Make-Your-Own-Pizza Night

For another easy spring meal, I’ve been taking advantage of the ready-made whole grain pizza crusts that are available in the grocery store.  It’s even a dinner my older kids can make on their own.  All that is needed is sauce, crust, cheese, and toppings.  Customize it however you like, and in my opinion, the more veggies, the better!  Once the pizza is assembled, it takes 10-15 minutes in a 400 degree oven (or according to the pizza crust instructions).  Serve it with a green or fruit salad, it becomes a Myplate meal!

The photo above illustrates how customized a recent pizza nite was at our house.  My boys made their half by layering pizza sauce, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella.  My girls’ half was pesto, fresh tomato, mushroom, and spinach, topped with fresh mozzarella and drizzled with a balsamic glaze.   Can you guess which half I helped eat?  Enjoy!!

What’s for Lunch? Rice & Bean Burrito Bowl!

Easy lunches are my bag!  (pun intended).  This one can be packed to go.  If I don’t have any leftover brown rice handy, I’ll use Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice.   

It requires only 1 minute in the microwave.  So, put your beans, corn, salsa, and other toppings in one container, pack a rice cup with it and assemble at work or school (microwave needed).  If leftover rice is used, a microwave is not needed but I recommend keeping the rice separate from the toppings until it is time to eat.

Rice & Bean Burrito Bowl (serves 2)

1 can black or pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1 can sweet corn, drained

2 cups cooked brown rice

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Your favorite salsa

Your choice:  cherry tomatoes, avocado, lite sour cream.

Divide rice between 2 bowls.  Place ½ cup beans, ½ cup corn, and ¼ cup cheese on top of each rice bowl.  Top with your choice of salsa and toppings.

Weekend Wisdom: Understanding Whole Grain

I often mention the importance of including whole grains in our diets.  But what does ‘whole grain’ really mean and how are they identified?

Most whole grains are the seeds of grasses, called kernels.  The term ‘whole grain’ is reserved for grains that are made up of the three edible parts of the original kernel:  the bran, endosperm and germ.  In contrast, refined grains have had the bran and germ parts removed.  Without the bran and germ, the grain suffers a significant loss of nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber.  Most of these refined grains are enriched (i.e., some nutrients are added back) with B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid, and the mineral iron.  But what remains lost is the fiber and phytochemicals unique to the whole grain.  In addition, according to the Whole Grains Council, about 25% of the grain’s protein is also lost.

The health benefits of whole grains include protection from cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, insulin sensitivity/resistance, obesity, premature death and certain cancers.  The current health recommendation is that half of the grains we eat daily should be whole.  That means about 3-5 servings of whole grain every day.  Here is a partial list of whole grains (the gluten-free whole grains are *starred* only for reference):

Amaranth*

Barley

Brown Rice*, includes colored rice

Buckwheat*

Corn*, includes cornmeal and popcorn

Millet*

Oats, includes oatmeal

Quinoa*

Rye

Sorghum* (or milo)

Tricale

Wheat, includes spelt, farro, durum and forms like bulgur, cracked wheat, and wheatberries.

Wild Rice*

When shopping for whole grain products, look at the ingredient labels.  Look for ‘whole’ listed as the first ingredient.  And, when comparing similar products, choose the one with at least 2 grams of fiber listed per serving.  Remember that ‘enriched’ does not mean whole.  It means quite the opposite… that nutrients were added back to the grain because the nutrient-rich bran and germ were removed.  In addition, ‘stone ground’, ‘multi-grain’, ‘cracked wheat’, and ‘100% wheat’ do not mean ‘whole grain’.

Myplate2yours has many whole grain recipes for you to enjoy.  And, I am committed to continue providing new ways to include more whole grains into your everyday.

Barley Fiesta Salad

As the name implies, this salad is festive in color, flavor and full of nutrition.  I first started bragging about the benefits of barley with the Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup and then with Barley & Apple Breakfast Bake.  Here is another easy recipe that features this healthful grain.

Barley Fiesta Salad (adapted from barleyfoods.org)

3 cups cooked pearled barley (pearled barley can take 45-60 minutes to cook.  I use quick pearled barley, Quaker brand, which cooks in 10 minutes)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves (I use Gourmet Garden chopped basil-  it’s organic and squeezable…so easy!!)
½ teaspoon salt, ground black pepper

1 can corn, drained
1 cup diced fresh tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Combine olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt and a dash pepper. Pour dressing over warm barley; toss to coat. Cool in refrigerator.  Add corn, tomatoes, bell pepper and onions. Serve immediately or chill. Makes about 5 cups.

Weekend Wisdom: Easing into Whole Grains

Are you facing resistance when adding whole grains into your family’s diet?  Try this strategy:  serve a mixture of both whole and refined grain products.  You can cook these grains together:  brown and white rice mixed in a steamer and whole grain and regular semolina pasta boiled in a pot.  It also works for whole wheat and regular egg noodles cooked and served together as shown here.  This isn’t the prettiest picture but it demonstrates a well-liked end result!

Barley & Apple Breakfast Bake

This recipe satisfies two recent Myplate2yours promises.  First, with Benefits of Breakfast, I promised more breakfast ideas.  This is a great option because it includes all three recommended breakfast food groups in one dish-whole grain, lean protein/dairy, and fruit.  Next, I promised with Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup to share more barley recipes for you to incorporate this healthful grain into your diet.

