There’s still some lingering snow left on the ground but I can hear the birds chirping outside my office window — a surefire sign that spring is on the horizon!
Spring shows up in the produce aisle on a wave of green and is probably the best time for falling in love with fresh vegetables. From asparagus to English peas to artichokes and avocados – green is king! And what better way to celebrate the harvest than to pair green vegetables with the intense flavor of Wild Blueberries? Unlike many other fruits, and especially berries, you don’t have to wait until Wild Blueberries come “in season,” they are available year round, making them a delicious complement for showcasing seasonal produce any time of year.
I especially love this Wild Blueberry vinaigrette. It’s so creamy and flavorful that just about any salad would benefit from a toss in this delicious dressing. What’s different about this dressing is that it’s made in the food processor. Most Wild Blueberry vinaigrettes use the whole blueberry but in this recipe the berries are processed, producing a creamy texture and that gorgeous purple color. The creaminess also comes from miso paste, which has a salty, umami flavor. The combination of salty and sweet makes this dressing really stand out. Another favorite ingredient in the dressing is fresh ginger. Fresh ginger pairs really well with Wild Blueberries and adds to the Asian appeal of this vinaigrette.
You can toss this dressing with your favorite spring produce or massage it into your curly kale. It would be awesome as a dipping sauce for homemade spring rolls, too.
I love that Wild Blueberries are available year-round (you can find them in the frozen section of the grocery store) and always keep their intense flavor. This is because they’re harvested at the height of the Wild Blueberry season and then frozen fresh and packed within 24 hours of being picked! It’s pretty amazing that these “wild” berries have been around for thousands of years and grow up from the ground all on their own.
Creamy Wild Blueberry & Miso Vinaigrette
Danielle Omar is a registered dietitian, clean-eating coach, teacher and cookbook author. She is a passionate food and nutrition educator and founded Danielle Omar Nutrition to support busy men and women on their journey to becoming their healthiest self. An avid cook, she also enjoys sharing plant-based recipes and nutrition strategies on her Food Confidence blog. Danielle has a Master’s degree in Nutrition and has been teaching nutrition at the college level for over 10 years. She has contributed to local and national media outlets such as The Washingtonian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Shape Magazine, and Women’s Health Magazine. Through her private nutrition practice, media work, and group programs, Danielle has successfully motivated hundreds of busy professionals and families to eat confidently and live a healthy life.
Like me, most of you are probably more than ready for spring. As a runner, I’ve certainly had my fill of ice and snow recently, and can’t wait until my early morning runs are filled with sunshine and clear, non-slippery sidewalks! Who else has been suffering through cold, dark runs in the name of training these past couple months?
Regardless of the weather, I often find that runs leave me craving something cool and refreshing. Wild Blueberries are among my favorite foods to enjoy post-workout, particularly in smoothie form, because they are delicious and packed with good nutrition to help speed up the recovery from my rigorous training routine.
A frozen Wild Blueberry packed smoothie is a great way to get in some nutrition in a fast, easy, and portable way after a hard workout. Refueling within 30 or so minutes is not only important to tame hunger throughout the rest of the day, but also because your muscles need nutrients to adequately repair themselves.
There are at least five reasons why this recovery smoothie is perfect as your post-workout recovery drink:
Because it’s filled with antioxidant-packed frozen Wild Blueberries.
Because bananas and coconut water are both high in potassium, an electrolyte that helps rehydrate you after a hard sweat
Because the Chia seeds help your body stay hydrated, as they can absorb about 10 times their weight in water.
Because this smoothie is packed with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids (thanks to the chia seeds and walnuts), which prevent muscle soreness and improve recovery.
And lastly, because Greek yogurt is high in protein, which is necessary for recovery so that your muscles can rebuild and strengthen after being worked out.
Try enjoying this after your next workout – let me know how you like it!
So there you have it: rehydrate and refuel, all in one glass. Here’s to an early spring and warmer running temperatures!
Until next month, my friends!
