Recipe of the Month

Turkey Tarragon Pitas

Turkey Tarragon Pitas are a great summer dish. They are light but you feel full after eating one serving. The recipe is easy, just mix everything together. You can make the recipe ahead and serve it a few days later even. Great nutrition for you and your family as well, one serving offers all 5 recommended food groups: fruit, grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy! The ONIE Test Kitchen prepared this recipe for a cooking demonstration this week. Lucky me, I got some of the left overs.

Ingredients:   

1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp tarragon, dried
3 cups cooked turkey, shredded
1 cup green grapes, halved
4 (6-inch) whole grain pitas
8 oz fresh spinach

 

Servings:     8                                                                    7 ingredients

 Preparation:

• In a medium bowl, add yogurt, mayonnaise, and tarragon, mix well.
• Add in turkey and grapes.
• Cut the pitas in half; Place spinach inside of pitas.
• Fill pitas with turkey mixture just before serving.
• Refrigerate left overs within 2-3 hours.

Printable version

ONIE Test Kitchen Tip: covering and refrigerating the turkey mixture for an hour before serving will enhance the flavor. It allows time for the flavors to meld toghether.

Happy Hump Day!  I am loving the rain!

Karla and the ONIE Project Team

Summer Fresh Salsa!

ONIE has got you covered! Whether you are planning a family reunion, a backyard barbeque, or just hanging out with the family for the 4^th of July.  We have a delicious salsa recipe for you to share with your family!  It can be served as a dip,  side dish,  salad topper, or many other ways.  To prepare this recipe for you, we went shopping this morning and spent $5.48 excluding tax.

Easy on the budget, just 69 cents per serving

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans (reduced sodium and drain/rinse)
2 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 bell peppers (any color)
½ red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic crushed, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder

*Check out the nutrition label! You can feel good about what you are serving your family. No fat, 6 grams of protein, lots of vitamin C, plus Vitamin A and dietary fiber.

 

It is this easy!

DRAIN & RINSE

1. Rinse and drain the black beans.
2. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.
3. Refrigerate covered for 3 to 4 hours to allow flavors to blend together.
4. Serve with celery sticks, baked chips, or as a side dish.

 

ONIE Test Kitchen Tip

Peeling garlic: Lay the knife blade flat over a piece of garlic, form a fist with your hand, and give the blade a quick pop with your hand. The skin will crack to make peeling easy!

 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

FROM THE ONIE PROJECT TEAM

Meredith, Stephanie, Karla, Jade & Veronica

Special ONIE Nutrition Tip: 

Cut back on the sugary drinks and serve fresh water flavored with sliced lemons, limes, watermelon, or even herbs like mint.

 

 

 

Healthy Meets Tasty! A Summer Sandwich

We have turned a sandwich into a special treat with summer squash and zucchini; some of the cheapest summer vegetables. I love this sandwich. It is yummy, light, and helps me eat my daily servings of veggies!  I picked up the veggies at my local farmers’ market that accepts SNAP benefits.

Ingredients*  

1 Tbsp olive oil
½ yellow squash
½ zucchini
4 slices of whole wheat bread
1/4 cup hummus (any flavor)
Lettuce (optional)

*Makes 2 sandwiches

Directions

1. Slice zucchini and yellow squash into long, thin strips.   
2. Toss squash, and zucchini together with olive oil in bowl.
3. Add vegetable mixture to frying plan.
4. Sauté until slightly brown about 2- 4 minutes per side.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Toast slices of bread.
7. Spread hummus across toasted bread and top with sautéed vegetables.

ONIE Test Kitchen Tip: I used rosemary to season the potatoes instead of salt because some foods that we eat often have quite a bit of salt or sodium. Potatoes pair well with many herbs.

Special reminder:

Summer feeding programs are available across Oklahoma. Click on meals to find a location near you!

 Karla and The ONIE Team

2014 Summer Meals for Kids!

 

School is out and summer meals for children are beginning in many communities around Oklahoma.  Each meal meets USDA nutritional guidelines and is a quick and easy way to feed your family. ONIE has the who, where, and when!

Who!

Meals are free for children and youth under the age of 18. Adults can join their kids for a small fee (about the cost of the meal).  No application or identification is required; just show up at the most convenient location at the schedule time.  The menu and cost for adults vary depending upon the location.

