Cheddar and Ham Muffins

Makes: 9 Servings

Ingredients:

·         3/4 cup Kraft 2% milk sharp Cheddar cheese

·         1/4 cup fresh grated Meijer Parmesan cheese

·         1 3/4 cup reduced fat all-purpose baking mix (such as Bisquick)

·         1 cup Meijer low-fat milk

·         1/2 tsp black pepper

·         1/4 cup low fat ham, finely chopped

Method:

Mix cheeses, milk and baking mix together; add pepper and ham. Mix well and spoon into lined muffin pans 1/2 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Approximate Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories: 140, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 470 mg, Protein: 8 g, Carbohydrates: 18 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g

Diabetic exchanges:  1 Lean Meat/Protein, 1 Carbohydrate

Recipe adapted from: United Dairy Industry of Michigan, www.3aday.org/recipes

Mango Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

·         2 1/4 cups (1/2-inch pieces) grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts (make it easy by using Meijer Rotisserie Chicken)

·         3/4 cup Meijer plain, nonfat yogurt

·         1 teaspoon McCormick curry

·         1/4 cup cubed mango (fresh or Meijer frozen-thaw and pat dry before using)

·         1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

·         1/4 cup Planters walnuts, coarsely chopped

·         1/3 cup Kraft Mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Method:

Cut cooked chicken breast meat into small pieces and set aside. In a medium bowl, blend yogurt and curry with a whisk and stir in chicken, mango, cranberries, walnuts and Mozzarella. Mix well and serve on a bed of lettuce or flat spinach leaves.

Approximate Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories: 320, Total Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 70 mg, Sodium: 160 mg, Protein: 30 g, Carbohydrates: 31 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean Meat/Protein, 2 Carbohydrate (1 fruit, 1 starch), 1 Fat

Recipe adapted from: United Dairy Industry of Michigan, www.3aday.org/recipes

Pork Tenderloin with Fall Vegetables

Serves: 4   

Ingredients:

1  pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4  pound)
3 medium white potatoes, peeled, cut into 2” pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
1 medium onions, peeled and sliced thick
1 tart baking apple, peeled and core removed, cut into thick slices
Meijer Canola oil (about 1 Tbls)

1 tsp. McCormick dried, crushed Rosemary
Coarse Salt and Freshly ground pepper
 
Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350^oF.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all vegetables with enough oil to lightly coat, mixing with hands. Add meat, and turn until also coated.   Place vegetables into a 13 x 9 x 2 casserole dish, place 1 pork tenderloin on top the bed of vegetables.   Sprinkle mixture and meat with crushed Rosemary, 1-2 tsp of salt, and grind pepper over top to taste.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check vegetables for doneness. Remove cover and let roast for another 10-15 minutes to crisp potatoes.

Remove from oven; re-cover, let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving tenderloin.

Approximate Nutrition Info per Serving:   Calories 405, Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 100mg, Carbohydrate 32g, Fiber 5g, Protein 34g, Sodium: 265mg

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean Meat/Protein, 2 Carbohydrate, 1Fat

Cranberry Muffins

1 ¼ cup Meijer all purpose flour

½ cup Meijer granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon Meijer baking powder

¼ teaspoon Meijer salt

2 cup Kellogg’s All Bran Original

1 ½ cup Meijer fat free milk

1 Meijer egg

¼ cup Meijer vegetable oil

2/3 cup dried cranberries

1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

¼ cup chopped Meijer pecans

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine Kellogg’s All Bran cereal and milk. Let stand 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg and oil. Beat well. Stir in cranberries, orange peel and pecans. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion evenly into twelve 2 /1/2 inch muffin pan cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins

Recipe adapted from www.kelloggs.com/recipes

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories 180, Total fat 6 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Sodium 220 mg, Carbohydrate 32 g, Fiber 4 g Protein 4 g

Kashi® GOLEAN Crunch!® Yogurt Parfait

1/4 cup (about 5) fresh or Meijer frozen strawberries,sliced

¼ cup fresh or Meijer frozen blueberries

¼ cup (about 5) fresh or Meijer frozen raspberries

6 oz. (or 1 small container) Meijer plain, nonfat yogurt or soy yogurt

1 cup Kashi® GOLEAN Crunch!® cereal 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves

In a 12-ounce parfait or sundae style glass, alternately layer the fruit, yogurt, and GOLEAN Crunch!® cereal. Repeat until you use all the ingredients and garnish with fresh sprigs of mint.
If you’re having company, just increase the recipe size enough to have one parfait per person.