Anne Mauney is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian and the writer behind the food and fitness blog fANNEtastic food, which she started as a way to motivate others to lead happier, healthier lives through nutrition and exercise. Anne has a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition and owns a private practice where she helps clients to lose or maintain weight, feel healthier, and improve their relationships with food. Her fitness tips and recipes have been featured in The Huffington Post, Glamour, SHAPE, Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine, The Washington Post, and Woman’s Day. Check out her blog for easy healthy recipes, health tips, and more. You can also find her on Twitter @fANNEtasticfood, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
February is that time of the year when we are all looking for a little color to return to our lives, especially up here in New England where I live. Frozen fruits and vegetables can provide an illustrious boost of color, flavor, and nutrition, and they are often more affordable and more convenient for moms on the go. While frozen foods have been sadly maligned by some critics, as a mom and a nutritionist, I have found a variety of reasons to love them.
For one, when I choose frozen, I can use only what I need and not worry about waste. Second, because of my profession as a nutritionist, I happen to know that many fruits and vegetables are picked and frozen at the very peak of their ripeness, sealing in flavor, nutrition and health. These foods are excellent vehicles for bringing color into your winter diet, and a few of them – like frozen corn, frozen mango, and frozen fresh Wild Blueberries – are at the top of my list.
Last week, in between shoveling out from yet another snowstorm, I whipped up a recipe using frozen Wild Blueberries that was the delight of my 16-year-old son Simon. I called it a Wild Blueberry Frosty, but he said it was more like Pudding, so I went with his suggestions. Give this recipe a try for a colorful and healthy reward.
Frozen Wild Blueberry Pudding
Makes 4 Servings (a generous 1/3 cup each)
Frozen fruits—wild blueberries, mango, and banana—are the nutritional super stars in this healthy, delicious, and kid-friendly treat. It takes just minutes to prepare, and moms can feel good about serving this frozen fruit pudding as an after-school snack or family dessert. For a snowy twist, sprinkle shredded coconut on top.
Liz Weiss is an award-winning broadcast journalist, cookbook author, and radio show host who started Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen, a leading blog for parents in search of better ways to feed their family a super-nutritious diet. She’s also the co-author of two great books: No Whine with Dinner: 150 Healthy, Kid-Tested Recipes from The Meal Makeover Moms and The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time and she recently released a mobile recipe app called, Meal Makeovers. You can read more about Liz at http://mealmakeovermoms.com/
I’m fascinated by traditions and the idea that you do something just because it’s the way it has always been done. I especially love traditions that include eating certain foods. Italians eat the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. In Mexico, they celebrate dia de la Candelaria by eating tamales. And in New Orleans, there is the traditional Mardi Gras dessert – King Cake.
Mardi Gras itself is a pretty amazing tradition. Rooted in religion, the Mardi Gras season officially starts on January 6th, leading up to Mardi Gras Day, or Fat Tuesday, which is the day before Ash Wednesday and always 46 days before Easter.
Mardi Gras is also known as the Twelfth Night feast of the Epiphany, or the day that the three kings first visited the baby Jesus. As part of the celebration, it is traditional to bake a cake in honor of the three kings. “King Cake” is typically oval-shaped and decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors, purple which represents justice, green which represents faith, and gold representing power. A small baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is traditionally hidden inside the King Cake. Whoever gets the slice of cake with the baby inside is rewarded with good luck and is usually responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next party!
Custom prevails that King Cakes are made from twisted strands of dough, sprinkled with cinnamon and decorated with purple, green and gold colored sugar. It was not until the 1980’s that bakeries in France started to stuff the King Cake with various types of custards, puddings and cheese-based fillings.
I can’t imagine a more innovative way to highlight the intense and delicious flavor of Wild Blueberries than to mix them with cream cheese and stuff them into a King Cake!
Now if you’re like me and the thought of creating a twisted cinnamon dough has you shaking in your boots then you are in luck because I have created a King Cake that you can literally make in less than 15 minutes, with no baking skills required! That’s right, 15 minutes to King Cake heaven, all due to the wonderful versatility of angel food cake and Wild Blueberries.
First, frozen Wild Blueberries are blended into a decadent cream cheese filling, providing intense blueberry flavor and gorgeous purple color. The filling is then stuffed into a halved angel food cake. Then comes the fun part – put the top back on the cake, drizzle on the glaze and decorate the cake with traditional Mardi Gras-colored sugar.
In my opinion the Wild Blueberry and cream cheese filling is really the star in each bite of this tasty treat! Of course it’s a wonderful added bonus that Wild Blueberries provide a healthy serving of natural phytochemicals and twice the antioxidant capacity of regular blueberries.