Where and When!

Summer meals are served at over 800 locations across Oklahoma.  Many serve breakfast, snacks, and lunch. A few serve supper as well. You may find the location nearest you and the time that meals are served by following the link on the name of each area described below.

Oklahoma City and Surrounding Area

Includes Bethany, Deer Creek, Del City, Edmond, El Reno, Guthrie, Midwest City, Noble, Norman, Oklahoma City, Shawnee, Spencer, the Village, Warr Acres, and Yukon.

Tulsa and Surrounding Area

Includes Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Claremore, Sallisaw, Sapulpa, and Tulsa.

Lawton Area

Includes Lawton only.

Muskogee Area

Includes Muskogee only.

Rural Areas

Any other area.

ONIE sends a big thanks to all of the sponsoring organizations across the state that are helping our Oklahoma families stay strong! We hope everyone has a happy, fun-filled summer.

KARLA AND THE ONIE PROJECT TEAM

 

 

 

*Information provided courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Education.
Photograph provided courtesy of Putnam City Public Schools.

 

Spring Forward

Let’s Get Midwest City Moving’s 2014 Harvest Hustle 5K walk/run event on Sunday, October 19, 2014 was spectacular.  The complete not compete 5K is hosted by the Let’s Get Midwest City Moving initiative under the leadership of the ONIE Project and the MIDWEST CITY YMCA. X sponsors and volunteers. Midwest City was moving as 780 racers completed a 5K course at Joe B. Barnes Regional Park in Midwest City and attended a Wellness Expo. The weather was perfect and the smiling faces seemed endless. The park was awash in orange as racers sported t-shirts sponsored by Variety Care Community Health Center. There were new faces and familiar faces, 33% of the racers were returning races from the 2013 Let’s Get Midwest City Moving initiative. 

Before the race began, we had an interactive wellness expo that was an enjoyable experience for all ages.  An assortment of vendors from the Midwest City area put on fun games and activities, gave out helpful health information, and provided wellness screenings. Those attending the Wellness Expo won a “blackout bingo” prize if their bingo card was signed by nine of the vendors. The prize was a free first aid kit donated by Walgreens.  Many children and families jump roped with volunteers from the Midwest City and Del City Metropolitan Library, and others played with colorful hula hoops with Midwest City Jazzercise. Variety Care hosted potato sack races and the American Lung Association helped people exercise their lungs with wind powered boat races. Walgreens provided BMI wellness screenings and flu shots at no out of pocket cost. Midwest Regional Medical Center gave blood pressure checks. Also, there were many wonderfully painted mustaches and other designs worn by those who stopped at the ONIE Project‘s face painting table. All 17 vendors had a unique activity they created to show how being active and healthy is doable and fun!

 

 

Everyone had a great time warming up before the race with the Midwest City Jazzercise followed by zumba led by Midwest City YMCA.  The warm-ups was fun and got everyone read for the course.  After the warm-up, Let’s Get Midwest city Moving gave out awards! The award for the first to register went to Kim Pearse, who started registration within 4 seconds of it opening. The largest group award went to Sister’s on A Serious Mission 4 Life. These women were serious with 26 racers! The largest group of volunteers was University of Central Oklahoma. The most life experienced racer was Elmer Grove. The youngest racer went to Shiloh Jamerson. Best dressed awards went Patterson Family. Three racers dressed as black-eye peas won a best dressed award. The last best dressed award went to mother and daughter team dressed as skeletons in the tradition of the Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) holiday. 

Participants finished the event with a race medal and a post race celebration hosted by Midwest City Jazzercise. Many participants stayed after they completed the race for a chance to win a prize from the many donated items thanks to Hibbett Sports and Dick’s Sporting Goods. We also had 3 grand prizes: 2- two week unlimited sessions to MWC Jazzercise and 1 six month free family membership to the YMCA.

The Let’s Get Midwest City Moving initiative has been full of fun, excitement, and encouragement. It was no surprise that the Midwest City community and area wellness expo vendors would take on the challenge to show everyone that being healthy and active can be enjoyable!

