Making Fruits and Vegetables the Easy Choice!

In Texas, three out of four deaths are attributed to a chronic disease. However, studies show an intake of at least two and half cups of vegetables and fruits per day as part of a healthy eating pattern can reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. March is National Nutrition Month®, and an opportunity to discuss how to “Go Further with Food”.  We know a healthy eating pattern including fruits and vegetables can help to lower risks of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Lifestyles are hectic; however, increasing fruit and vegetables can be easy. Here are a few tips from Danielle Hammond-Krueger, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Program Specialist for making fruits and vegetables the easy choice!

Choose to make half your plate fruits and vegetables.  The rest of your plate should be one-quarter grains and one-quarter protein foods with low-fat dairy on the side. MyPlate is a guide to making a healthy meal yet not every meal will look like MyPlate. For example a sandwich may not fit in each portion of the plate; however, making a sandwich with whole grain bread, lean protein, a slice of low-fat cheese, and adding lots of vegetables with a side of fruit make a healthy plate.

Choose a variety of colors.  The colors in fruit and vegetables are not just to make them look pretty.  Fruit and vegetable colors are complex and those colors pack a healthy punch in reducing the risk of developing various chronic diseases.  Be sure to vary the colors on your plate.

Choose whole fruits and vegetables over juice. Choosing whole fruits and vegetables provides fiber, less added sugar, vitamins, and minerals. Eating patterns high in these nutrients have shown to reduce the risk of developing certain cancers.

Choose to prep your snacks ahead of time. Busy schedules can sometimes mean reaching for unhealthy snacks. During the weekend, package small snack bags of bell peppers, carrots, strawberries, or your favorite fruit or vegetable for the week.  Place them in a spot you can see in the refrigerator. This may help to limit choosing less healthful and tempting snacks!

Choose to make fruits and vegetables exciting. Create a fruit and veggie contest. Making fruits and vegetables part of a child’s healthy eating pattern establishes positive behaviors early.  Children learn from watching you.   Try having a fruit and veggie contest once a week. It can be a simple game of name five blue fruits! The prize could be choosing the fruit for dessert tonight.

Choose fruit and vegetables to start the day. Fruits can be an easy choice at breakfast food. However, mix in some vegetables too.  Try adding spinach to your eggs, avocado to your toast, or tomatoes to a breakfast sandwich.

Choosing fruits and vegetables can be an easy task, if you plan and prepare healthy options in advance. Making small creative changes can benefit your overall health.  Over time choosing more fruits and vegetables can help prevent chronic disease.

For more tips on improving your fruit and vegetable consumption, contact the Extension office at 627-3341.

Healthy Gift Giving Ideas

Do you have a friend or family member who is a fitness fanatic…or, one you would like to lovingly nudge toward a healthier lifestyle?  Do you need some fresh, fun new gift ideas to inspire you?  Are you a DIY kind of gal or guy?  Whatever the case, AgriLife Extension’s Walk Across Texas program recently suggested some great gift ideas that I thought were worthy to pass along.

 You’ll find that all the ideas are geared towards healthy holiday gift ideas – some for the obvious fitness buff, while others are subtle, so as not to offend, while hoping to move loved ones toward a healthier lifestyle. Some allow you to be creative and put your own touches on, while others can be picked out, wrapped and ready to go.
 
Kitchen gadgets can be a great gift, whether you’re looking for an inexpensive stocking stuffer, or a gourmet chef’s delight. Here are some ideas that would make great gifts:

For flavor, a microplane herb mill allows you to place fresh herbs inside and then simply twist, like a pepper grinder. It cuts foods into your cooking or atop any dish to add flavor without a lot of calories or salt.

A grater-spoon is a device that goes right into a spoon, so if you need to grate, for example, fresh garlic or ginger, you can just stir it right into your dish – one tool, little expense, little clean up, and lots of flavor.

For food safety, colorful rings cutting boards that are non-porous and resistant to stains and odors would make a great gift. Nonporous surfaces like plastic or acrylic are easier to clean than wood, which is porous and more likely to harbor bacteria. So, choose any nonporous cutting board design you like for your gift. You might even choose two, since it is a good idea to have a separate cutting board for your fresh fruits, veggies, and bread, and another for your raw meat.  Hutzler Food Savers (in the shape of fruits or vegetables, or just colorful containers if you prefer), are designed to extend the shelf life of your fruits and veggies. 