I love this modern version of King Cake. Although not traditional, the spirit of Mardi Gras is alive and well in this fun and easy to make King Cake!
About the Author
Danielle Omar is a registered dietitian, clean-eating coach, teacher and cookbook author. She is a passionate food and nutrition educator and founded Danielle Omar Nutrition to support busy men and women on their journey to becoming their healthiest self. An avid cook, she also enjoys sharing plant-based recipes and nutrition strategies on her Food Confidence blog. Danielle has a Master’s degree in Nutrition and has been teaching nutrition at the college level for over 10 years. She has contributed to local and national media outlets such as The Washingtonian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Shape Magazine, and Women’s Health Magazine. Through her private nutrition practice, media work, and group programs, Danielle has successfully motivated hundreds of busy professionals and families to eat confidently and live a healthy life.
A three-part series that proves how frozen fruits and veggies are healthy, affordable and “green.”
Let’s face it, there’s a stigma associated with frozen food. Frozen dinners, frozen desserts, and yes, even frozen fruits and vegetables just aren’t something that price-conscious, health-conscious, and earth-conscious moms rave about. But if you’re skipping the freezer aisle altogether, then you’re missing out, says award-winning broadcast journalist, nutrition expert and blogger, Liz Weiss, RD.
“Frozen fruits and vegetables got a bad rap years ago when freezing technology was in its infancy,” says Liz. “But things have changed a lot and there are plenty of reasons to shop the freezer aisle, especially if you’re a health conscious, price conscious, and earth conscious mom.”
Liz was kind enough to share her philosophy about buying frozen. You’ll be surprised by what she’s keeping in her freezer and why price, environment, and nutrition are among her top motivators for shopping frozen.
Why do you like using frozen?
What I love about frozen fruits and veggies is that they are always at the ready. If I’m making quesadillas and I need corn, I can always grab a cup and use only what I need. If I’m making a smoothie, I can grab a cup of frozen fresh Wild Blueberries. And when I seal the bag, I know those berries are going to last several months, not just a few days. Frozen fruits and veggies are a go-to ingredient for cooking and the perfect choice for a mom on the go.
How do frozen foods stack up in terms of price?
Prices vary and, as with any food you buy, you always want to look for what’s on sale, especially if you are a bargain shopper. But keep in mind that even if a frozen option is a few more pennies per pound, you’re still going to benefit from a lot less food waste. For example, frozen mangoes will be pitted, peeled and chopped, strawberries are going to be hulled and your green beans and spinach will be trimmed. So, there is often more value in the frozen choices.
With all of the advantages, why don’t more people buy frozen?
There is a stigma associated with frozen and canned foods, and a perception that frozen can’t be as nutritious. But this is not true.
What about nutritional values?
Consumers should not worry about the nutritional value of frozen fruits and vegetables. A recent study by the University of California-Davis looked at the nutrient content of eight commonly-purchased frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables (blueberries, strawberries, carrots, corn, broccoli, green beans, green peas and spinach.) The results show that the nutritional value of the frozen choices are generally equal to – and in some cases better than – the fresh choices.
So the nutritional benefits are comparable?
Yes. Many of our nation’s frozen foods are processed at the point – and peak – of harvest. When I visited the Wild Blueberry barrens in Maine last summer I saw it first-hand. There, the processing plants are situated right in the middle of the Wild Blueberry fields. Harvesters are collecting the ripe fruit, washing it, and freezing it within hours of harvest. Those berries don’t suffer the delay or the impact of a long transportation system.
Are there environmental factors to consider?
Yes there are. When you use frozen fruits and vegetables, you’re not going to waste as much food. A full 40 percent of the food in this country is wasted in the home kitchen. Much of that is because it spoils before it’s eaten. Buying frozen fruits and veggies allows you to use exactly what you need and store the remainder for later.
So buying frozen is more earth friendly?
Yes. One of the biggest emerging environmental issues is food waste. In a few years, our planet is going to be asked to produce enough food for 7.5 billion people. Yet, we know that consumers waste hundreds of millions of pounds of food annually. Simply put, if we waste less, we can feed more people and lower our family’s carbon footprint.
What’s in your freezer now?