I was so excited about this new recipe that I started early one school morning to make it for the kids.  Well, I preheated the oven, mixed all the ingredients, poured it into the pan, and set my timer.  Of course, I left the kitchen to start on my to-do list for the day.  When my timer went off 30 minutes later, I realized I didn’t smell anything baking.  I ran to the kitchen to discover that I had forgotten to put it in the oven!!  Oops!!  By then, it was too late to have it ready for breakfast.  It all worked out ok because my kids did enjoy it as an afternoon snack and it even reheated well the next morning in the microwave and was enjoyed topped with Greek yogurt for breakfast.

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Myplate2yours proudly introduces:  Barley & Apple Breakfast Bake (please remember to put it in the oven!)

2 cups quick barley, uncooked (I found a Quaker Oats brand at Jewel Food Stores )

2 cups skim milk

1 banana, mashed

1 large apple, diced (I did not peel the apple, but peeling is fine)

2 eggs. slightly beaten

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup yellow raisins

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix barley and milk in a large bowl.  Prep apples and banana and add to bowl.  Stir in eggs, honey, raisins, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish (I sprayed it with Pam).  Place in the oven for 30 minutes.  Enjoy warm with yogurt.  Yum!!

Slow Cooker Sunday: Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup

Barley is a versatile whole grain.  It’s nutty flavor and chewy texture work great not only in soup but as a pilaf, salad, or hot breakfast cereal.  Barley is also high in fiber with 3 grams in each cooked 1/2 cup.  Barley’s fiber content is rich in the same soluble fiber as oats which helps lower blood cholesterol levels. More Myplate2yours barley recipes coming soon!

Here is another slow cooker recipe that your family will enjoy.  In my house, it’s picky eater approved!!

1 pound stew meat, cut into bite size pieces

3 carrots, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 small potatoes, cubed (peeled or unpeeled)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1 quart (4 cups) beef or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pearled barley (uncooked)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

freshly ground pepper

Place the carrots, garlic, onions and potatoes into a 5-6 quart slow cooker.  Add the stew meat, tomatoes, and corn.  Sprinkle with basil and salt.  Pour broth over top.  Cook for 6-8 hours.  At final hour, turn heat to high and add barley*.  When complete, season with hot sauce and freshly ground pepper.

*An alternative to pearled barley is quick-cooking barley that takes 10 minutes to cook.  You can use this faster cooking barley in this recipe, just add it 10-20 minutes before the soup is ready.

Holiday sides: Quinoa with Cherries and Pine Nuts

Here’s the first of several Holiday dishes you can try this month.  “Holiday” because they are festive in color and flavor but the nutrition and ease of these recipes are good for everyday.  This one is a simple whole grain side dish that is full of texture & flavor:   Quinoa with Cherries & Pine Nuts.

Quinoa is an ancient grain that has been in the Andes of South America for more than 5,00 years.  Quinoa provides a high protein content as well as fiber, phosphorus , iron and magnesium.  And for all of my gluten-free followers, this recipe is for you!!

Here it is:

1 cups quinoa

2 cups water

½ cup dried cherries (cut in half, if needed)

¼ cup pine nuts (toasted in sauté pan or in 350 degree oven 3-5 minutes)

½ red onion, diced finely and sautéed in 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat until translucent (3-5 minutes)

Heat the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan; Cover; turn the heat to low and cook until all water is absorbed , about 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow to rest, 5 minutes.

Put the quinoa in a bowl; mix in the cherries, pine nuts and cooked red onion.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

This recipe, like all my recipes, can be printed.  Just click on the title, and click on ‘print’. 

Oatmeal Trifecta: Baked Oatmeal

Holidays afford us more time at home and a great opportunity to try the third winner of our oat trifecta. It’s a wonderfully warm breakfast, perfect for these cooler mornings.    Here it is:

3 cups oats (I use Quaker’s Old Fashioned oats- for all three of the trifecta recipes- but Quick oats will work as well.)

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk (fat-free works for everything I make)

2 eggs

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine (I LOVE Earth Balance…high in monounsaturated fats, contains no trans fats and spreads, cooks, melts, and tastes like butter.)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup dried fruit (I use apricots- quartered & cherries- halved)

(optional) 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients; whisking to blend.  Pour wet into dry and stir until moistened.  Add the dried fruit and seeds.  Stir to mix.  Pour into a greased 9×13 pyrex baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.   Serve warm (or at room temperature) with vanilla yogurt and chopped nuts, if desired.

When I make this on school days, I’ll mix the dry ingredients together the night before.  Then, while the oven is preheating in the morning, I’ll mix the wet ingredients and complete the recipe.  This little extra effort is well worth it for this delicious breakfast treat!

Oatmeal Trifecta: Granola

Here’s our second winner!  Granola with oats, coconut, Grape-Nuts, sunflower seeds, dried fruit and nuts.  Delicious as a snack or a satisfying breakfast when topped with yogurt and berries.  This recipe was given to me by my dear friend & fellow dietitian, Jane.  Here it is:

6 cups oatmeal

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

3/4 cup nuts (almonds/pecans/cashews)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup cooking oil (I prefer canola)

1/3 cup water

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried fruit (we use Craisins)

Combine the first 5 ingredients.  Combine other ingredients (except dried fruit).  Pour over cereal mixture.  Mix to coat well.  Spread onto 2 greased baking sheets and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  Stir every 10-15 minutes.  Cool.  Add dried fruit.  Store in air tight container.  Makes 11 cups.

The smells in your kitchen while the granola is cooking will easily attract your entire family from all corners of your house!!