They are pouring the salt on for us!

Salt Check

Salt, we all need some. Yet, we eat too much because they are pouring it on for us in much of the food that we buy!  Most of us get too much sodium/salt.  The daily recommended amount is 2300 mg or less, but most Americans consume about 3436 mg each day. However, it isn’t us adding it on at the table or in the kitchen. That’s right, the food companies have added it for us. A lot of unneeded salt has been added to the foods that we often eat. Here are some perfect examples. A half of a cup of regular canned green beans at 40 calories a serving has 380 mg of sodium a serving, which is 16% of the daily recommended amount. Yet, a serving of no-salt-added canned green beans has the same amount of calories and only 10 mg of sodium. A half of cup of tomato pasta sauce has 780 mg of sodium, most of which is just added salt.  Frozen pizza can be a quick and inexpensive meal but 1 slice or 1/8 of pizza has 720 mg of sodium, 30% of the daily recommended amount. Plus, who eats just one slice of pizza?

So what can you do? The ONIE project developed a handy rule of thumb for us to use when grocery shopping called “The Salt Check”. This Salt check is simple and easy to use. First check the calories and then find the milligrams (mg) of sodium. Good items will have 1mg of sodium or less for 1 calorie. The item on the right is good because the label shows that each serving has 90 calories or 90 mgs of sodium, or 1 for 1! When selecting grocery items choose food items that meet the 1 for 1 salt check. Avoid food items that are bad or have more than 1 mg of sodium for 1 calorie. The label below is bad because it has 270 mgs of sodium but only 90 calories.

If you spot a food item with too much salt, there are options for you to  lower your salt intake.  Often, you don’t have to give up anything. ONIE tips on reducing your sodium:

1. Look for a low-sodium or no-salt-added options.
2. Choose fresh or fresh frozen items without sauce.
3. Drain and rinse canned items (reduces the salt by up to 41%).
4. Eat less of foods that are high in added sodium like frozen pizza, instead make your own pizza.

To help you get started checking your salt, this week we are featuring a 1 for 1 certified recipe that you can try at home.

1 for 1 Fresh Summer Salsa

Servings: 1 cup – approximately 6 servings

Ingredients:

½ cup reduced sodium black beans, drained & rinsed
½ cup no-salt-added sweet corn
1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup diced avocado
1 cup diced mango
1 jalapeno, diced
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and enjoy with your favorite summer veggies or baked tortilla chips.

* Recipe provided courtesy of Alyson Dykstra, Homeland Grocery.

The ONIE Team

 

 

 

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

Bell Peppers are in Season: Pasta recipe, fun facts, & more!

Come see us this Saturday, July 12, 2014 from 8:00 to 12:00 at the Norman Farm Market for their watermelon festival. We will be there with our hula hoops and new recipes for you to take home.  Watermelons are in season and the market will have juicy slices for you and your family to taste. We also want you to see all the other tasty fruits and vegetables in season. We are extra excited for you to see the bell peppers, they are growing faster than the farmers can pick them! Bell peppers are great for many reasons. They come in different colors.  Their mild flavors go well with many foods from salads, pizza, and main dishes. Bell peppers have lots of health benefits too.  The are low in calories and loaded with Vitamin A and C, even more vitamin C than an orange!

Fun Facts about Bell Peppers!

OK Grown: In Oklahoma, peppers are in season from July to October.

Shopping Tip: Look for peppers with firm, shiny, and wrinkle-free skin.

Storage Tip: Refrigerate peppers unwashed in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer.

Heidi Steenbergn, an intern working with us this week, created a new recipe using bell peppers for us to try; it is pasta, pea, and bell pepper salad. This pasta dish is something the whole family will love and its a budget saver! It cost a $1.70 per serving to prepare and we had lots of Italian dressing left over. So really, it cost even less! It is quick as well. The total prep time is less than half an hour including the time to prepare the pasta. The recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen sweet peas, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups water
• ⅔ cup Italian salad dressing
• 8 ozs whole wheat rotini pasta
• 1½ cups red, green and yellow bell peppers, cubed
• 3 green onions, chopped
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring peas and water to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes, or until peas are cooked. Drain and transfer peas to a large bowl.
2. Stir salad dressing into peas and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions or until tender. Drain.
4. Cut bell peppers into cubes and chop green onions then add to peas.
5. Toss pasta with peas, peppers, and green onions.
6. Add salt and black pepper. Serve warm or chilled.

Happy Hump Day!  I hope we see you Saturday at the Norman Farm Market. To see a list of all the Farmers’ Markets in Oklahoma visit www.okgrown.com 

 

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

Local Farmers’ Markets

I was raised on a farm, and we always had a huge garden.  During the summer, we enjoyed fresh tomatoes, okra, small red potatoes, and corn on the cob. We would rinse strawberries just picked from the vine, and pop them into our mouths.  I can remember the taste now, after all these years.  You can taste the difference between locally grown fruits and vegetables and those available in grocery stores.  Thanks to our farmers’ markets, those of us without gardens can enjoy the fresh flavor of locally grown produce.  All over the state, farmers’ markets are opening. They are brimming with local produce.  Just click here for a list of farmers market that accepts SNAP benefits or your ACCESS card.