Right now I have Wild Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, mango, and pineapple. In the veggie world I have petite frozen peas, frozen corn, edamame, spinach, and kale. I often have frozen mixed greens and even sweet potato fries. I keep a large variety because I love to cook and I want a good diversity of food on hand.
Can you share some ideas for dishes using frozen fruits and veggies?
Yes, there are tons of great ways to make use of frozen fruits and veggies, which is why I keep so many on hand. Here are some of my favorites:
Smoothies—these are an obvious place for frozen fruits and veggies. At my house, we are huge smoothies fans and we probably drink smoothies 5 days a week. Frozen Wild Blueberries find there way into a lot of our smoothies, but other fruits and greens are also great. Check out Liz’s Blueberry Frosty and Wild Blueberry & Chia Seed Smoothie.
Quesadillas—these are a favorite and the varieties are endless – I use flour tortillas with veggie filling and cheese to “glue” it all together. I combine sautéed bell peppers with frozen spinach, frozen corn kernels with leftover chicken and stir in some BBQ sauce. Check out my Quick Quesadilla Pockets.
Lasagna or Ravioli—Frozen spinach is great for a quick lasagna or ravioli. This is a dish that kids love too. Check out a short video and recipe for my Super-Fast Spinach Lasagna.
Soups and Chili—I use frozen corn, edamame, and frozen green beans in all types of soups and chili. The frozen mixed veggies hold up really well too. See my recipe for Beef Vegetable Soup.
Pasta Salads—I’m a big fan of pasta salads. I add shelled edamame, corn, or any number of frozen veggies to a pasta salad. Check out my recipe for Tortellini Lunchbox Salad
Liz Weiss is an award-winning broadcast journalist, cookbook author, and radio show host who started Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen, a leading blog for parents in search of better ways to feed their family a super-nutritious diet. She’s also the co-author of two great books: No Whine with Dinner: 150 Healthy, Kid-Tested Recipes from The Meal Makeover Moms and The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time and she recently released a mobile recipe app called, Meal Makeovers. You can read more about Liz at http://mealmakeovermoms.com/
Hello and Happy February! Did you know that February is National Heart Month?
As a Registered Dietitian, I’m all about bringing awareness to heart disease and how people can prevent it. So let’s get the bad news out of the way first: heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, contributing to 1 in 4 deaths. Risk factors for heart disease are things like poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity, and diabetes.
The good news? Since heart disease risk factors are mostly lifestyle related, heart disease can often be prevented by making healthier choices, like eating better and exercising.
The even better news is that our delicious little blue friends, Wild Blueberries, are a great way to do this!
As I shared in last month’s post, Wild Blueberries are a rich source of a type of phytochemicals called polyphenols, which boast a wide array of protective health benefits due to their antioxidant qualities. In fact, research has shown that including Wild Blueberries consistently in diets may help improve or prevent cardiovascular disease due to a reduction in chronic inflammation and improved lipid profiles. (Cardiovascular disease includes heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.)
The flavonoid anthocyanin, a phytochemical found in blue-pigmented fruit, is particularly high in Wild Blueberries compared to regular blueberries. A recent study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who eat three or more weekly servings of berries may reduce their risk of heart attack by up to 33%. Another study, a recent randomized controlled trial, found that daily consumption of blueberries helped to reduce blood pressure in post-menopausal women with pre- and stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure). This is because anthocyanins are believed to help dilate arteries, helping to counter plaque buildup. There’s good news for men too. Another study found that Wild Blueberries can improve vascular function in healthy men, even from intake of just ¾ cup a day.
Bottom line: Wild Blueberries are both delicious AND functional – there’s no reason not to eat up, especially since they are available year round in the frozen food section.
To inspire you to eat for your heart this month, here’s a fun recipe to try. I know what you’re thinking – wait, scones? I thought I was supposed to be eating healthy? Well, these are healthy! Not only are they packed with antioxidants from the Wild Blueberries, but they also boast protein from the Greek yogurt and milk, and fiber from the whole wheat pastry flour. Even better is that they have very little added sugar – only 3 tablespoons – and instead get their bright flavor and sweetness from the lemon zest and Wild Blueberries. This would make the perfect breakfast in bed on Valentine’s Day, either for your significant other, or as a treat to yourself! Good for the heart, both literally and figuratively. Enjoy!
