The kids are back in school, schedules are getting hectic, and chances are your busy weeknights are quickly becoming one of the biggest barriers to healthy eating.  If you find it’s a challenge to whip up a quick weeknight meal, check out these 5 tips great tips, shared by our fabulous Nutrition Education Team!

• One-pot meals are a quick and easy way to make sure we are getting our 5 food groups in a convenient way. Check out this One-Pot Vegetarian Stew or this Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl from our friends at EatFresh.org. 

• Cook grains in large batches and store for later use. Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta, add healthy bulk to our meals and they are a great source of fiber! 

• Stock your pantry with canned proteins such as canned fish, canned chicken, canned beans, etc. and add them to meals for a good source of protein. Check out this Whole Wheat Pasta with Diced Tomatoes and Salmon for a healthy meal option. 

• Roast veggies in batches and store for later use. These add a variety of nutrients to meals in addition to fiber from the vegetables’ skin. Remember, the richer the color of a fruit or veggie, the more nutrients we get from them. Try choosing root veggies such as beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. for nutrient-packed options. 

• Chop fruits and veggies in advance of dinner time and store them in your freezer. This way you will have choices ready to go when it comes to selecting ingredients to mix into those one-pot dishes, such as omelets, soups, or pastas.

The Food Bank ‘Mini’ team lives to figure out-of-the-box ways of delivering fresh, nutritious food to our neighbors in need.  To help celebrate the wonderful offerings we are still distributing this summer, we asked members of our Nutrition Education team to help us out with a few refreshing Summer Squash recipes. They pulled up a few delicious ideas from our friends at EatFresh.org.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooked Summer Squash

INGREDIENTS
6 medium summer squash – cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon salt – divided into two 1/2 teaspoons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium red bell pepper – seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove – minced
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter – cut into small cubes

PREPARATION

*In a large colander, combine the zucchini slices with 1/2 tsp of the salt. Let stand until the zucchini gives off its juices, about 30 minutes. Rinse well under cold running water to remove the salt, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
*In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Removed from the heat, add the zucchini, and mix well.
*In a medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
*Place half of the zucchini mixture in a buttered 3.5-qt slow cooker. Sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Top with the remaining zucchini mixture, the sprinkle with the remaining crumbs. dot the top of the crumbs with melted butter.
*Cover and slow cook until the zucchini is tender, about 4 to 5 hours on low.

Squash and Corn Pasta Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 cups Low-sodium chicken broth
4 Small zucchini (or any summer squash) diced
½ Small onion chopped
1 Large clove of garlic minced
2 cups Canned corn (16 oz.) drained
10 ounces Whole grain angel hair pasta (thin spaghetti) broken into 2” or 3” pieces
1 cup Tomato sauce (8 oz.)
Olive oil

PREPARATION

*Coat bottom on large skillet with a little bit of olive oil. Add broken pasta and mix well to coat. *Toast pasta over medium heat, stirring and turning constantly until golden. Pasta will burn easily.
*In a 2-quart saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic. Cook, covered, until zucchini is soft.
*Stir in corn and remove from heat.
*Carefully stir toasted spaghetti into saucepan with zucchini; add tomato sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until spaghetti is tender.
*To serve, ladle into shallow bowls.

The Food Bank ‘Mini’ team lives to figure out-of-the-box ways of delivering fresh, nutritious food to our neighbors in need.  To help celebrate the wonderful fruit offerings this spring, we asked members of our Nutrition Education team to help us out with a few refreshing strawberry recipes. They pulled up a few delicious ideas from our friends at EatFresh.org.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Spring Rolls

INGREDIENTS

½ cup Daikon cut into thin strips
½ cup Gailon cut into thin strips
½ cup Chinese cabbage cut into small strips
½ cup Strawberries cut into small strips
8 rice wrappers
4 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sesame oil

PREPARATION

*Mix together all vegetable strips
*Place strips on soaked rice wrappers and roll up burrito-fashion.
*Combine soy sauce and oil; use for dipping sauce.

Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade

INGREDIENTS

4 cups 100% pineapple juice
2 cups Fresh or frozen strawberries sliced
¼ cup Fresh lemon juice
½ cup Water
Ice

PREPARATION

*Put all ingredients (except ice) in a blender container and churn until the mixture is smooth
*Pour into glasses over ice cubes and serve.

With spring in full bloom, you may have noticed a plethora of fresh produce at your local pantry or neighborhood market.  Here are some fun facts and tips for our favorite spring produce items, plus easy-to-follow recipes from our Nutrition Education Team. Enjoy!

Fabulous Asparagus

• A good source of fiber, folate, and Vitamins A, C, and K
• Store upright in the fridge with the base of spears in water for 2-3 days
• Quick-and-easy prep:
  • Steam full spears with a little water in a pan on your stovetop for about 5 minutes.
  • Cut into pieces and sauté with other vegetables in a little oil.
  • Cook in the microwave in a glass dish with a little water for about 5 minutes.