Makes 1 Serving

Recipe adapted from www.kashi.com

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories 270, Total Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 240mg, Carbohydrate 53g, Fiber 10g,Protein 16g

Bear Naked Breakfast Banana Split

1 Banana

½ cup Meijer Light Yogurt

1/2 cup Bear Naked® Granola Sliced apples or fresh berries

Slice Banana lengthwise. Pour yogurt in between banana halves. Sprinkle Bear Naked® Granola on top. Add sliced apples or fresh berries if you wish.

Makes 1 Serving

Recipe adapted from www.bearnaked.com

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories 396 , Total Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 2 mg, Sodium 206 mg, Carbohydrate 85 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 10 g

Baked Apple with Granola

1 tablespoon Meijer butter

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 large baking apples

3 tablespoons Meijer sugar, divided

2/3 cup Bear Naked® Granola

1 large Meijer egg white

1 1/2 cups apple cider

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
Peel apples nearly halfway, leaving skin on bottom halves. Carefully cut out apple cores with a paring knife, leaving bottoms intact. Holding the paring knife at a 45° angle, widen the opening at the top of each apple by about 1/2 inch. Place apples in an 8-inch square or round baking dish. Brush peeled parts of apples with 1 tablespoon butter mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Pulse granola in a food processor until it forms coarse crumbs. Add egg white, remaining butter mixture and 1 tablespoon sugar; pulse until just combined.
Spoon the granola mixture into apples, spreading it slightly over tops. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Pour cider into baking dish around apples.
Bake the apples until tender and filling is puffed and lightly browned, 50 to 60 minutes. (Cover apples loosely with foil if browning too quickly.) Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Serve warm, spooning pan juices over apples.

Makes 4 Servings

Recipe adapted from www.eatingwell.com

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Calories 296, Total Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 8 mg, Carbohydrate 64 g, Protein 3 g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 42 mg


Kellogg's® Special K® Bran Muffins

1 ¼ cup Meijer All Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon Meijer baking powder

¼ teaspoon Meijer salt (optional)

1 cup Special K

1 ½ cup All Bran Original or 1 ½ cup All Bran Bran Buds

¼ cup Meijer brown sugar

1 1/3 cup Meijer Fat Free Milk

2 Meijer egg whites

3 tablespoons Meijer vegetable oil

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine Kellogg’s Special K cereal, Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal, brown sugar and milk. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg whites and oil. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion evenly to twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 400° F about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Makes 12 muffins

Recipe adapted from www.kelloggs.com

Nutrition Facts per serving:
Serving size 1 muffin: Calories 130, Total fat 4 g , Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 220 mg, Carbohydrate 23 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 4 g

Mock Sangria
Makes 10 Servings

2 c. Meijer orange juice, chilled
1 c. Welch's 100% white grape juice, chilled
1 c. Meijer light cranberry juice
1 1 liter bottle Meijer diet lemon-lime, chilled
Ice cubes
2 c. assorted fresh fruit (such as oranges, cut into wedges; thinly sliced and halved lemons and or limes; pineapple wedges; seedless red or green grapes;sliced, peeled and pitted peaches; and halved strawberries)
Fresh mint sprigs

In a large bowl or pitcher, stir together chilled orange juice, white grape juice, and cranberry juice.  Add the lemon-lime beverage; stir gently.  Fill each of 10 glasses about two-thirds full with ice.  Divide fruit among glasses.  Pour juice mixture into glasses.  Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 61, Total fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 25 mg, Carbohydrate 15 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g

Recipe adapted from www.bhg.com

Tutti-Fruity Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 banana, peeled and cut up
1/4 c. fresh or Meijer frozen blueberries
1/4 c. sliced fresh or Meijer frozen strawberries
3/4 c. vanilla Silk soymilk
1/2 c. V8 V-Fusion Light Pomegranate-Blueberry Juice, chilled
1/2 c. vanilla frozen yogurt or Meijer pineapple sherbet

In a blender container combine banana, berries, soymilk, juice, and yogurt.  Cover and blend until smooth.  Pour into glasses.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 178, Total Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 89 mg, Carbohydrate 37 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 4 g

