September is Family Meal Time Month

September is a special month for AgriLife Extension as we “Celebrate Family Mealtime”. It seems like everyone is so busy with work and afterschool activities, plus technology always having us “plugged in”, that often times we miss face-to-face connections with our family.  Family meals provide a great opportunity for family members to connect because everyone has to eat! Throughout the month of September we are encouraging everyone to have meals as a family.  AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight, (dinnertonight.tamu.edu) will be highlighting special recipes and tips to do just that!

To get started, commit to having your family sit down at least three times a week to eat together, and use this as a time to:

• share family stories,
• learn about everyone’s day,
• set family goals, and
• make plans for future activities.

Remember, meals do not have to be fancy or gourmet to make mealtime special, the focus can be more on getting everyone together. The following recipe could easily be incorporated into our family’s dinner tonight.

Chicken Veggie Risotto 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt-free, garlic/herb seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• One (10 1/2-ounce) can reduced fat, unsalted chicken broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup instant brown rice, uncooked
• 1 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and patted dry

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken pieces with seasonings. Add chicken pieces; cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until chicken is done. Add onion and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, rice, tomatoes, and spinach. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer about 10 minutes. Turn burner off and let stand for 5 more minutes or until rice absorbs most of the liquid.

This recipe serves four.  Nutrients per serving:  Calories 330, Calories from Fat 70, Total Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 80mg, Sodium 220mg, Total Carbohydrate 33g, Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 3g, Protein 30g