We want to say thank you again to our sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and of course, our participants for helping make the Spring Forward 5k and Wellness Expo a success!  Hundreds of pictures are on Facebook; we encourage you to tag yourself and your friends and family.We are looking forward to Splash Dash on June 22, 2014. 

Sponsors:

• Variety Care
• St. Anthony’s Dermatology – Dr. Shelbi Hayes
• Vision Source Midwest city
• Buddy’s Produce
• Great Plains Coca Cola
• City of Midwest City
• Addtronics
• Crest Fresh Market
• Dick’s Sporting Goods
• East Word News
• Hibbett Sports
• Homeland
• Jersey Mikes
• Metro Family Magazine
• Midwest City Jazzercise
• Midwest City Library – Metropolitan Library System
• Midwest Regional Hospital
• Oklahoma City 7-11Stores
• ONIE Project
• Ozarka – Eureka Water Company
• Panera Bread Company
• Wal Mart – Del City
• Walgreens
• YMCA – Midwest City YMCA

List Wellness Expo Vendors:

• American Lung Association
• CASA of Oklahoma County, Inc.
• Family Expectations
• Harold Hamm Diabetes Center
• North Care
• Metropolitan Library
• Midwest City Fire Department
• Midwest City Jazzercise
• Midwest Regional Medical Center
• Midwest City YMCA
• The ONIE Project
• Spencer Family Dentistry
• Variety Care Community Health Center
• Vision Source
• Walgreens Pharmacy

 

GREEN ZOMBIES, IMMORTAL VEGETABLES !

How many times have you opened you fridge in the hopes of eating a fresh crispy apple and all you could see was a shriveled wrinkly prune-size object that used to be so luscious just yesterday?? Don’t you hate spending all this money on produce and then find it in a few days completely wilted and unappetizing? If only there was a way to bring your veggies back to life!!! Well, listen closely (or should I say “read attentively”) because I know how to make your greens immortal.

As a vegetarian, who eats lots and lots of fruit and vegetables, I always find new ways to keep my produce fresher for longer. Over the years I came up with a few ideas on how to do it effectively.

 SHOP SMART:

Always pick fruits and vegetables that are free of bruises, cuts, mold, dark and soft spots and any other visible damage.

Shop at farmers markets! They sell the freshest produce available. You can be sure that food purchased at a local farmers market has been picked and sold within 24-48 hours of harvesting.

BE PROACTIVE:

Whenever you buy vegetables in bulk – FREEZE THEM! Freezing is a neat technique to use anytime you have extra produce in the fridge.

There are a few easy steps to freezing:

1. Wash your vegetables first and then place them in the boiling water for a minute or two.
2. Then quickly place them in ice water to stop the cooking process.
3. Put your veggies on a paper towel and dry them completely.
4. Use plastic bags to store you veggies in the freezer. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 18 months!!

 BE CREATIVE:

Make SMOOTHIES with leftover fruit and leafy greens. Here is my favorite recipe for an easy-to-make delicious smoothie.

Blend together:

1 apple
1 banana
1 pear
2 cups of spinach
½ – 1 cup of water

And wooalah — smoothie is ready!!  Use different combinations of what you have on hand!

AWAKEN AND REFRESH:

Place wilted greens, wrinkly carrots or green beans in an ice water bath. They will awaken and crisp up in about 30 minutes.

MAKE SAUCES!

You can make mouthwatering pesto with those droopy herbs that you have in the fridge. Pesto is prepared in seconds and can be used as a dip, spread or pasta sauce.

Try this recipe for a quick, inexpensive pesto sauce!

In a food processor (or a blender) pulse until smooth these ingredients:

2 cups of raw herbs (parsley or basil)
3 tablespoons of nuts (peanuts, walnuts, or almonds)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper

You can always make some spaghetti sauce with leftover vegetables that are about to go bad. I promise, it will taste way better than any store bought tomato sauce.  Spaghetti is one of my favorite “go to” meals when I do not want to spend much time in the kitchen.

Here is a recipe for spaghetti sauce!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp of olive oil
½ cup of yellow onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can of no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
¾ cup of carrots
¾ cup of bell peppers
¾ cup of zucchini or squash
¾ cup of cauliflower
1 cup of tomatoes
2 tsp of Italian seasoning (dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme)
½ tsp of black pepper

Tip: You can use any vegetables available.