Recipe adapted from www.bhg.com

Crystal Light Fruity Punch
Makes 6 Servings

1 envelope of Crystal Light Tangerine Grapefruit Low Calorie Drink Mix
3 c. cold water
2 c. Jumex mango nectar
1 can cold club soda

Dissolve envelope of crystal light in cold water.  Add mango juice.  Add cold club soda just before serving.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 44, Total Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 30 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g

Recipe adapted from www.kraftcanada.com

V8 Orange Spritzer
Makes 6 Servings

3 c. V8 100% vegetable juice
1 1/2 c. plain or orange-flavored seltzer water
1 c. Meijer orange juice
Orange slices for garnish
Ice cubes

Stir the vegetable juice, seltzer and orange juice in a large pitcher.  Divide the ice among 5 glasses.  Pour the juice mixture over the ice.  Garnish with the orange slices.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 47 g, Total Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 263 mg, Carbohydrate 10 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g

Recipe adapted from www.campbellkitchen.com

Cranberry Sparklers
Makes 8 Servings

2 1/2 c. fresh grapefruit juice
3 1/2 c. chilled Ocean Spray 100% Premium Cranberry Juice
2 1/2 c. chilled Meijer sparkling water or soda water
1 lime cut in small wedges

Stir juices together in large pitcher.  Just before serving, stir in sparkling water.  Serve over ice with lime wedges.

Nutrition Information per serving:  Calories 88, Total Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 156 mg, Carbohydrate 22 g, Fiber 0 g

Recipe adapted from www.lowfatlifestyle.com

Watermelon Pomegranate Pops
Makes 4 Servings

1 1/2 c. cubed seedless watermelon
1/2 c. Minute Maid Enhanced Pomegranate Lemonade

Combine the watermelon and juice in a blender until smooth.  Pour into four 3 oz popsicle molds and freeze until firm, about 3 hours.  To remove the pops from the molds, run under warm water to loosen.  If you don't have popsicle molds, divide the liquid between four paper cups.  Cover each cup with foil, insert one craft stick through the center of each foil, and freeze.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 30, Total fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Carbohydrate 9 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g

Recipe adapted from www.mealmakeovermoms.com

Sweetheart Salmon Fillets
Makes 4 Servings

4 (4oz) salmon fillets
1/4 c. Meijer all purpose white flour
salt and pepper to taste
3 T. Smart Balance margarine
1/2 c. Welch's 100% Grape Juice made from concord grapes
1/2 c. Meijer reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 t. fresh dill
1/4 c. Carnation low fat 2% evaporated milk
1-2 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
lemon slices, for garnish
parsley for garnish

Dust salmon fillets generously with mixture of flour, salt, and pepper to coat.  Melt margarine in broad skillet.  Add fillets; cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes per side until fillets are opaque or just beginning to flake in thickest part.  Remove to warm plate.  Deglaze pan with grape juice and broth by loosening browned particles.  Stir in dill and evaporated milk.  Cook just until slightly thickened.  Season with salt and pepper; add lemon juice to taste.  To serve: spoon sauce over filets.  Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 263, Total Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 46 mg, Sodium 311 mg, Carbohydrate 12 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 18 g

Recipe adapted from www.welchs.com

Cranberry Vinagrette
Makes 10 Servings

2 1/4 c. Ocean Spray cranberry juice
3 T. coarsely chopped Ocean Spray Craisins sun-dried cranberries or cherries
1 T. finely chopped shallot
2 T. Meijer olive oil
2 T. fresh orange juice
1 T. Pompeian red wine vinegar or to taste
2 t. chopped fresh dill
Meijer honey to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring 2 c. of cranberry juice to a boil in a saucepan.  Continue to boil over high heat until liquid is reduced by half.  In a separate bowl, soak the sun-dried cranberries in the remaining 1/4 c. of cranberry juice until plump.  While juice is reducing, saute the shallot in olive oil until soft but not brown.  Puree the cranberry juice reduction and shallot in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Place the mixture in a bowl and whisk in the remaining ingredients, including the oil and softened cranberries.  The vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 62, Total Fat 2 g, Sodium 60 mg, Carbohydrate 9 g, Fiber 0 g

Recipe adapted from www.oceanspray.com

Lunch

Balsamic Chicken Mango Skewers

1 cup Meijer balsamic vinegar

1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large mangoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

16 8-inch long wooden skewers

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sweet or hot chili powder

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Meijer Non-stick cooking spray

8 ounces buckwheat somein or udon noodles

1 cup Simply Orange® with Mango

1 T. Meijer creamy peanut butter or almond butter

1 T. reduced sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, minced

½ medium cucumber, thinly sliced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid decreases by half. Set aside, the vinegar will thicken as it cools.