For portion control, measuring cups would make a great gift. They can be found in many shapes so there is something for everyone. A digital food scale for the person trying to control portions, can really keep you on track. Seeing exactly how much is in an appropriate portion can be a great step to healthy portion control over a lifetime…it can also be used to measure healthier food substitutions for not-so-healthy recipes, and is a fun gadget to have for the kids to see, too.

An indoor herb garden with herbs that can be snipped, washed, and added fresh into dishes is a unique gift that can be purchased or made personal with a little DIY (Do-It-Yourself) ingenuity.

Culinary herbs are ideal for growing indoors because they don’t need a lot of space and can thrive on sunlight from a bright window. Recommended herbs for indoor gardening include: Basil, Bay, Chervil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Garlic Chives, Lemongrass, Mint, Mustard, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Sweet Marjoram, Tarragon, Thyme, and Vietnamese Coriander.

For a little personalization, you can plant herbs yourself in fun jars, a monogrammed mug, colored bottles, etc. This way you get to choose the herbs and personalize for your friends. You can choose a theme, like Italian, by giving basil and oregano. Just remember to use a good potting mix and provide holes for appropriate drainage.

Happy gifting!

Grilling Outdoors Safely

With Graduation, Father’s Day, and many other summer activities approaching many of you are sure to fire up the outdoor grill to help with food preparation for the celebrations.

Outdoor grilling is a popular way to prepare food during warmer weather while enjoying the company of family and friends.  However, grilling does “open the door” to food borne illness if proper cleanliness and preparation measures are not followed. 

To make your cookout a fond memory rather than a regretful experience, follow these simple steps:

Food Preparation:

•           Select fresh meat, poultry, or seafood that is high quality for best cooking results.

•           Keep these perishable products at 40° F or colder, until immediately before grilling.

•           Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator and discard leftover marinade.

•           Wash your hands before and after working with raw meat, poultry, or seafood.

•           Wash your work surfaces and cutting boards with hot, soapy water before and after preparing food.  To sanitize, use 1 tsp. bleach per quart of warm water.  If possible, use a separate cutting board for fresh produce and raw meat, poultry, or seafood.

•          When away from home, keep your meat and poultry away from other food in a separate cooler with ice.  This prevents cross contamination.

•         After placing raw meat on the grill, wash utensils and platters with hot, soapy water before using them to serve cooked food.

•          Cook foods to an internal temperature that destroys harmful bacteria.  Check the temperature by placing a thermometer in the center-most part of the meat, not touching the bone.

Internal temperature for thorough cooking to prevent food borne illness are:

•           Whole poultry - 165° F

•           Poultry breasts - 165° F

•           Ground beef patties - 160° F

•           Ground poultry - 165° F

•           Beef, veal, lamb steaks, roasts, or chops - 145° F (yields medium rare doneness)

•           All cuts of pork - 160° F (yields medium doneness)

Safe handling of cooked food:

•           Serve food immediately after grilling, or keep at 135° F or above until served.

•           Place on a clean platter.

•           Refrigerate on a clean platter.

•           Refrigerate all leftovers immediately at 40° F or below.

Discard any food left out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if temperature is above 90° F.  Note: These temperatures are recommended for consumer cooking. They are not intended for processing, institutional, or food service preparation. Food Service Workers should consult their state or local food code, or health department.

And finally, if you are looking for a recipe to ensure that your chicken is moist and tender, try this marinade recipe featured at our Path to the Plate Grilling Workshop last month. 

Grilled Chicken Marinade
 

Ingredients:

¼ cup red wine vinegar                                  ½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce                   ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup olive oil                                                ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes                     5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

½ teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper together in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, at least 4 hours.

Preheat grill for medium-low heat and lightly oil the grate. Drain and discard marinade.

Grill chicken on the preheated grill until no long pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 ° F.

 1 Serving
Servings Per Recipe: 5
Amount Per Serving

Calories: 233

Calories from Fat: 122

% Daily Value *

• Total Fat: 13.6
• Saturated Fat: 2.3
• Cholesterol: 65
• Sodium: 482
• Total Carbohydrates: 2.4
• Sugars: 0.3
• Dietary Fiber: 0.3
• Protein: 24.3
• Potassium: 246

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

 For more information about safe outdoor grilling or food safety call Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Wise County office at 940.627.3341.