Recipe: Asparagus and Red Quinoa Salad

Amazing Artichokes

• A good source of Vitamin C, Folate, Magnesium, and fiber
• Store in the fridge: cut a small slice from the stem, sprinkle with water, and store in an airtight plastic bag. Cook them within 7 days from storage.
• Quick-and-easy prep:
  • Steam whole, with a little water in a pan on your stovetop for about 30 minutes on high heat (add enough water so it doesn’t evaporate part way through cooking)
  • Boil whole by submerging in water, and simmering for about 30 minutes
  • Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake for 1 hour at 425˚ F.

Recipe: Boiled Artichokes

Flavorful Fennel

• A good source of potassium and Vitamin A
• Store by separating the long stalks from the bulb and store the two parts separately in plastic bags. You can also store the full fennel upright in a cup of water on the counter. Use within a couple of days to avoid loss of flavor.
• Keep in mind that the entire plant can be consumed, from bulb to stalks.
• Quick-and-easy prep:
  • Fennel bulb can be enjoyed raw in salads, but can also be sautéed, roasted or grilled with the stalks.
  • The stalks are more fibrous than the bulb and are best enjoyed cooked.

Recipe: Salmon with Roasted Fennel and Citrus

(artichoke photo courtesy Martin Adams on Unsplash)

The Food Bank ‘Mini’ team lives to figure out-of-the-box ways of delivering fresh, nutritious food to our neighbors in need.  To mark April as National Celery Month, we asked members of our Nutrition Education team to help us out with a few celery recipes. They pulled up a few delicious ideas from our friends at EatFresh.org.  Enjoy!

Apple Celery Slaw with Nuts

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 apples diced (skin on)
2 large celery ribs cut into 1/4 inch-thick pieces
2 cups raw cabbage shredded
¼ cup nuts chopped
chopped parsley (optional)

PREPARATION

*Whisk the vinegar with the mustard in a large bowl.
*Add oil in a stream, whisking until blended.
*Toss apples, celery, and cabbage with the dressing.
*Just before serving, sprinkle with nuts (and parsley).

Chickpea Dip with Fresh Celery Sticks

INGREDIENTS

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup plain lowfat yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil (or nonstick cooking spray)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 medium celery stalks sliced

PREPARATION

*Put the first eight ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
*Serve at room temperature with celery slices and enjoy!

If you’re like us, then you can’t wait for the rain to finally pass so you can get started on your annual “spring cleaning” tasks. Word to the wise, don’t forget to add your pantry and refrigerator to the list! Being mindful about what food we have on hand can help us cook healthier meals and eat better. Our Nutrition Education Team has put together some tips that will lead to a cleaner kitchen and a healthier you!

Know Where to Store Your Fruits and Veggies

Storing fruits and veggies in their proper place means more space in your fridge and more time to enjoy these healthy foods, as they will not spoil prematurely.

• Store in a cool, dark place (such as a pantry) but NOT the fridge: potatoes, onions, winter squash, yams and sweet potatoes. The cold temperature of the fridge can cause them to sprout.
• Store and ripen on the counter: bananas and tomatoes. You can ripen fruits like avocados, melon, and stone fruit on the counter too, and then refrigerate.
• Refrigerate: berries, broccoli, greens and grapes.

What’s more, don’t handle, wash or cut your produce until you are ready to use it. Keeping them ‘as is’ from the grocery store as long as possible will ensure your food stays fresh longer.

Keep Food Safety in Mind When Stocking Your Fridge

Store ready-to-eat foods, fruits, vegetables, and dairy ABOVE uncooked meats, eggs, and fish in your refrigerator to avoid cross contamination. That way, if raw eggs or meat drip onto anything, it will be the bottom of your fridge, instead of leaking onto other foods.

Don’t be Fooled by “Best By” or “Sell By” Dates

Code dates, also called “Best By”, “Sell By” or “Use By” dates can be confusing. These code dates indicate a food’s peak flavor and quality, but they are not USDA-regulated safety dates, nor are they reasons to throw food out. Food is often good far past its code date.

Did you know that canned vegetables can last anywhere from 1.5 to 5 years past their code date? Dairy products such as milk and yogurt can last anywhere from 7-10 days past their code date. If properly stored in your freezer by the code date listed on the package, meats can last for many years past that date.

Shop Your Freezer Before Heading to the Store

Your freezer can store wonderful meal staples like meat, soups, and frozen vegetables. Make meals new again by making a batch of cornbread to go with that soup or chili you found in the freezer. Use frozen veggies in a weekend brunch frittata, or poach that frozen chicken and make it into tasty tacos. Check out our Yum Videos for more recipe inspiration!