This weekend, the Norman Farm Market, is hosting an opening celebration on Saturday (May 17, 2014).  It will be held at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds on 615 E. Robinson, Norman, Oklahoma, and ONIE will be there joining in the celebration. The market opens at 8:00 A.M.  We took a tour to give you a mini-preview of a just few of the fresh fruits and vegetables at that the Norman Farm Market.  The market is filled with fresh greens, asparagus, beets, tomatoes, and melons.  And of course, my favorite, fresh strawberries.  Come join us at the Norman Farm Market Celebration. You may see me popping a few strawberries in my mouth!

Karla and the ONIE Team

Easy Summer Salads!

Can you believe that May is actually National Salad Month?  Eating more salads can be a good thing, most of us need more vegetables in our diet.  Besides who doesn’t love a tasty summer salad.  So I went in search of tasty salads that are more creative than a basic, lettuce salad, but easy to prepare. The ONIE Project picked two salads: Chopped Mexican Salad, and Macaroni Blossom Salad.  These recipes met our test of tasty, easy to make, and easy on the food budget.

Chopped Mexican Salad 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 (14.5 oz) can reduced-sodium black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (14.5 oz) can of no-salt-added whole kernel sweet corn (drained and rinsed)
1 bell pepper (any color)
1 avocado
1 (10 oz) bag of fresh spinach leaves
Black pepper to taste
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp hot sauce\

Serves 5 to 6

 Directions

1. Heat a frying pan over high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp olive oil; quickly add spinach.  Sauté 2-3 minutes until wilted.  Remove from stove and set aside to cool.
2. Chop bell pepper and avocado into bite size pieces.
3. Mix sautéed spinach, black beans, corn, bell pepper, and avocado in medium-sized bowl.
4. Add garlic powder, pepper, hot sauce, and 1 Tbsp of olive oilto vegetable mixture.  Mix well.
5. Serve.

ONIE Test Kitchen Tip:  We made this Mexican salad healthier by choosing reduced sodium black beans, and no-salt-added corn.  Salt is hidden in a lot of the foods that we eat.  Check for “hidden” sodium in your diet by reading the nutrition label, match 1 mg of sodium for 1 each calorie.

Macaroni Blossom Salad

This light summer salad is a meal all by itself.  Yum!            

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pasta, dry
2 bell peppers (any color)
1 cucumber (sliced)
3-4 cups broccoli florets
6 Tbsp olive oil mayonnaise
1 tsp Italian Herbs
Juice of ½ lemon
Serves 7 to 8

 

 

 Directions

1. Prepare 1 cup of uncooked pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Chop the bell peppers and cucumber into cubes.
3. Add pasta, bell peppers, cucumber, and broccoli florets into large serving bowl.
4. Add mayonnaise, herbs, and lemon juice.  Mix well.
5. Refrigerate salad for 2 to 4 hours to enhance flavor.
6. Serve.

ONIE Test Kitchen Tip:  We chose whole wheat pasta to boost the amount of fiber, potassium, and calcium!

Karla and the ONIE Team

Grow Your Own Herbs!

 

Tuesday was Earth Day!  I love this day for lots of reasons. One reason is that it reminds me spring is here, and warmer days are ahead.  With the arrival of spring, I planted herbs over the weekend.  Herbs are easy to grow. It is hard for even me to kill them!  By growing my own, I save money and avoid waste. Purchasing fresh herbs can cost anywhere between $2.00 to $3.00 a package, and they may spoil before I can use them.  I planted marjoram, parsley, oregano, thyme, cilantro, rosemary, and basil.  Choose anything that you like. You may purchase herb plants with your SNAP benefits at local farmers’ markets or you can grow your own from seeds. Herbs grow well in your yard or in a pot if you live in an apartment.

Getting started:

Pots (6 to 8 inches)
Potting soil
Seeds
Small hand shovel or spoon
Rocks, gravel, or broken clay pots

Steps:

1. Place a few rocks in the bottom of the pot. This help with drainage.
2. Using your spoon or shovel, fill the pot with soil (leave two to three inches at the top).
3. Place four or five seeds in each pot.
4. Cover seeds with ½ inch of soil.
5. Moisten with water.

ONIE Tip: Harvest leaves by cutting with scissors.

To help plants grow and stay healthy, water regularly and place in an area with plenty of sun. It may help to turn the plant pots to keep plants growing evenly on all sides.  When the plants reach about 6 to 8 inches, you can begin to harvest the leaves for cooking.  Herbs are easy to use in cooking, and pair well with many different foods. For example, marjoram pairs well with chicken, carrots, corn, green beans, and peas.

