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See
GREEN on St. Patrick's Day and throughout the year.
The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) advises: "Go
Green. Go Healthy."
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Green fruits
and vegetables contain many health-promoting phytochemicals including lutein
and indoles. They help protect against certain cancers and help maintain
vision health and strong bones and teeth.
Some green
fruits and vegetables include avocados, green grapes, honeydew melons,
kiwi fruit, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans, green cabbage, leafy
greens, lettuce, peas, green pepper and spinach. For additional green
fruit and vegetable sources, check the PBH Web site at www.5aday.com
Some "green"
ideas for St. Patrick's Day (or any day) include:
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Eat
a tossed lettuce salad. Add extra green with green peppers
if you like!
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Corned
beef with cabbage is a natural for St. Patrick's!
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Include
some kiwi fruit in your fruit salad. For tips on preparing
kiwi and recipes, check the CDC
Web site.
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Throw
some frozen peas into a soup. Here's an easy Chicken
and Stars Soup with Peas recipe example from the National Pasta
Association. Make extra chicken one night and use it the next night
in this soup.
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Add
avocado slices to salads and sandwiches. To maintain avocados'
green color, eat them immediately or sprinkle them with lemon or lime
juice. Though 2 tablespoons of avocado have about 5 grams of fat,
it's mostly heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. For tips on choosing
and preparing avocados plus recipes, check the CDC
Web site.
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Enjoy
your favorite dip in combination broccoli florets and other
vegetables. This yogurt
salad dressing recipe from the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute is quick-to-make and includes two additional greens: chives
and dill.
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Vegetable
pizza with green vegetables -- see recipe below.
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Start
thinking GREEN -- here are some
more ideas graciously shared by Jan Patenaude, RD: Spinach noodles
(topping of choice); spinach souffle; spinach, asparagus and/or green
pepper omelets with parsley garnish; pesto on anything; cream of broccoli
or spinach soups; finely diced spinach in any chicken noodle/rice/orzo
soups; glazed kiwi over a sponge/angel food base. . .
Mini-Biscuit
Vegetable Pizzas
Great snack
flavors in an easy, make-your-own pizza!
Preparation
time: 20 minutes
Servings: 5; 2 mini pizzas = 1 serving
5 A Day servings: 2
INGREDIENTS:
10 2-inch
(biscuits), unbaked, prepared buttermilk biscuit dough (1 tube)
Flour, for rolling out biscuits
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup prepared pizza sauce
1 cup finely chopped tomato
1/2 cup very finely diced onion
4 cups frozen mixed green vegetables with mushrooms
2 tbsps. dried oregano leaves
Garlic powder
3 tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, optional*
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Pre-heat
oven to 400 degrees F and place oven rack in middle-high position.
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Remove
biscuits from tube and separate. On a lightly floured surface, roll
each biscuit into 4-inch circle. Position rounds on a large oil-sprayed
baking sheet.
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Brush
all biscuits lightly with oil and spread each biscuit with about 1
tablespoon sauce.
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Combine
all vegetables in a medium-sized bowl. Carefully pile vegetable mixture
equally onto rolled crusts. Sprinkle generously with oregano and garlic
powder and then lightly with cheese.
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Bake
about 10 to 12 minutes, until pizza crust is brown on the edges and
all vegetables are piping hot.** Serve immediately.
* Optional
ingredients are not included in the dietary analysis.
** CHEF'S
NOTES: It is possible to freeze mini-pizzas and store up to 30 days. After
baked and fully cooled, place on rack and freeze solid. Once flash-frozen,
stack carefully in rigid air-tight container and store in freezer until
ready to use. To serve, place frozen mini-pizzas on baking tray in hot
oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until fully thawed and hot. Serve and enjoy.
NUTRITIONAL
INFORMATION PER SERVING: Calories: 180; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Total Fat:
4.5 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 1g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; % of
Calories from Fat: 28%; Sodium: 530 mg; Protein: 10g
CREDIT:
Recipe developed for the Produce for Better Health Foundation by Chef
Carmen I. Jones, CCP.
FOR MORE
RECIPES, check www.5aday.com
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