This heart healthy breakfast also makes a great pre-workout snack – enjoy it before heading out for your workout of choice! Need some workout inspiration? Here’s one of my recent favorite workouts – you can customize it to make it as short (or long) as you like.
For more tasty and easy Wild Blueberry recipes, check out my post from last month – it includes a couple full day’s worth of breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner ideas!
Anne Mauney is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian and the writer behind the food and fitness blog fANNEtastic food, which she started as a way to motivate others to lead happier, healthier lives through nutrition and exercise. Anne has a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition and owns a private practice where she helps clients to lose or maintain weight, feel healthier, and improve their relationships with food. Her fitness tips and recipes have been featured in The Huffington Post, Glamour, SHAPE, Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine, The Washington Post, and Woman’s Day. Check out her blog for easy healthy recipes, health tips, and more. You can also find her on Twitter @fANNEtasticfood, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
A large part of being a Washingtonian means you are surrounded by die-hard Redskins fans. Football Sunday is always the best time to be out on the roads because everyone is inside, cheering on the Skins with friends and family. It’s not uncommon to visit a friend’s house and find entire rooms dedicated to burgundy and gold, adorned with Skins memorabilia.
Most everyone can remember watching Super Bowl XXVI when the Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills. Mark Rypien and Darrell Green were household names back then. If you were lucky enough to have season tickets, tailgating parties were the weekend mainstay. If watching from home, there was a pot of chili bubbling in the crockpot and an array of delicious appetizers on the ready.
Sadly, Super Bowl XXVI was back in 1992. Although Washington, DC is still the home of raging Redskins fans who are willing to defend their team to the very end, many of us are not as proud as we were in the good ole’ days.
But we still watch. And we still eat. Perhaps not with the same enthusiasm, but Skins fans are a loyal bunch.
At our house during football season, Sunday has become more about the food than the game. Serving up delicious foodie-inspired apps seems to take everyone’s mind off how badly our team is playing.
I love getting creative and stepping outside the box with food. This fun appetizer pairing of Wild Blueberries and cheese was the perfect muse. Traditional football watching apps have gotten an antioxidant makeover with the intense flavor of Wild Blueberries!
This Wild Blueberry Baked Brie is a delicious twist on a classic. I used a mix of Wild Blueberries and pistachios instead of the usual jam or jelly inside. Because you can find Wild Blueberries frozen year round, this is a great way to give this app a little health boost. And who doesn’t love a cheesy appetizer you can feel good about eating?
To make slicing easier, I used pie crust instead of puff pastry. I also cooked off the Wild Blueberries in a small saucepan for a few minutes and stirred in a teaspoon of chia seed to soak up any additional berry juice during cooking. It created the perfect homemade jam texture! The crunch of the roasted pistachios offered a nice balance of textures and a pinch of salty flavor, too. So good!
For my Jalapeno Poppers I knew I wanted to use goat cheese. I’ve combined Wild Blueberries and goat cheese before and love how the textures blend together. The tangy goat cheese really complements the intense Wild Blueberry flavor!
Jalapeno Poppers are pretty spicy so goat cheese and Wild blueberry filling was the perfect balance of heat and sweet. I love the way it looks; the Wild Blueberries create instant gorgeous! These were a huge hit at our house and are so easy to make.
8-10 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half, seeds removed
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp chili powder
1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp olive oil
1 egg
Dash salt
Sour cream, optional
Preheat oven to 325. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Cut peppers in half and scoop out seeds (I use rubber gloves to do this). Wash your hands after touching any of the peppers. Mix together the goat cheese Wild Blueberries, garlic powder and chili powder. Beat egg in a small bowl and set aside. In a small fry pan, heat the panko bread crumbs with the oil and pinch of salt. Stuff peppers with goat cheese and Wild Blueberry mixture. Roll each pepper first in the egg, then into the panko bread crumbs, and then place onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cook until panko is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with a side of sour cream if needed to ease the heat!
To round out my Wild Blueberry appetizer extravaganza I included a creamy Wild Blueberry Ricotta and Gorgonzola Cheese dip. This dip has great flavor and pairs perfectly with vegetable crudité or tortilla chips – and it’s gorgeous, too.
