&fitness
Health
Child Care from her home, so she understands how different each child’s tastes can be—and how hardpressed a parent might be to accommodate them. Her answer to this dilemma is April’s Quick Veggie Soup. This recipe is relatively simple to make, and parents can vary ingredients to accommodate a child’s likes and dislikes while still offering a base of healthful ingredients. “It’s an easy way to sneak a couple of servings of vegetables into your kid’s lunch,” says April. “I usually serve it with a multigrain muffin or wheat crackers. My kids like to sprinkle shredded cheese on top, or I’ll send it with them to school in a thermos and include a string cheese.”
April’s Quick Veggie Soup
2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked 1 10-ounce package frozen cauliflower 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli 1 teaspoon dried basil any additional veggies desired In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and add the garlic, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juice, plus 3 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower, broccoli and basil, stirring occasionally to break up the frozen vegetables. Return the soup to boiling. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-8 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
Adaptable wrap Susan Wilson wants to be clear that she thinks school lunches deserve a better reputation. As food service director for USD 306 Southeast of Saline, she ensures that cafeteria meals meet the guidelines for providing 600-700 calories, no more than 30 percent of which can come from fat. But she also believes that learning to enjoy and create a healthful lunch is an important lesson for students. “We should all start teaching our children the importance of establishing good habits for themselves, such as healthy food choices and regular exercise,” says Susan. “We can all benefit from that.” Susan provides this wrap recipe as the centerpiece for a nutritional lunch.
SCHOOLHOUSE WRAP
¼ cup fresh broccoli, chopped 1 tablespoon low-fat ranch dressing 1 tablespoon light whipped cream cheese 1 large whole wheat tortilla 2 ounces thin-sliced smoked turkey 1 ounce shredded cheddar cheese Chop broccoli into small pieces and mix with ranch dressing. Spread cream cheese on tortilla. Layer turkey and cheese and place veggie filling in a row off to one side of tortilla. Tuck ends of tortilla over filling, fold remaining long end over filling and roll up tortilla. Change the vegetables depending on a child’s taste. Try adding shredded carrots or some finely chopped onion or green pepper. Or layer lettuce or fresh spinach atop the turkey and cheese.
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Sunflowerliving
Fall 2010