Healthy Kids Snacks educational story video #GardenCuizine @CUMaurice #eaglesknowbest #preventdiabetes

Provide Kids Healthy Snacks to Prevent Childhood Obesity and Diabetes

Over the past few years New Jersey's endangered American Bald Eagles have made a strong return, especially in South Jersey, not too far from where I work in Cumberland county. 

American Bald Eagles get illustrated in story telling and are the symbol of strength and power featured in designs on the US National seal, passports and money.

The recovering Bald Eagle population is wonderful news. Especially for bird watching enthusiasts, biologists and environmentalists who knew that Eagles had rapidly declined after pesticide use of DDT in the 1950's through 1972 when it was finally banned. 

According to Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, there was only one Eagle's nest left in NJ by1982. Since then a lot of people have worked hard to save the American Eagle from extinction.

Today, majestic Bald Eagles can be seen soaring throughout the state of NJ, usually near water. The majority fly near their huge nests, built in tall trees, along the Delaware Bay in Salem and Cumberland counties. Eagles lay their eggs right now, from mid February to early March.

Harry and I were thrilled to tour that beautiful area with the group Citizens United Maurice River. The winter morning we went was misty and cold. As we looked across the wetlands, three, white, mute swans photo-bombed my attempt at photographing Eagles! That photo turned out to be one of my favorite pictures, "Misty Mute Swans Soaring South Jersey Wetlands."

Anyway, the CDC story below caught my attention since it includes a wise Eagle. It is taken from one of a series of Eagle books written by Georgia Perez. She features Native American children (who have high risk for diabetes), Miss rabbit, a tricky coyote and a wise Bald Eagle. 

• Mr. Eagle encourages the children to drink water instead of soda and to select healthy snacks like carrots and cherries instead of chips and cookies.

• Eating a healthy diet along with exercise has been shown to help prevent childhood obesity and related diseases like diabetes.

• Bald Eagles know best about good snack choices. We can all learn skills from Mr. Eagle on how to better navigate the environment when others (coyotes) tempt us with tricky treats.

This story inspires me to inquire about being a vendor at the Cumberland County Winter Eagle Festival next February in 2020. Keep learning about Eagles and the importance of protecting their habitat. And, remember that healthy food choices help to prevent childhood obesity and diabetes.

Related Links
Conserve Wildlife Endangered Species

Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Tricky Treats video story illustrations are by Patrick Rolo and Lisa A. Fifield. United States Seal image courtesy of Wikipedia. Public Domain.

Make Ahead Meatballs #NationalNutritionMonth #familymeals #planahead #cookathome @kidseatright

Make Ahead Meatballs

Make a batch of Italian meatballs when you have the time and freeze for use in budget-friendly family meals later in the week. Happy National Nutrition Month!

Ingredients
1 lb. lean, grass fed, ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Parsley (or Cilantro), chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon Cracker Meal
1 clove garlic, minced
several twists (~8) fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for cooking

Putting it all together
Combine all ingredients adding water last. Roll into balls and put on plate until ready to cook. Heat oil in skillet. Add meatballs in batches. Cook turning to brown all sides. Do not overcook. Remove and drain on paper towels. When cool, portion into baggies. Label with date and freeze until ready to use.

Enjoy with homemade pasta sauce!

Blog post and recipe Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. National Nutrition Month® is a federally registered service mark of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Used on GardenCuizine with permission.

Beat the heat with antioxidant-rich, hydrating Watermelon @JerseyFreshNJDA #GardenCuizine @KidsEatRight #healthykids

Cool off with a refreshing slice of
WATERMELON

Our 7th heatwave continues here in New Jersey. The temperatures have been so hot and dry. Birds were thankful this morning when I refreshed their birdbaths. According to Rutgers NJ Weather, this summer has been the 4th warmest since 1895. Today's real feel temp is triple digits! Everywhere you look, lawns are crispy, shrubs and gardens are withering. We sure are desperate for rain. Even established trees are dying, with some actually falling over. This kind of heat makes me think about a few important reminders: 1) be environmentally responsible - never take water for granted and 2) don't let yourself dehydrate! 