About the Author
Danielle Omar is a registered dietitian, clean-eating coach, teacher and cookbook author. She is a passionate food and nutrition educator and founded Danielle Omar Nutrition to support busy men and women on their journey to becoming their healthiest self. An avid cook, she also enjoys sharing plant-based recipes and nutrition strategies on her Food Confidence blog. Danielle has a Master’s degree in Nutrition and has been teaching nutrition at the college level for over 10 years. She has contributed to local and national media outlets such as The Washingtonian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Shape Magazine, and Women’s Health Magazine. Through her private nutrition practice, media work, and group programs, Danielle has successfully motivated hundreds of busy professionals and families to eat confidently and live a healthy life.
Before I became a parent I always used to shake my head at the kids menu at local restaurants. Macaroni and Cheese, Grilled Cheese, Pasta with Butter and Cheese, Cheese with Added Cheese… you get the idea.
Now, as a parent, I totally get it. That’s pretty much all toddlers will eat: carbs and cheese. And at a restaurant, where you’re already expending every last drop of caffeine-induced energy keeping your kid from crawling into the kitchen and turning all the stove dials, or playing tic-tac-toe in pen on the white tablecloth – I say let ‘em have whatever they want. Take the path of least resistance. Just be thankful they’re eating something. Unless it’s crayons. In which case, no.
But when you’re at home, and you have access to earplugs for the screeching meltdown that will inevitably ensue when you tell them that, no you cannot have French fries for breakfast – that’s when you pull out all the stops to get them to eat something with at least a semblance of nutritional value.
She’s not happy about the lack of french fries for breakfast.
Now, if your toddler is anything like mine, they won’t eat more than one or MAYBE two foods per meal. You put three or more ingredients on the tray and she is O-U-T out. Or in her words, “All gone mama,” which is ironic considering all of her food is literally untouched.
Because of this I’ve learned to be extremely efficient. I’ve chosen a number of well-known superfoods like Wild Blueberries, kale, beans, and yogurt – all of which are packed with vitamins and nutrients – and devised sneaky strategies for including them in foods she thinks are fun. Then I try to contain my (probably disproportional) excitement as I watch her toss back a – gasp! – fruit or vegetable without knowing it.
So without further ado – my four favorite toddler-friendly superfood snacks.
Wild Blueberry, Banana and Kale Smoothie
In my opinion smoothies are far and away the easiest way to get nutrients into toddlers. My daughter Mia is absolutely enamored with straws, so I can pretty much put anything I want into a blender and as long as she’s allowed to drink it through a straw, she’s excited. This recipe is my favorite because it uses frozen kale (fresh veggies are always going bad in our fridge so frozen kale is PERFECT) and frozen Wild Blueberries, which not only completely mask the color and flavor of the kale, but are also full of antioxidants, fiber, and manganese, which is essential for healthy bone development. I use Wild Blueberries in just about every smoothie we make because they are nutrient-rich, and the perfect vegetable-disguiser!
Ingredients:
½ cup frozen kale
¼ cup Wild Blueberries
¾ cup milk (you can also use almondmilk, coconut milk or any other non-dairy milk)
½ medium banana
Directions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. If you use a frozen banana, you may need to add a little water to thin it out. Makes about 2 servings depending on your toddler’s appetite. I refrigerate the extra for use later in the week.
White Bean Macaroni and Cheese
Photo courtesy of www.lifelibertyfood.wordpress.com
Mac and Cheese is a staple in our household. I keep some in the fridge pretty much at all times, in case all else fails. But since Mia ends up eating it SO often, I felt like I should try to get at least something substantive into it. Spinach is a no-go because it’s green and she can see it. Way too easy to for her to pick out! Then I found this recipe online that substitutes cannelloni beans and skim milk for the traditional whole milk and cream, and I thought – that’s genius! Sure enough, Mia can’t see or taste the difference – and to be honest, neither can I, so it’s perfect for the whole family.
“Spoonable” Fruit and Yogurt
Ok so this isn’t so much a recipe as it is a strategy for getting healthy food into a stubborn toddler’s mouth. I found this “Easy Squeezy Spoon” at Babies R Us when Mia was just starting solids – and I thought it would be perfect for traveling with baby food. It probably is but I’ll never know because it disappeared into the abyss of my kitchen cabinets, never to be found until last week. I pulled it out to try and low and behold – Mia’s a big fan! She loves being able to squeeze the food onto the spoon herself (she hasn’t quite mastered traditional spoon feeding), and since she’s able to do it all on her own, she doesn’t even mind the pureed fruit and yogurt I stuffed into the squeeze pouch. Score!