Press the chicken cubes, alternating with mango, onto the skewers. Sprinkle the chicken skewers with salt, chili powder and black pepper. Heat a stovetop grill or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Coat skewers with cooking spray. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Place Simply Orange® with Mango in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 6 minutes until the juice thickens slightly. Remove from heat and whisk in the peanut butter (or almond butter), soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Add noodles to the sauce pan and toss to coat. Top with cucumber and cilantro. Place the skewers on top of the noodles and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

Note: 1 skewer weighs 40 grams or 1 3/8 ounces. Noodles measure 3 ½ cups total.

Recipe created by Jennifer Iserloh, the Skinny Chef. Source: Simply Orange.

Asian Chicken Salad

1 package (8 to 12 oz.) DOLE® Field Greens or Chopped Romaine or any variety

1 can (15 oz.) DOLE Mandarin Oranges, drained

2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced

1/2 cup snow peas or fresh pea pods, cut in half (optional)

1/3 cup crispy noodles

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/2 cup bottled Asian sesame dressing 

Toss together salad, mandarin oranges, chicken slices, snow peas, crispy noodles and almonds, in large serving bowl.  Pour dressing over salad; toss to evenly coat.  Serve.

Per Serving

195 Calories,  13g Total Fat,  1g Saturated Fat,  0mg Cholesterol,  238mg Sodium,  117% Potassium,  18g Total Carbohydrate,  2g Dietary Fiber, 8% Dietary Fiber, 14g Sugars,  3g Protein,  675% Vitamin A, 18% Vitamin C, 30% Calcium, 1% Iron, 2% Folate

Source: Dole

Snack/Appetizer

Valley Fresh Tex - Mex Chicken Dip

1 10 oz. can Valley Fresh Premium Chunk White Chicken, drained

2 cups Meijer shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

1 cup Chi-Chi's Salsa

1 can (4 oz.) Chi-Chi's diced green chilies

1 can (2 oz.) sliced black olives, drained

Baked Tortilla chips

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cover loosely and heat the mixture in the microwave until hot and bubbly, stirring occasionally to blend the ingredients. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Serving Size 76g

Calories 100, Calories from Fat 45, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 25mg

Sodium 290mg, Total Carbohydrate 3g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 1g, Protein 11g. Source: Valley Fresh

Tingy Tangy Tomato Salsa

3 T. Pompeian Red Wine or Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar

3 T. Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1-1/2 cups)

3 scallions, minced

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1   jalapeno pepper, minced

2-3 T. chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine oil and vinegar and mix well. Add all remaining ingredients and toss to blend. Serve salsa with grilled chicken or steak, quesadillas, with chips, or in flour tortillas with cheese. Source: Pompeian.

TRISCUIT® Crispy Vegetable Spread  

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup  shredded, peeled seeded cucumber, well drained

1 cup shredded carrot

1 tsp.  chopped fresh dill

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

4   green onions, sliced

TRISCUIT Reduced Fat Crackers

MIX all ingredients except crackers until well blended; cover.

REFRIGERATE several hours to allow flavors to blend.

SERVE as a spread with crackers.

Nutrition Information: Calories  140 Total fat  6 g   Saturated fat  2.5 g Cholesterol  10 mg Sodium  200 mg Carbohydrate  20 g   Dietary fiber  4 g   Sugars  1 g Protein  4 g Vitamin A  40 %DV Vitamin C  2 %DV Calcium  2 %DV Iron  8 %DV Healthy Living Information

Good source of fiber

Good source of vitamin A or C

Low sodium

Diet Exchange

1 Starch + 1 Fat

Source: Kraft

PHILADELPHIA and Fruit-Topped RITZ

Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 10 min

Makes: 1 serving

5 RITZ Crackers

2 Tbsp.  PHILADELPHIA Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread

1/2 cup sliced fresh fruit, such as strawberries, kiwi, apple and pineapple

SPREAD crackers with cream cheese spread; top with fruit.