The human body including our brain, heart, lungs and skin is primarily composed of water. Hot temperatures increase risk for dehydration; drink plenty of water. And, eat more Fruits and vegetables to contribute nutrients and water to the body. For example, WATERmelon contains 90% water. Strangely enough, watermelon grows really well in drought conditions like we've had this summer.

On my way home from work at Bridgeton this week, I stopped by Lima Family Farm-stand and spoke with farmer Jacob and his sister, Janice. He said, "it has been a great summer for melons" especially watermelon and cantaloupe. I decided to buy a whole watermelon with seeds rather than seedless. Janice and I think watermelon with seeds have better flavor. Which do you like better?

Watermelon nutrition benefits include: Vitamin A, potassium and antioxidants like citrulline, lycopene, beta carotene and Vitamin C. Fresh watermelons are still available at local farm markets!

Enjoy watermelon for a low calorie, refreshing snack.

Watermelon Nutrition Facts
Excellent Source: Vitamin C
Good Source: Vitamin A
1 cup diced Watermelon = 46 calories; total carbohydrates: 11.5g; dietary Fiber: 1g (2% DV); Vitamin A: 865 IU (17% DV); Vitamin C: 12.3 mg (21% DV); Potassium 170 mg (5% DV); plant sterols: 3 mg; Water 139g
Related Links
The Water in You
Watermelon Nutrition and Growing Tips 
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Zucchini Noodles Alfredo #GardenCuizine #Zoodles

Zoodles Alfredo

This new family favorite Zoodle side dish was inspired from BariatricEating.com. I just made a few adjustments to their recipe including adding more olive oil and less salt and saturated fat. It's creamy goodness will give all ages across the lifespan a good reason to eat their veggies! Besides being tasty and quick to prepare, it is low in cost making it another Cooking Healthy on a Budget recipe.

Yields 3 regular servings: or 6 bariatric smaller servings

Ingredients
2 medium Zucchini
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
pinch hot peppers, minced

Putting it all together
1) Spiralize the zucchini into Zoodles onto a plate. Use culinary sheers and snip the pile in 3rds to shorten the zucchini strands.
2) Heat the oil in a skillet. Add hot peppers and garlic. Add zucchini 'Zoodles' and stir to combine.
3) Stir in cheeses. Add fresh ground black pepper and a pinch sea salt. Turn off heat and cover until ready to serve. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Enjoy as a healthy veggie side dish

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Zoodles Alfredo Nutrition Data:  
Good Source: Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Potassium
Excellent Source: Vitamin C and Calcium

1/3 recipe regular serving: Calories: 193; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 5g (24% DV); Monounsaturated Fat 8.2g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g; Sodium: 192mg; Total Carbohydrate: 7g; Dietary Fiber 1.4g (6% DV); Protein 9g; Vitamin A 456IU (9% DV); Vitamin C: 22mg (37% DV); Riboflavin: 0.3mg (18% DV); Vitamin B6: 0.3mg (15% DV); Folate: 44 mcg (11% DV); Calcium: 224mg (22% DV); Potassium 404mg (12% DV)
 
Blog post and photo collage Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Thanks @Healthykids for the Healthy Fun Thanksgiving #GardenCuizine @Kidseatright

Thanksgiving Veggie Dip
Turkey Appetizer

Thanks to social media and sites like Pinterest and Twitter, you can find fun, creative, ideas for all seasons. I spotted this colorful fella posted from Super Healthy Kids. I knew as soon as I saw it that I was going to try to make it for our adult dinner guests who are all kids at heart. 

My version of Mr. Pepper Turkey was quickly carved from a yellow bell pepper and stuffed with veggie dip made of hummus mixed with plain Greek yogurt. Kids would love to help make this.

His eyes were made from Cheerios and capers with a carrot slice for a beak and wattle. A green accent piece behind his head was made from a thin slice of acorn squash that I happened to have from preparing Baked Nutty for Thanksgiving.  

And, even though turkeys raised for Thanksgiving have mostly white feathers, this gobbler boasted colorful red and orange pepper feathers that were a good source of Vitamin A and high in Vitamin C.

Related Links
For Carving Directions
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup #GardenCuizine #lowcarb #recipe #EatWellAmerica

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup!