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onion, garlic and all the vegetables that you could find in your fridge. Cook until veggies are nice and soft.
2. Crank the heat up to medium high and add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir in all the seasonings.
3. Let the sauce cook for about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to stir it occasionally!
4. Remove from heat. You can use it right away or store in the freezer. Remember, the sauce has to cool down completely before you can put in freezer safe containers.

These simple ideas will help you revitalize fruit and vegetables in your fridge!

Polina Novitskaya (ONIE Dietetic Intern) 

October Recipe of the Month

Creamy Spinach Noodles

I love this dish.  It is delicious and super easy. It can be ready to serve in 15 minutes.  With this one dish, I am eating a dark leafy green vegetable, dairy, and fiber. Even though it is meatless, one serving has 10 grams of protein. Eating healthy can be tasty and fast. Even kids love it!

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups any whole wheat pasta, dry
• 1 (10 oz) package spinach, frozen, chopped
• 1/2 tsp basil, dried
• 1 Tbsp parsley flakes, dried
• 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp reduced-fat Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preparation:

1. Thaw and drain spinach.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside.
3. In a skillet cook spinach for 5 minutes. Add basil, parsley, cottage cheese, and salt to spinach. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until heated.
4. Serve spinach mix over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.
5. Refrigerate left overs within 2-3 hours.

Servings: 6

Karla and the ONIE Team  

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Let’s protect our kids from the health risk of obesity.

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Obesity affects millions of American children and teenagers. Excess weight puts our children and teenagers at risk for serious health problems. As parents, we all want to protect our children. The good news is that there is lot that we can to do protect them from the health risk of obesity. We at the ONIE team have some tips. These tips are good advice for all of us. First and foremost it is about health, not weight. A healthy lifestyle gives us energy, helps us just feel good, and over time we have fewer serious diseases like diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Plus, we build stronger families when we do healthy activities together.

Tip #1. Get Moving. 

Engage in physical activity at least five days a week: a total of 60 minutes of active play for children, 30 minutes of activity for adults. The key word is active. Playing basketball on the playground, taking walks, hula-hooping, and riding bicycles are all great ways to be active. ONIE has tips on making your own hula hoop for as little as $2 each.

Tip #2. Limit Screen Time.

Most kids have too much screen time. Watching TV and movies, playing video games, and surfing the web are all screen time. One to two hours per day of screen time is the limit. Limiting screen time has many benefits. We have more time to be active, do homework, and just spend time together.  ONIE tips to reduce screen time include not turning the TV right when you get home and not eating in front of the TV.

Tip #3. Beware of Beverages.

Cutting sugary drinks out of your child’s diet (and your own) can reduce calories. Sweetened drinks and fruit drinks offer nothing except sugar and calories. ONIE tips are to drink more water and 100% percent fruit juices.  Water is sugar free, calorie free, and keeps your body hydrated. Squeezing a lemon or other fruit into a glass of water can add flavor and nutrients. 100% fruit juice add calories but it also has vitamins and nutrients.

Tip #4. Eat Breakfast. 

Breakfast gives a kick-start for the day. It provides the fuel for children and adolescents’ brains so they can focus and learn. If your morning is busy, grab and go with yogurt and trail mix or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread. A bowl of cereal is quick and nutritious. Choosing cereals that are right for your family is easy if you follow these ONIE  guidelines: 10 grams or less of sugar and 3 grams or more of fiber. Look for cereals with whole grain listed as the first ingredient. 1% low-fat milk is refreshing and goes great with cereal.

Tip #5. Eat together.

When families eat together, they tend to eat healthier meals — less fried foods and more vegetables. Remember ONIE Tip #2? It counts here, too. When families watch TV while eating, even if you’re all sitting together at the dinner table, the nutritional quality of the meal takes a nosedive, so turn off the tube and spend time with each other.

Karla and the ONIE Team 

Breakfast on the go. All of your favorites with a twist!

We have all the heard the saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”.   It is important.  Breakfast is your first fuel stop for the day.  It is especially important for kids and teens.  Eating breakfast helps kids have a good type of energy, do better in school, and continue to eat healthier throughout the day.  When I miss breakfast, I tend to be more restless, it’s harder to concentrate, and I feel tired, especially at the end of the day.