Nutrition Information: Calories  200 Total fat  12 g   Saturated fat  6 g Cholesterol  30 mg Sodium  240 mg Carbohydrate  20 g   Dietary fiber  2 g   Sugars  9 g Protein  3 g Vitamin A  6 %DV Vitamin C  80 %DV Calcium  6 %DV Iron  6 %DV  Source: Kraft.

Dinner

Hans Rockenwagner's Soy Marinated Chicken Breast with Grilled Asparagus

Prep Time:  15 Minutes Cook Time:  15 Minutes

Serves:  4 

1/2 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 1/2 cups light soy sauce

1/2 cup sesame oil

10 cloves garlic

4 ounces chopped fresh ginger

4 ounces fresh, chopped lemon grass

2 medium green onions, chopped

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

20 asparagus spears, trimmed

Directions Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well. Add chicken breasts and marinate seven hours or overnight.

Remove chicken breasts from marinade. Grill 10-15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Grill asparagus 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Note

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with 5 asparagus spears

 Nutrition Info:

Calories: 220, Calories from Fat: 50, Total Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 440mg, Total Carbs: 22g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 5g, Protein: 22g, Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database. Source: Splenda.

Buttery Pepper & Citrus Broiled Fish

3 Tbsp. (45mL) Molly McButter® Butter Flavored Sprinkles

1 Tbsp. (15mL) Mrs. Dash® Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend

1 Tbsp. (15mL) lime juice

2 tsp (10mL) Meijer honey

4 4 Oz. (115g) boneless white fish fillets

Directions:

Combine Mrs. Dash® Lemon Pepper, Molly McButter® sprinkles, lime juice, and honey in small bowl; mix well. Broil fish 6 to 8 inches from heat, turning once. Spread fish with Mrs. Dash® Lemon Pepper mixture. Broil an additional 4 to 5 minutes.

Serves: 4

Nutritional Information:

Calories:122 % of Calories from Fat:7 % Total Fat:1 g      Saturated Fat:0 g     Unsaturated Fat:0 g     Trans Fat:0 g Cholesterol:65 mg Sodium:482 mg Potassium:359 mg Carbohydrates:6 g  Fiber:0 g Protein:22 g. Source: Mrs. Dash.

Citrus Pork Stir-Fry  

Makes: 4 servings, 1-1/2 cups each

Ready in: 25 min

1 lb. pork loin, thinly sliced

2 cups broccoli florets

4 carrots (1 lb.), sliced

1/2 cup coarsely chopped oranges

1/4 cup Light KRAFT Italian Dressing

2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup PLANTERS Cashews, toasted

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Combine all ingredients except nuts.

Poke small holes in bottom of large disposable aluminum foil pan; fill with meat mixture. Place on grate of grill; cover with lid. Grill 15 min. or until meat is done and vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Top with nuts. Source: Planters.

Beverages

Apple-Licious Smoothies

4 containers (½ cup each)	Mott's Healthy Harvest Summer Strawberry apple sauce
2 cups	Mott's apple juice
2 cups	Meijer lowfat vanilla yogurt

In small pitcher, combine all ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Makes 6 servings. Source: Mott’s.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 140 calories; 1 g fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 55 mg sodium; 30 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 4 g protein.

Tip: Kids can make individual smoothies themselves. Use 1 container apple sauce, then use the container to measure the apple juice and yogurt. Stir together right in the glass!

Kid’s in the Kitchen:

Helping out in the Kitchen does a lot more than just teaching you how to cook.  Working in the kitchen is a fun way to build nutrition and food knowledge as well as math, science, and reading skills.  Younger kids can build their motor (hand) skills.  Best of all, you can use your imagination and get creative!  What will you make today?

Healthy Recipes

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms on French Baguette

Prep. Time: 10 Minutes, Cooking Time: 6-8 Minutes, Serves: 8

 Ingredients:

1 - 12 oz. package Portabella mushroom caps, washed and trimmed

3 Tbls Meijer olive oil

4 Tbls Reduced sodium soy sauce

3 Tbls Fresh lemon juice

1 Green onion, finely chopped

2 Cloves garlic, minced

Pepper to taste

1 Loaf fresh French Baguette (or French bread)

1 Tbls Olive oil

Method:

Mushrooms:  Brush grill grates and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pre-heat grill to medium heat.  Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, onion, garlic and pepper.  Brush mushroom caps with 1/2 of the olive oil marinade and place mushroom cap side down on grill.  Generously baste the gill side with the remaining marinade.  Cook about 4 minutes, turn and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until mushrooms are fork tender.