Low Carb ~ Low Fat ~ Reduced Sodium 

Ingredients 
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion - diced
2 celery - diced
2 carrots - diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
9 cups no salt chicken broth (the best way to get nutrient-rich, NO SALT broth is to make homemade!)
2 1/2 cups roasted chicken pieces (bite size) 
1 teaspoon salt
2 Zucchini - spiral cut (Veggetti kitchen gadget works great)
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped

Putting it all together

• In a large stockpot over medium heat add olive oil. When hot: saute diced onion, carrots and celery until onion starts to become transparent. 
• Stir in garlic, thyme and cayenne. 
• Add broth and simmer until flavors blend. 
• Stir in cooked chicken and salt simmer another 15 minutes. 
• Using culinary shears or a knife, cut into the spiral cut zucchini noodles pile a few times to shorten the spaghetti-like strands. Add zucchini noodles, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Zucchini noodles cook fast so they are best added near the end.
• Serve with additional grated cheese at the table. Enjoy!

This GardenCuizine recipe was created just in time for American Diabetes Month®, which takes place every November. National Diabetes Month is a good time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®! 

Yesterday's Diabetic Cooking class at Inspira Health Network featured this recipe. Both adults and children had fun taking turns using the Veggetti spiralizer kitchen gadget.

Comfort food - Nutritious and Delicious
Homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup provides you and your family with double the Vitamin A and Vitamin C found in canned soups such as: Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle, Progresso Heart Healthy roasted Chicken Noodle or Campbell's 25% less sodium Chicken Noodle. 

Heart Healthy
Cooking your own soup gives you control of the salt content, making it a better choice for heart health. This recipe has low sodium of 235 mg per cup, versus 910 mg high sodium in Nissin Chicken Flavor Ramen noodles or 470 mg in Progresso's heart healthy Chicken Noodle Soup. 

Using zucchini in place of pasta or rice also makes homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup lower in carbohydrates, which benefits those keeping count for a healthy body weight and diabetes control.

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 

a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:

• Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.
• Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion.

American Diabetes Month takes place each November and is a time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®!
- See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html#sthash.z5qQ4cKn.dpuf

Recipe, photos, blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Stop Diabetes is a registered trademark of the American Diabetes Association.

According to doctors @ForumHSPH, medications alone are not the answer @eatright @kidseatright @letsmove #GardenCuizine

 Diet Quality is Important

In researching science-based evidence to recommend and teach to others to help improve their diets and lifestyles to prevent disease, I came across a video by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on Rethinking Cholesterol. New medications are being tested now. The distinguished medical professionals conveyed that medications alone were not the answer to obesity-related diseases such as high cholesterol - healthy diets and lifestyle for disease prevention is key. (Several of the forum participants were from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, which is where my Uncle is now as he battles cancer.)

Check out this important quote from Dr Patrick O’Gara, Senior Physician, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Immediate Past President, American College of Cardiology:

According to Dr. O'Gara, "...People need to know the benefit of exercise, maintaining a good body weight,and maintaining a good diet, learning about food. How to sit down with their family members and have dinner together, or how to go to the grocery store and then build on that..."

Lifestyle modifications including exercise and a heart healthy diet are, "...Key in prevention of disease and could prevent 90% of type II diabetes cases and 80% of heart attacks and 1/3 of cancers...", according to JoAnn Manson, Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She stressed her concerns of our current obesity public health crisis and more children being started on medications in grade school because of preventable chronic diseases.

For more information, you can watch the Harvard video on YouTube. Just know that food and exercise do matter. Keep exercising and cooking and eating healthy for yourself and for your family; you just may inspire others to do the same.

Watch for more GardenCuizine Heart Healthy Recipes coming soon!

Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Prayers to Uncle Richard and Aunt Joanne and the Johnson Family. This blog post is not intended as medical advice. Discuss all medications, options and concerns with your doctor.

August is Kids Eat Right Month™ #KidsEatRightMonth #GardenCuizine #KERMonth

August is Kids Eat Right Month™

Shop Smart

Cook Healthy

Eat Right

Keep your kids healthy by focusing on healthy eating, smart shopping and fun physical activity. Be a positive role model. Limit candy, sugary foods and drinks; avoid excess fats and calories to prevent and reduce obesity.

Related Links

Kids Eat Right Month

The Weight of the Nation 

MyPlate Kids' Place 

Kids Learn Healthy Eating