May 2008

HEALTHY
LIFESTYLE WEB SITES

Check Out These Web Sites

Recipes for Kids

If you're hungry, grab your apron and get cooking! Making food yourself - with a little help from a parent - is a great way to learn about food and meal preparation. And this site has plenty of healthy recipes for you to try - from pizza to pancakes!

www.kidshealth.org/kid/recipes

Calorie Control

When a snack is calling your name, look at how many calories it contains and then figure out how long it would take to work off that treat. Is it worth it? Click on this weblink to calculate calories burned during various activities.

www.caloriecontrol.com

Pay Online for school meals with your credit card! You may use Visa or MasterCard by following the link at: http://www.d11.org/fns/payonline.htm

You will need your child’s Student ID number, which may be found on their Student ID card or by calling the kitchen. Kitchen phone numbers may be found at:

http://www.d11.org/fns/phone_list.htm

NUTRITION TIDBITS

HARVEST OF THE MONTH: ASPARAGUS!

In order to “grow healthy students”, School District 11 Food and Nutrition Services has developed a program called Colorado School’s Harvest of the Month. This program was originally created and promoted by the California Nutrition Network and the California 5 a Day Campaign. We have tweaked the program to the meet the needs of school districts across the state of Colorado!

Each month a featured fruit or vegetable will appear on the school menus and will become a focus for nutrition education topics (in newsletters like this!). For the month of May, asparagus is the star. Let’s learn a little more about this delicious vegetable.

Asparagus, a member of the Lily family, is the most regal of vegetables. Tall and slender with its crowned head held aloft, the asparagus almost demands that we dress for dinner. We acknowledge asparagus' superiority to other vegetables and treat it like visiting royalty in the season of its freshness—SPRING! 

Asparagus is rich in nutrition.  Low in sodium, high in potassium, it has no fat or cholesterol. It is rich in thiamin, Vitamin C and Vitamin A and is an excellent source of folic acid. One-half cup of cooked asparagus contains a mere 24 calories but supplies a lot of fiber. It is a source of rutin (which strengthens the walls of our veins) and vitamin B6. 

Join us this month for school lunch to enjoy a yummy Asparagus Salad as well as Asparagus with Cheese Sauce.

Source: www.inmamaskitchen.com

INTERESTING FACTS

Did you know…

Test your nutrition skills by taking this Calcium Foods POP QUIZ!

1. Which of these drinks contains the most calcium?

A. White Milk

B. Chocolate Milk

C. Either White or Chocolate Milk

D. Soda Pop

2. Vitamin D, which helps our bodies absorb calcium, is only found naturally in a few foods including:

A. Fish

B. Tomatoes

C. Apples

D. Carrots

3. The most popular flavor of ice cream is:

A. Vanilla

B. Chocolate

C. Cookies & Cream

D. Strawberry

4. One nondairy source of calcium is:

A. Almonds

B. Sauerkraut

C. Oatmeal

D. Strawberries

ANSWERS

1. (C) Plain milk and flavored milk contain the same amounts of calcium.

2. (A) Vitamin D is also provided by sunlight.

3. (A) Remember…ice cream is a dairy product and an excellent source of calcium when eaten in moderation.

4. (C) By preparing your oatmeal with milk, you can further increase the calcium content.

Source: Blue Bunny CoolDaze Newz

HEALTHY RECIPES

A few healthy recipes for May’s Harvest of the Month: ASPARAGUS!!!

Sesame Asparagus

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted

salt, to taste

Fill a large saucepan with 1/2 inch of water and bring to a boil. Cook asparagus until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain, then rinse with cold water. Return pan to the stove over medium heat, pour in oil, and swirl around pan. Shake excess water off of the asparagus, and toss in oil with sesame seeds, and salt to reheat.

Makes 4 servings

Zesty Marinated Asparagus

2 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed & cut in 2 ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch asparagus just until tender, about 1 minute. Plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool. Drain asparagus and place in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Pour in vinaigrette and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Just before serving, drain asparagus, reserving vinaigrette. Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with lemon zest, parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve reserved vinaigrette in a small dish on the side.

Makes 4 servings

Source: www.allrcipes.com