Bread:  Slice bread in 1/2" slices and brush lightly with olive oil.  Place oil side down on hot grill and toast 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from grill and top with grilled portabella mushroom slices.  Garish with chopped fresh green onion, if desired.

Nutrition Information (Approximate, per serving):

Calories: 139, Protein: 4g, Carbohydrate: 16g, Fiber: 2.3g, Total Fat: 6g (Saturated Fat: 0.8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g), Sodium: 360 mg.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Yummy spaghetti with traditional meatballs—kid’s you’ll need a bit of your parent’s help with this recipe. 

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 box (14.5 oz) Barilla Pasta Plus Spaghetti

2 Jars (about 5 cups) Barilla Marinara Sauce

1 to 1 1/2 lb. Lean Ground Beef

1/2 cup Reduced Fat Milk

1/3 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs

1 medium White Onion, diced

1 tsp. McCormick Dried Basil

1/2 tsp. McCormick Dried Oregano

1 Egg

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Salt to taste

Pam Cooking Spray, Olive Oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 10-15 minutes.  Mix diced onion, ground beef, basil, oregano, egg, salt and pepper together in a medium-sized bowl. Add milk-bread crumb mixture and mix well.  Shape mixture into 2-inch meatball.  Coat baking sheet with cooking spray and place meatballs on baking sheet.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until center temperature reaches 150 degrees.

Meanwhile, fill a large stock pot half full with water and add 1 Tbls. Olive oil.  Bring water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Heat Sauce in a medium Stock pot over low-medium heat.  Add cooked meatballs, stir to coat.  Serve over cooked pasta and enjoy!

Approximate Nutrition Analysis (per serving):  425 calories, 10g Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 28g Protein, 52g Carbohydrate, 5g Fiber.

Marinated Tilapia Fillets

1 pound Meijer Tilapia fillets (about 4-5 pieces)

1/4 Cup Zesty or Light Italian Salad Dressing

Pour Italian dressing in a shallow dish; add tilapia fillets turning to coat.  Allow to marinate 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, spray a fish grilling basket with non-stick pan spray or generously oil grilling grates.  Pre-heat grill to medium-low heat.  Cook tilapia until opaque-white and flaky (about 7-10 minutes) turning once only with a spatula.  (If using an electric grill, such as a George Foreman grill, cooking time will be reduced to approximately 3 minutes).  Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley if desired and enjoy! 

Makes 4 servings.

Approximate Nutrition Information per serving (4 oz):  190 calories, 11g Fat, 2g Saturated fat, 53 mg Cholesterol, 280 mg Sodium, 20g Protein.

Sensational Tilapia-Salsa Packets

1 pound Meijer Tilapia fillets (about 4-5 pieces)

1/2 Cup Salsa (fresh refrigerated is best, or your favorite from the jar)

1/2 Sweet Onion, sliced thin

Pre-heat grill to medium heat.  Coat the center of a large piece of aluminum foil with olive oil or non-stick pan spray.  Season tilapia with salt and pepper and place on oil-coated area of foil.  Spoon salsa evenly over top of tilapia, and top with onion slices.  Fold sides of foil up and seal to form a packet and place on grill.  Cook until fish is opaque-white and flaky (about 10 – 12 minutes).  Remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro if desired and enjoy! 

Makes 4 servings.

Approximate Nutrition Information per serving (4 oz) Using refrigerated fresh salsa: 120 calories, 1.1g Fat, 0.5g Saturated fat, 53 mg Cholesterol, 3g Carbohydrate, 223 mg Sodium, 22g Protein.

Fabulously Fun Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:

1 Large banana, peeled and sliced

1 Cup washed berries (blueberries, raspberries, or sliced strawberries)

1 Cup reduced fat vanilla yogurt

1/4 Cup crushed Meijer honey-graham crackers (about 1 full graham cracker sheet or 2 - 4” squares)

Method:

In two parfait cups or glasses, layer 1/2 each of the banana slices, yogurt and berries.  Repeat layer with remaining fruit and yogurt. Top with crushed graham crackers.  Serve chilled. Makes 2 parfaits.