For me, sometimes I do not eat breakfast because I feel rushed in the mornings. ONIE is here to help us get our day off to a good start.   Dietetic intern, Jennifer Morton, shares some recipes to help us prepare a quick, healthy breakfast using foods we all love!  Even better, they are easy enough for school-aged children to do by themselves!   We think you and the kids will love them!!

Breakfast Tortilla Wrap

  Ingredients    

1 small whole wheat flour tortilla
1 small banana
2 Tbsp peanut butter
Drizzle of honey

Directions

1. Lay tortilla flat on a plate.
2. Spread 2 Tbsp of peanut butter across tortilla.
3. Drizzle honey over peanut butter to taste
4. Place banana on edge of tortilla.
5. Roll tortilla.

 

 

Breakfast Parfait

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Any kind of fruits and nuts for toppings!

Directions

Mix ½ cup plain yogurt with fruits and nuts.

It is that easy!!!   This simple parfait gives you nutrients from 3 food groups: dairy, protein, fruit!  Yip, nuts are a great source of protein. 1 ounce of nuts has 2.6 grams of protein.

Breakfast Pocket Sandwiches

Ingredients

Fork
Toaster
Two slices of bread
1 Tbsp jelly (may also use fresh or frozen fruit or honey)
1 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions

1. Spread ingredients on bread, leaving 1/2 inch on the outside edges.
2. Tear off the crust.
3. Use fork to press down in order to stick edges of bread together.
4. Place in toaster to heat and toast bread.
5. Serve.

I love having a glass of 1% low-fat milk with my breakfast!
1% low-fat milk has all the vitamins and nutrients of whole milk but with less saturated fat!

Hope your day gets off to great start tomorrow!

Jennifer and the ONIE Team

The Where, When, and How: Free School Supplies!

The Where, When, and How!  

Free School Supplies!

Nothing says it is time to go back school than free backpacks and school supplies!!! 

The ONIE team has pulled together a list of free backpack drives in the Oklahoma City metro area,

and a few tips on helping kids get ready to learn!!!

Click Here to see the complete list and find the location that best meets your needs.

The ONIE TOP 5 List!   

TIPS ON HELPING KIDS GET READY TO

GO BACK TO SCHOOL

It’s about that time to go back to school!!   Kids are looking forward to seeing old friends and having new experiences. But… it also is a hectic time and the summer routine is changing.   ONIE has a few tips to make it a bit easier to go back to school.

1.  If you can manage it, encourage your kids to participate in school activities! 

It makes school more fun and it is a great way for your kids to be physically active and meet new friends.   They will also learn important people skills and learn about staying committed.  Kids who are involved in school feel good about themselves and are more likely to graduate.

2.  Make time for them. 

Sometimes what kids need the most does not cost any money at all- they just need some time with us.  As kids go back to school, set aside some time to just go for a walk or read together.  This can be a very special time for everyone to share their day, their thoughts, unwind, and laugh.

3. Routine! Routine! Routine!

During the summer, kids may wake up late or go to bed late.  The week before school starts, enforcing a regular bed time and wake-up time so that they can get used to the routine. Kids need at least 8 HOURS of sleep! 

4. Cut back on TV/Electronics time. 

This one can be pretty tough but it is important one!  Cut back on TV, video games, and other electronics.  One hour of TV/electronics a day is plenty!   If no homework, free time can be spent reading a book, playing outside, or helping out with household chores.  Kids who watch more than 2 hours of TV/electronics a day are more likely to weight too much,  have trouble sleeping, and school can suffer!

5. Get ready for the week ahead together. 

The school week can be easier if things are ready for the week.   Take some time to make a grocery list and do the grocery shopping for the next week.  Depending on the age of your child, ask them to think about what clothes that they will wear for the week and what special things they may need.  Teaching your children to plan in advance will help them be organized.

And finally… the bonus tip!  

Enjoy this time.

The weather is still warm and with fall approaching the days will be a bit cooler.  As things become busy and crazy with school staring, our favorite tip is to take a moment to relax, appreciate your life, and enjoy the upcoming times.

Karla and the ONIE Team