go to waste and that we would have a zucchini filled week and if my kids didn't like it....blame it on daddy:)  So far, I've made the low-fat chocolate chip zucchini bread (twice) http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/07/low-fat-chocolate-chip-zucchini-bread.html, angel hair, zucchini and tomatoes http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/06/angel-hair-with-zucchini-and-tomatoes-5.html, zucchini turkey burgers http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/05/turkey-burgers-with-zucchini.html and zucchini pizza!  I found all of these recipes on http://www.skinnytaste.com/with the exception of the zucchini pizza which I made tonight.  For this, I sautéed garlic, onions and zucchini and put all of this underneath the cheese and on top of the sauce on a whole wheat pita. It was delicious and my kids hardly knew it was there! 

Video of the Week- Creamy Basil Pesto!

Presto! It’s lower-calorie Creamy Basil Pesto: http://sm.eatright.org/basilpesto

Hot Tip- Grilling Vegetables!

Don't forget the fruits and vegetables at your next barbecue: http://sm.eatright.org/grillfruitveg

Summertime!

Time is flying!  I finished the Spring semester in mid-May and now the first week of the Summer semester is almost over.  This past Spring, I took Lifespan Nutrition and Public Health Nutrition. I enjoyed both!  Public Health nutrition required that we give a nutrition education service learning to a group of kids.  I gave mine to a girl scout troop with 13 girls, all 7-8 year olds. We talked about what's in their drinks in terms of sugar and health drink choices that they can make.  I won't lie and say that it was easy because it wasn't. Let's just say that I have a whole new respect for teachers!  Although challenging, it was a great experience and made me more prepared for the next time I speak in front of a group! 
Lifespan was a fun class.  We each created a blog which was fun and also completed a group presentation on a lifespan topic. 
This semester, I am taking research methods in nutrition and counseling strategies in dietetics practice.  The semester is only 8 weeks so it's going to go by quickly!  Stay tuned...

Featured Video!

These sweet potato strips are full of vitamins A and C, plus fiber. Bake a batch to serve as a snack or side dish! http://sm.eatright.org/sweetpotstrp

Hot Tip - Whole Grains!

Why whole grains should be at least half of the grains your child eats: http://sm.eatright.org/mightygrain

Recipe of the Week- Sweet Potato Quesadillas!

Gather these ingredients and whip up a batch of Sweet Potato Quesadillas! http://sm.eatright.org/spquesadilla

Hot Tip- Spinach!

Spinach is packed with powerful nutrients and vitamins. Get the most nutritional value out of this leafy green: http://sm.eatright.org/spnch

Hot tip- Coupons!

Believe it or not, coupons aren’t always the most budget-friendly option! http://sm.eatright.org/coupons

Article of the Week- Supermarket Shopping Tips!

Get the most nutrition for your money with these supermarket shopping tips! http://sm.eatright.org/sprmktpsych

Hot Tip! Lettuce!

Did you know that lettuce is the second most popular veggie in the U.S.? It’s true for all these great reasons: http://sm.eatright.org/lettucehlthy

Recipe- Colorful Stir-Fry Dinner!

This bright and colorful stir-fry dinner is packed with fresh veggies and buckwheat soba noodles! Recipe: http://sm.eatright.org/vegstirfry

Article of the Week! Smart Snacks!

Fruits and vegetables are smart snacks for so many reasons! Tips to make them the top choice among kids: http://sm.eatright.org/smartfvsnack

Winter Break

Winter break is almost here and I am READY for it!  This past semester has been a tough one. I took 3 classes (Food Science, Principles of Food Production Management and Nutrient Metabolism) and they all required a lot of work!  I have one final left on Monday and then I look forward to relaxing for a few weeks before it all starts again with three more classes!  My Food Science class had us cooking multiple items every single week based on what we were learning in class. I cooked everything (homemade yeast bread, empanadas, cream puffs, pierogies, gluten-free bread, oatmeal pancakes, apple crisp, homemade pizza, dumplings, steak, pork chops, and vegetables to name just a few).  To put it mildly, my kitchen looked like a disaster for the entire semester!  However, the cooking was fun and I can honestly say that I learned quite a bit in this class!  My Nutrient Metabolism class was just A LOT of information, lots of reading and reading and rereading notes over and over again:)  Principles of Food Production Management was good in that we created a static and cycle menu, completed a recipe adjustment and interviewed a foodservices director. I interviewed the director of my locals school system.  She's been the director for 26 years. The school makes 20,000 meals every single day!  I was amazed at how much responsibility this job entails and will never look at a foodservices director the same again.  This is a tough job! 

Next semester, I am taking Statistics, Public Health Nutrition and Nutrition over the Lifespan!  These classes are quite different than the ones I took this semester so look forward to the change and what else I can learn to continue working toward becoming a dietitian!

Article of the Week- Teen Food Makeovers!

Teen food favorites get a modern – and healthy – makeover http://sm.eatright.org/TeenFood

Featured Video- Quick Smashed Roasted Potatoes!

Quick Smashed Oven Roasted Potatoes are tasty and have lots of good-for-you vitamins and minerals! http://sm.eatright.org/roastpotato

Article of the Week- Meat Free!

Choose one day per week to eat meat-free meals with your family to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet! http://sm.eatright.org/gomeatlessmon

Featured Video- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese!

Adding butternut squash to mac and cheese makes it better and more nutritious than the standard preparation! http://sm.eatright.org/bettermac