Approximate Nutrition Information (per serving):

240 calories, 7g protein, 47g carbohydrate, 2.5g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 135 mg sodium

Sunrise Smoothie

Serve for breakfast with Arnold's 100% Whole Wheat Toast or for a Snack

Makes 2 Servings

• 1 cup ice
• 1/2 cup Meijer frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup vanilla Silk Soymilk
• 1 medium banana
• 1/2 cup Dannon vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp. honey (optional-children under the age of one year should not consume honey)

Place the ice in the bottom of a blender.  Add remaining ingredients.  Puree until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from About.com  Cooking for Kids

Nutrition Information per serving: 299 calories, 2 g fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 64 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein

Apple & Chicken for Baby

Makes 2 cups

• 1 tsp. Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
• 2 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can (5oz) Hormel chicken breast

Brown onions with olive oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.  Add apples, carrots and water, cover and continue cooking at medium-low for 10-15 minutes or until very tender.  Add poached chicken.  Set aside to slightly cool, then puree in food processor.  Can be refrigerated for 3 days; frozen for 3 weeks.

Recipe adapted from www.cdkitchen.com

Nutrition Information per serving: 158 calories, 4 g fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein

Bunny Pears

Makes 4 to 6  Servings

• 1 can pear halves, drained
• 4 to 6 lettuce leaves
• 12 slivered almonds, toasted
• 12 Meijer raisins
• 4-6 blueberries
• Cool Whip Lite

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate.  Place the pear halves, rounded side up, on the lettuce leaves.  Use the remaining ingredients to add features to each pear to make it into a bunny.  Use almonds for the ears, raisins for the eyes, and blueberry for the nose and squirt Cool Whip Lite for the tail on the bunny.

Recipe adapted from: Cooking Art:Easy Edible Art for Young Children Cookbook

Nutrition Information per serving: 78 calories, 4 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein

Chicken Wrap

Makes 4 Servings

• 1 can (10 ounce) HORMEL Premium Chunk Breast of Chicken, drained and flaked
• 2 cups thinly slice Romaine Lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 4 tbsp. Kraft fat free creamy Caesar salad dressing
• 1 tbsp. Meijer grated parmesan cheese
• 4 Meijer flour tortillas

In large bowl, combine chicken, lettuce, tomato, salad dressing and parmesan cheese.  Toss until well combined.  Evenly divide mixture among each tortilla.  Wrap tortillas around filling and serve.

Recipe adapted from www.hormelfoods.com

Nutrition Information per serving: 227 calories, 10 g fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 1096 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 14 g protein

Whole Grain Vegetable Sandwich

Makes 2 Servings

• 4 slices Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Bread
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 1/4 cup Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp. Kraft light mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

Evenly spread the mashed avocado on two slices of whole grain bread and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper over the avocado.  Spread 1 tsp. mayonnaise on each of the remaining two slices of bread.  Add the tomato, cucumber and onion to make two sandwiches.  Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from www.Arnold.gwbakeries.com

Nutrition Information per serving: 435 calories, 20 g fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 715 mg sodium, 59 g carbohydrate, 13 g fiber, 10 g protein

Quick & Meaty Lasagna

Makes 6 Servings

• 1 lb. Certified Angus Beef Ground Chuck
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 lb. Breakstone's low fat cottage cheese
• 1 Meijer egg
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 (24-30 oz) jar Prego Marinara sauce
• 1 lb. Creamette Lasagna noodles, cooked
• 2 cups Kraft low moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
• 1/2 cup Meijer parmesan & romano grated cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef with oregano until brown.  Combine cottage cheese, egg, and black pepper.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray baking dish with cooking spray.  Spread 1 cup Prego sauce in bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish.  Cover sauce with 3 noodles.  Top with cottage cheese mixture, ground beef, mozzarella and parmesan & romano grated cheese.  Place another layer of noodles and one of sauce; top with cottage cheese mixture, ground beef, mozzarella and parmesan & romano grated cheese.  Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce.  Bake in oven covered with aluminum foil for 45 minutes.  Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake 15 minutes more uncovered until golden and bubbly).

