HEALTH & WELLNESS LETTER - Wellness Concepts€¦ · your meal around the leftover items. This is a...
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EAT WELL, BE WELL GOING FURTHER WITH FOOD: TIPS AND TRICKS FOR REDUCING FOOD WASTE IN THE KITCHEN AS PART OF NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH Getting creative in the kitchen is one of the best ways to cut down on food waste. Using the entire fruit or vegetable and mixing and matching items you have in the refrigerator with the staples already in your pantry are just a few ways you can be sure this week’s shopping doesn’t go to waste and meal planning stays fun and interesting. With March being National Nutrition Month, here are some tips and tricks for maximizing your kitchen, reducing waste, and going further with your food. Use it all • Sauté radish, beet and celery greens in olive oil and garlic for a healthy side dish. • Zest citrus peels to add flavor to sweet and savory dishes. • Steam broccoli stems and florets and puree in a blender to make a pesto sauce. • Leave the peels on apples, cucumbers and potatoes. Bonus: skins provide added fiber and nutrients! • Slice and freeze ripened bananas for smoothies. • Use corncobs to make a broth for soup. • Chop and sauté fennel stems. • Toss dark leafy green stems and ribs into stews. • Use the green “top” part of spring onions and leeks to sprinkle on top of tacos and toss into salads. Designate a weekly “use-it-up” meal Many of us shop once a week and don’t use everything up by the end of the week, which leads to food wasted. Set aside one day a week (maybe Thursday or Friday) where you take inventory of what’s left in the refrigerator and plan your meal around the leftover items. This is a fun way to get kids involved and get their creative juices flowing! A big pot of soup, pasta primavera, smoothies, tacos, pizza and stir-fries are great “anything goes” meals. For more ideas, see below. HEALTH & WELLNESS LETTER MARCH 2018 <continued on next page> HEALTHY RECIPE LEMON CHICKEN STIR-FRY Ingredients: 1 lemon ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 10 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered 1 cup diagonally sliced carrots, (¼ inch thick) 2 cups snow peas, (6 ounces), stems and strings removed 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts divided 1 tablespoon chopped garlic Preparation: Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs. Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallion whites, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallion greens and the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Nutrition Information: Serving size: 1½ cups Per serving: 223 calories; 7g fat(1g sat); 3g fiber; 14g carbohydrates; 28g protein; 53mcg folate; 63mg cholesterol; 5g sugars; 0g added sugars; 5,984IU vitamin A; 37mg vitamin C; 62mg calcium; 3mg iron; 555mg sodium; 716mg potassium
Transcript of HEALTH & WELLNESS LETTER - Wellness Concepts€¦ · your meal around the leftover items. This is a...
EAT WELL, BE WELL
GOING FURTHER WITH FOOD:TIPS AND TRICKS FOR REDUCING FOOD WASTE IN THE KITCHEN AS PART OF NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH
Getting creative in the kitchen is one of the best ways to cut down on food waste. Using the entire fruit or vegetable and mixing and matching items you have in the refrigerator with the staples already in your pantry are just a few ways you can be sure this week’s shopping doesn’t go to waste and meal planning stays fun and interesting. With March being National Nutrition Month, here are some tips and tricks for maximizing your kitchen, reducing waste, and going further with your food.
Use it all • Sauté radish, beet and celery greens in olive oil and garlic for a
healthy side dish.
• Zest citrus peels to add flavor to sweet and savory dishes.
• Steam broccoli stems and florets and puree in a blender to make a pesto sauce.
• Leave the peels on apples, cucumbers and potatoes. Bonus: skins provide added fiber and nutrients!
• Slice and freeze ripened bananas for smoothies.
• Use corncobs to make a broth for soup.
• Chop and sauté fennel stems.
• Toss dark leafy green stems and ribs into stews.
• Use the green “top” part of spring onions and leeks to sprinkle on top of tacos and toss into salads.
Designate a weekly “use-it-up” meal Many of us shop once a week and don’t use everything up by the end of the week, which leads to food wasted. Set aside one day a week (maybe Thursday or Friday) where you take inventory of what’s left in the refrigerator and plan your meal around the leftover items. This is a fun way to get kids involved and get their creative juices flowing! A big pot of soup, pasta primavera, smoothies, tacos, pizza and stir-fries are great “anything goes” meals. For more ideas, see below.