Do you have a finicky eater on your hands? What are your favorite recipes or tricks for getting them to eat healthier?
Hannah Richards is a Maine based writer, blogger and content marketing strategist as well as the face behind the Facebook posts for Wild Blueberries. She lives with her husband, Dan, and daughter, Mia, in Cumberland, Maine and shares the crazy train they call motherhood on her blog OhBabyRichards.
It’s officially a new year – and many of us are itching to reset the clock and eat healthier after a season of indulgence. What better way to kick off a healthy New Year than by incorporating nutritious foods into your diet? So I was super excited when the Wild Blueberry Association of North America asked me to create a blog post series called Getting Wildly Healthy. This is the first of four posts I’m creating to help inspire all of you to have a healthier 2015.
As a registered dietitian and an avid runner, I am passionate about motivating others to lead happier, healthier lives through good nutrition and exercise. To help inspire you to kick off a vibrant and healthy new year, I’ve handpicked a choice selection of nutritious and tasty recipes created by me and some of my favorite nutrition bloggers. These recipes also feature one of my favorite ingredients – Wild Blueberries.
But before we get into the recipes, I want to share a little bit about why Wild Blueberries are so special to me. I discovered them last summer in Maine, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I throw them into smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods, and even salad dressings! The great thing about Wild Blueberries is that they are available frozen, which means you can stock your freezer and have them on hand anytime!
You may not know this but all blueberries are not the same. Here’s the skinny on Wild Blueberries. They have a more intense flavor, double the antioxidants and fiber, and a deeper blue pigment, making them serious nutritional superstars when compared to the regular ones you find in the produce section. The reason they have more fiber is due to the higher skin-to-pulp ratio than their larger cultivated counterparts. As for the antioxidants, they have a greater concentration of the flavonoid anthocyanin, a phytochemical found in blue-pigmented fruit.
Wild Blueberries are also smaller than regular blueberries making them great for baking and cooking. And because Wild Blueberries haven’t been modified by man, they’re not meant to travel great distances fresh. In fact, Wild Blueberries are frozen fresh at harvest, locking in their intense blueberry flavor and antioxidant power.
I hope you’ll follow my lead and add this wonderful little berry to your list of foods to help you stay on track. You’ll find them in the freezer section of your grocery store. Just be sure to look for “Wild Blueberries” on the label. Here’s a link to more information about where to find them.
Now back to the recipes! Here’s to getting and staying inspired in 2015, because eating healthy doesn’t have to mean boring!
Breakfast – Eat More Earlier in the Day. The key to a healthy breakfast is aiming for a combination of fiber-packed complex carbohydrates (like those from whole, unrefined grains – and Wild Blueberries!), protein, and healthy fat (from nuts, seeds, etc.). Incorporating these three macronutrients together will work to keep you feeling satisfied and energized all morning long.
If you’re a pancake fan, try my Protein Packed Flour Free Breakfast Pancake, topped with Wild Blueberries. You can thaw the Wild Blueberries in the microwave to make a sort of sauce, or enjoy them frozen. I like them frozen – they add a unique texture!
Another favorite healthy breakfast is my Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal with Wild Blueberries and slivered almonds stirred in. It’s delicious, and again a satisfying mix of fiber, protein, and healthy fat. If you’re a cottage cheese fan, try stirring in a little – it sounds weird, but it goes nicely with the berries and adds an extra protein punch. This recipe has converted many former oatmeal haters – give it a shot!
Not a huge breakfast fan? Keep things simple and light with a couple Wild Blueberry Biscotti and a latte on the side.
Lunch – Don’t Skimp. Add Volume. For a healthy lunch, let’s again focus on a combination of fiber, healthy fat, and protein, but this time with the addition of some volume from veggies! The more veggies, the better – they go a long way in keeping you full and satisfied.
Snacks – Listen to your Hunger Cues. Add Healthy Options Throughout the Day. Wild Blueberries make an excellent addition to any snack, and add a nice sweetness to recipes, too, without the need for extra sugar.