Karla and the ONIE Project

Let’s Get Ready to Walk a 5K!

 8 Week 5k/ 3.1 Mile Training Plan for Walkers

Registration has opened for the Let’s Get Midwest City Moving Splash Dash 5K on June 22, 2014 at Regional Park. The race is a complete, not compete race; every finisher receives a medal. If you and your family would like to join us, register online. Most people complete the race by walking or by both walking and running. The ONIE team has prepared an easy training plan for walkers; so Let’s Get Moving!

Week 1: Walk 15 minutes (min) at an easy pace 5 days this week.
Week 1 Goal: 60 to 75 min

ONIE Tip: Spread out rest days, an example would be walk Monday and Tuesday, rest on Wednesday.

Week 2: Walk 20 min at an easy pace 5 days this week.
Week 2 Goal: 75 -100 min

ONIE Tip: Stretch before and after each walk.

Week 3: Walk 25 min at a moderate pace 5 days this week
Week 3 Goal: 100-125 min

ONIE Tip: Expect breathing to be heavier but not out of breath.

Week 4: Walk 30 min at a moderate pace 4 days this week (short walk). Build mileage on the 5^th walking day by adding 10 min to your walk (long walk).Keep your long walk to an easy pace.

Week 4 Goal: 125-150 min

ONIE Tip: Remember to bring water, sip throughout the walk to stay hydrated.

Week 5: Walk 30 min at a moderate pace 4 days this week (short walk). Build mileage on the 5^th walking day, by adding 15 min to your walk (long walk). 
Week 5 Goal: 145-165 min

ONIE Tip: Build speed on your shorter walks by focusing on your form. Stand straight, extend your leg as you step forward to make each stride longer, and step forward by rolling from the heel of your foot to the toe. Pump your arms back and forth to push yourself forward.

Week 6: Walk 30 min at a moderate pace 4 days this week (short walk). Build mileage on the 5th walking day, try walking 60 min at an easy pace (long walk).
Week 6 Goal: 165- 185 min

ONIE Tip: Congratulations! At this point in your training, you are able to complete the 5K. Keep walking at this rate and race day will be easier, and more enjoyable!

Weeks 7-8: Train 5 days a week with 4 (30 min) short walks, and 1 (60+ min) long walk. Continue to build mileage by focusing on your speed, and your form. Remember to space out your rest days.
Week 7 Goal: 165- 185 min

ONIE Tip: It is a great feeling to know you can complete a 5k, try to keep this up throughout the year!

 You got this! Let’s do a 5K (3.1 miles)!!

If you would like to download and print this training plan click here.

See you on June 22, 2014!

 

 

 

 

 

This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To find out more, call your local Department of Human Services (DHS) Office at 1.866.411.1877. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

The ONIE’s Team Walking Soul Mates, and a Turtle Too!

Pets provide a variety of health benefits. Yup, these animals improve our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Benefits range from keeping us active to connecting with other people.

For us at ONIE and our families, our dogs are walking and running soul mates. Meredith, Stephanie, Susie and I always have a buddy to go for a run or walk with us; they are always there for support. Having Beju motivates me to get outside when I just don’t quite feel like it; I know that he needs the exercise. Afterwards, I feel better. If I go in the morning, I feel focused and ready for my day. In the evening, it helps me wind down. Pets are not just walking soul mates for us at ONIE. Research has shown that children and adults who have dogs spend more time doing moderate to vigorous physical activity than those without dogs.          

Yall, Meredith & Jessie love a 5K!

Pets make it easier to connect with other people, and the neighborhood where we live. Our pets lead us into conversation with strangers, and foster feelings of mutual aid. During the tornado season last spring, a neighbor knocked on my door. He and his wife invited me and my pets to join them in their storm shelter. We did not “know” each other but were familiar because we passed each other on the street walking our dogs. We are good friends now. We also venture into places where we might not go because of our pets such as the neighborhood park, a dog park, or the lake.

We form a bond with our pets; pets of any kind, even turtles. Jade takes Porkchop, her pet turtle, on turtle walks. It is hard to even explain the attachment but we talk about our pets, we talk to our pets, and change our schedules to meet their needs. Spending time with pets has a calming effect. This bond is powerful. It reduces feelings of loneliness, stress, and anxiety, leading to lower blood pressure and risks of heart disease. While I don’t think about these health conditions on a regular basis, every day I enjoy the bond that I have with my pets.

Spring is approaching, and there is no better time to adopt a pet. There are pets of all kinds and sizes that are ready to become a member of your family. Check out your local animal shelter for more information. Here are a few in the Oklahoma City area: Oklahoma City,  Midwest City, Edmond, Moore, and Norman.

My beloved, Beju ,was adopted

Karla and the ONIE Project team.