HEALTH & WELLNESS LETTER MARCH 2018
<continued on next page>
HEALTHY RECIPE
LEMON CHICKEN STIR-FRY
Ingredients:
1 lemon½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce2 teaspoons cornstarch1 tablespoon canola oil1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces10 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered1 cup diagonally sliced carrots, (¼ inch thick)2 cups snow peas, (6 ounces), stems and strings removed1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts divided1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Preparation: Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs. Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallion whites, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallion greens and the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition Information: Serving size: 1½ cups
Per serving: 223 calories; 7g fat(1g sat); 3g fiber; 14g carbohydrates; 28g protein; 53mcg folate; 63mg cholesterol; 5g sugars; 0g added sugars; 5,984IU vitamin A; 37mg vitamin C; 62mg calcium; 3mg iron; 555mg sodium; 716mg potassium
HEALTH & WELLNESS LETTER…EAT WELL, BE WELL
© 2018 Copyright Wellness Concepts™ Wellness Concepts Inc. For more information, contact us at [email protected]
Mix and match • Step 1: Build a healthy pantry
The key to making quick healthy meals whenever you’re in a pinch is to have a well-stocked pantry. Here are some items we recommend always keeping on hand.
Low-sodium broth Dried herbs and spices
Canned diced tomatoes All-natural nut butters
No-salt added beans Unsalted nuts and seeds
Whole grain pasta Canned salmon and tuna
Brown rice Quinoa
Tomato sauce Salsa
Olive oil Dijon mustard
Vinegars Rolled oats
Whole grain breadcrumbs Canned olives
Hard taco shells Low-sodium soy sauce
Unsweetened applesauce Unsweetened dried fruit
• Step 2: Peruse the refrigerator
Take inventory of what you have leftover and the staples you always have on hand. Here are a few items we recommend to always keep in stock in the fridge.
Nonfat or Low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Fresh fruit
Nonfat or Low-fat milk Fresh vegetables
Low-fat cheese Hummus
Eggs Whole grain bread
Fresh herbs Salad greens
Minced garlic Lemons and limes
• Step 3: Assemble your meal
When you have everything you need right at your fingertips, it really comes down to just assembling your meal. No fancy recipe needed! Here are some go-to meals in minutes.
— Pasta primavera – Use up the extra veggies you have in the refrigerator and pair it with whole grain pasta. Toss with either tomato sauce or garlic and olive oil. For protein, add in leftover grilled chicken or shrimp or beans from your pantry.
— Fried rice – Use up the leftover brown rice you made during the week and pair with fresh or frozen veggies, your favorite sauce, a scrambled egg and a drizzle of fresh lime juice. Any leftover meat and fish can also be thrown in!
— Salad – This can work for lunches or a light dinner. Toss together whatever salad greens you have, raw or previously roasted or steamed veggies, leftover meat or hard-boiled eggs, and cheese. If you don’t have any meat leftover, reach for your canned salmon, tuna, or beans. If you’re short on fresh ingredients, canned olives, jarred roasted peppers, nuts and seeds are great add-ins. Toss with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice and a dash of dried oregano.
— Burritos or tacos – Sauté leftover vegetables with any ground meat or turkey you might have leftover and stuff into taco shells or tortillas. Top with cheese, salsa and avocado.
— “Pantry” soup – Soup is one the best ways to use up vegetables that are on their way out. Toss any hearty fresh vegetables you have into a soup pot and sauté with garlic and olive oil (think onions, carrots, celery, broccoli, peppers, zucchini…). Add in low-sodium broth from your pantry, diced tomatoes, and fresh or dried herbs. At the end of cooking, add in fresh chopped greens like spinach or kale and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (Optional: add in canned beans or whole-grain pasta for an even heartier soup).
• Step 4: Prepare meals in advance
Picking a day over the weekend to cook and package healthy meals for the week is a great way to eat healthfully, make better use of a healthy pantry, and reduce food waste.