Interested in a baked good instead, but want something healthy? These Wild Blueberry Orange Scones are made with nutritious almond, cashew, and coconut flours and feature a crumbly outside with a moist inside. Each bite is packed with bits of intense Wild Blueberry flavor!
Dinner – Simple and Extraordinary Ideas That Will Delight Wild Blueberries make a great addition to savory dinners, too! Impress your guests with this unique and creative Wild Blueberry and Kale Stuffed Chicken Breast. I’ve found that chicken pairs perfectly with fruit – can’t wait to try this myself!
Or, enjoy a taste of summer with these Wild Blueberry Turkey Burgers. Moist, juicy, and packed with antioxidants, these are a fun (and healthier) twist on the traditional burger, again with a nice savory/sweet combo.
Dessert – Yes, It’s Legal. For those nights when you’re craving a little something sweet to end your day, try this delicious Wild Blueberry Oat Cake with Greek Yogurt Frosting. It will satisfy your dessert craving while still packing a nice antioxidant punch.
What are your favorite recipes that feature Wild Blueberries?
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Anne Mauney is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian and the writer behind the food and fitness blog fANNEtastic food, which she started as a way to motivate others to lead happier, healthier lives through nutrition and exercise. Anne has a Masters of Public Health in Nutrition and owns a private practice where she helps clients to lose or maintain weight, feel healthier, and improve their relationships with food. Her fitness tips and recipes have been featured in The Huffington Post, Glamour, SHAPE, Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine, The Washington Post, and Woman’s Day. Check out her blog for easy healthy recipes, health tips, and more. You can also find her on Twitter @fANNEtasticfood, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
The hustle and bustle of the holidays can leave you with little time (or energy) to get creative in the kitchen, especially if you have family in town and a few extra mouths to feed. Quesadillas are the perfect answer to this no-time-to-cook dilemma. For one, they are the ultimate kid-food. Kids adore them. And you can hide healthy stuff inside. Like spinach and tomatoes and even…Wild Blueberries. They’re also gooey, which gives them the illusion of decadence and unhealthiness. And let’s face it; people love that, especially around the holidays. They’re also fast and they don’t require a ton of thought. With just a few key ingredients, you have an amazing meal or snack. And finally, they’re versatile. You can put almost anything between two flour tortillas and some cheese and the result is likely delicious.
These crunchy, gooey, flavorful and unique quesadillas are not only delicious and decadent, they’re healthy, too. You can thank Wild Blueberries for that! Jammed packed full of anti-inflammatory goodness, these quesadillas are working overtime to keep you healthy, especially during cold season! Wild Blueberries are so versatile in the kitchen. I love how they keep their intense blueberry flavor when you cook with them. Which is great when you’re making a dish like stuffing or these yummy quesadillas.
I wanted to add a little something extra to this dish to give it the wow factor! After a quick peruse of the fridge, I found my answer: jalapeno jelly. It was the perfect hint of sweetness from the jelly plus some jalapeno heat to kick it up a notch! The sweet and the heat complement the Wild Blueberries perfectly.
Of course a quesadilla is not a quesadilla without cheese. I recommend you mix it up! I used three different kinds of cheese for these quesadillas. Brie, being the Queen of melting cheese, was an obvious choice (and of course it worked great). But any cheese tastes amazing paired with Wild Blueberries. I tested these quesadillas with smoked Gouda and tangy goat. Both worked deliciously.
Wild Blueberries and gooey melted cheese folded into a crispy tortilla…the perfect holiday lunch!
About the Author
Danielle Omar is a registered dietitian, clean-eating coach, teacher and cookbook author. She is a passionate food and nutrition educator and founded Danielle Omar Nutrition to support busy men and women on their journey to becoming their healthiest self. An avid cook, she also enjoys sharing plant-based recipes and nutrition strategies on her Food Confidence blog. Danielle has a Master’s degree in Nutrition and has been teaching nutrition at the college level for over 10 years. She has contributed to local and national media outlets such as The Washingtonian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Shape Magazine, and Women’s Health Magazine. Through her private nutrition practice, media work, and group programs, Danielle has successfully motivated hundreds of busy professionals and families to eat confidently and live a healthy life.
