Dinner Tonight

Dinner Tonight

Healthy Cooking for a Healthy Texas

Summer Traveling the Healthy Way

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The kids are out of school and the  temperature is rising; that can only mean one thing–summer is here! The first thing that comes to mind about summer is vacation and travel.   Whether traveling for work, vacation or sporting activity make sure to pack healthy on-the-go snacks.
Here are some great examples of quick and easy snacks to take on the go this vacation season.

On-the-go snacks (non-pershible)

Chasing stripes on a black top road, messy back seats, a ridiculous car load of luggage, and the inevitable boredom snacks! We want you to be fully prepared when you take your annual summertime trip. We want to avoid empty calories such as potato chips, candy bars, and sodas. Keep your snack bag full of these grab-n-go ideas:

  • Raisins and whole grain pretzels
  • Squeezable apple sauce
  • Trail Mix- make your own with nuts, seeds, unsweetened cereal and dried fruit
  • Granola bars
  • Peanut butter or almond butter snack packs and whole grain crackers single packs.

Cooler Snacks

Don’t forget to pack an iced down cooler. We want to be sure that it is kept 40* or below to avoid food borne illnesses, so keep it iced down. While snacks are important, so are your drinks. Don’t forget to ice down bottled water, sparkling water, fruit juice, or bottled tea. Here are some nice cooler snacks:

  • Reduced-fat cheese sticks
  • Greek Yogurt squeezable yogurt tubes
  • Cut-free fruit such as grapes, cherries, mandarin oranges, etc.
  • Turkey Bell Pepper Roll Ups- Take a one slice of lower sodium turkey and 3 slices bell peppers and a 1 teaspoon spreadable cheese.
  • 100 calorie snack packs of guacamole and carrot sticks
  • Sliced citrus fruits for infused water

Hotel Snacks

  • Instant oatmeal- my favorite is to add a teaspoon of peanut butter and jelly to unsweetened oatmeal. It tastes just like like a PB & J sandwich!
  • To- go soups
  • Whole-wheat tortilla (warmed) and lemon pepper tuna
  • Microwavable popcorn

Airplane/Airport (TSA Approved). Remember the fluid limit of 3.4 oz in carry on bags.

  • Dried fruit or all natural fruit strips and nuts
  • Jerky
  • Protein bars
  • Empty water bottle- this way you can save some cash and stay hydrated

Look for some great recipes of quick and easy snacks this week via Dinner Tonight’s Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest page.

Thanks to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for these summer snack ideas

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Barbecue Season is Here!

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Pleasant weather always draws people outside, and here in Texas we’ve got plenty of that! What better way to celebrate and prepare for the season than with healthy grilling tips?

Most of us know to choose grilled foods over fried foods because of lower fat content, but some grilled foods are still high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Barbecues are notorious for potato salads, chips, hot dogs, and other high-calorie foods. When choosing proteins to grill, choose lean cuts like top sirloin steak, chicken breast or pork tenderloin. If you choose to indulge, it might be helpful to recall the tips we’ve discussed before, such as eat small portions and balance food intake with activity. Now, back to grilling.

Learn how to prepare your grill in this quick video as Julie Gardner with AgriLife Extension and Roger Hall from the Texas Beef Council share tips for cooking the perfect steak.

 

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Pesto

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Pesto is a fresh and simple sauce that will brighten any dish this summer! Add it to your pasta, top your protein or spread it on a sandwich. Did I mention our recipe is low cal. too?


Lower Calorie Pesto
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A lighter version that uses reduced-sodium chicken broth and olive oil. You can also use water.
Servings
8 (2 Tablespoons)
Servings
8 (2 Tablespoons)
Lower Calorie Pesto
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A lighter version that uses reduced-sodium chicken broth and olive oil. You can also use water.
Servings
8 (2 Tablespoons)
Servings
8 (2 Tablespoons)
Ingredients
Servings: (2 Tablespoons)
Units:
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Recipe Notes

This pesto will last 5-8 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 8 months.

Low Cal Pesto Nutrition Facts Serving size 2 Tbsp (26g) servings per container 8 Amount per serving Calories 60 % Daily Value Total Fat 6 g 8 % Saturated Fat 1 g 5 % Trans Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg 0 % Sodium 120 mg 5 % Total Carbohydrate 1 g 0 % Dietary Fiber 0 g 0 % Total Sugars 0 g Added Sugars 0 g 0 % Protein 2 g Vitamin D 0 mcg 0 % Calcium 51 mg 4 % Iron 1 mg 6 % Potassium 53 mg 2 %

Recipe adapted from weightwatchers.com

Get Cooking with Herbs

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Nine out of ten Americans eat too much salt. As a result, more people are being diagnosed with high blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends 1500mg of sodium or less per day and the average person consumes around 3,400mg (twice the recommendation). One of the best ways to reduce sodium intake is to put down the salt shaker and bring out the herbs. Herbs give food flavor with adding salt. Don’t know where to start with herbs?

Check out this guide from cooksmarts.com.Not only does the guide tell you what herbs pair well with foods, it also tells you about storage. One of the downsides to herbs is they do not have a long shelf life. One way to increase the shelf life is to store them in water using a glass jar and cover with a gallon sized bag.IMG_0782 I use this method for cilantro and parsley and it will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator! Another way to increase shelf life of fresh herbs is to freeze them in olive oil or reduced-sodium chicken broth. I like doing both because the  olive oil oil cubes work well in sautéed dishes and broth cubes work well for soups and stews. Read below and follow the how-to-guide to make your own frozen herb cubes. Enjoy!

Herb Cubes
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Freeze herbs in ice cube trays and add them to soups, stews and more all year round.
Herb Cubes
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Freeze herbs in ice cube trays and add them to soups, stews and more all year round.
Ingredients
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Gather utensils needed.
  2. Place chopped herbs in each section of the ice cube tray filling halfway.
  3. Pour 1 Tablespoon of oil or broth into each section. Place in freezer overnight.
  4. Remove herb cubes and place in a labeled freezer bag and store in freezer for up to 8 months.
Recipe Notes

Feel free to mix and match herbs. Here are some ideas:

Rosemary + Oregano + Garlic

Basil + Oregano + Parsley

Chives + Parsley

 

Keeping a Healthy Pantry

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Keeping an organized and stocked pantry will save time, money and make menu planning easier but its important to take care of your pantry! Check out our top tips below for keeping a safe and healthy pantry and from Chelsey in our short video!

  1. Use the first in/first out method – After grocery shopping if you find that you purchased an item you already had, place it behind the item in your pantry. This helps you use items that are closer to their expiration date, sooner.
  2. Keep items in their original packaging – original packaging has lots important information such as name, expiration date, nutritional information, serving size and instructions!
  3. Reseal your items before returning to the pantry.
  4. Keep your food items at least 6 inches above ground level – this helps keep food away from potential contamination.
  5. Store chemicals and cleaning items away from your foods. Separate cabinets or locations is ideal.
  6. Shop your pantry first before heading to the grocery store!

 

 

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