Nutrition Information per serving: 490 calories, 23 g fat, 107 mg cholesterol, 1826 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 42 g protein, 4 g fiber

South-Of-The-Border Tuna Wrap

Serves 2

1 pouch (3 oz) Bumble Bee® Premium Albacore or Light Tuna

4 T. Meijer black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup shredded lettuce (try Romaine lettuce)

6 T. prepared Meijer salsa

4 T. shredded 2% milk cheddar cheese

2 Meijer whole wheat tortillas

Split beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese between two tortillas and place one serving in bottom third of one tortilla. Top with portion of tuna. Fold bottom tortilla flap over filling and bring edges in from sides. Keeping folding bottom until no flap remains. Repeat with other tortilla and ingredients.  Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 327, Total Fat: 6.8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 694mg, Total Carbohydrate: 40.5g, Dietary Fiber: 6.6g, Sugar: 3.3g, Protein: 24.9g. Adapted from: Bumble Bee.

For a South-Of-The-Border Chicken Wrap: substitute 1 (5 ounce) can of drained Valley Fresh 100% Natural White Chicken for the pouch of tuna.

Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad 

Start to finish: 25 Minutes 

4 each Chicken Breast, boneless 

16 oz.  Ken's Lite Balsamic and Basil Vinaigrette 

1 - 4 oz. bag Baby Spinach 

1 t. garlic, chopped 

As needed Pompeian Extra Virgin olive oil 

2 lbs. red bliss potatoes, quartered 

To taste, salt

To  taste, ground black pepper 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Marinade Chicken Breast with 8 oz. of Ken's Balsamic and Basil Vinaigrette in a zip lock bag for 4-24 hours.  Remove chicken from marinade and discard used marinade.  Grill chicken breast until 165 degrees (internal temp.).  Heat a large skillet, add a light coating of olive oil, add spinach and garlic then sauté for 2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt.  Divide spinach onto plate.  In a large bowl, add quartered red potatoes, olive oil (as needed) and season with salt and pepper.  Place on sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until tender.  Place 1/4 of potatoes on each plate.  Place chicken on top of spinach.  Drizzle entire plate with 2 oz. of Ken's Lite Balsamic and Basil Vinaigrette.

Estimated nutrition information per serving: calories: 478, total fat: 8.7g, saturated fat: 2g, sodium: 400mg, total carbohydrates: 39g. Adapted from: Ken’s Foods.

Barilla PLUS™ Angel Hair with Marinara Sauce, Zucchini and Mint

Prep Time: 90 minutes

Cook time: 19 minutes

Servings: 6

1 box Barilla PLUS™ Angel Hair

1 jar BARILLA Marinara Sauce

2 cups (3 small) zucchini, sliced

to taste salt

3 T. Pompeian extra virgin olive oil

to taste freshly ground black pepper

¼  cup Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated

1 T. fresh mint, chopped

TOSS zucchini with salt and place in a colander to drain for 1 hour.

BRING a large pot of water to a boil.

HEAT olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, saute zucchini 4-5 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through.

ADD sauce and simmer for 2 minutes until sauce is heated through. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain

TOSS pasta with sauce; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with cheese and mint

Adapted from: Barilla

Dinner

30-Minute Dijon Pork & Rice Pilaf  

Makes: 4 servings

Ready in: 30 min

Preparation Time: 10 min

1 t. Meijer canola oil

3/4 lb. (12 oz.) pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips

1 t. Meijer salt

1/4 t. black pepper

2 cups water

1-1/2 cups Meijer instant brown rice, uncooked

1 medium apple, chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 T. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 T. Planters Walnut Pieces

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat; season with salt and pepper. Cook 8 min. or until meat is cooked through, stirring frequently. Remove meat from skillet; cover to keep warm.

Add water, rice, apples, cranberries and mustard to skillet; mix well. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 5 min.

Spoon rice mixture onto serving platter; top with the meat mixture. Sprinkle with onions and walnuts.

Nutrition information per serving: calories: 441, total fat: 8.6g, saturated fat: 1.6g, cholesterol: 62mg, sodium: 681mg, total carbohydrates: 61g, fiber: 4.2g, protein: 29g.

Adapted from: Planters.

Cranberry Mint Marinated Cucumbers

4 cups cucumbers, peeled, scored, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

2 t. Kosher or table salt

1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Light Cran•Raspberry® Cranberry Raspberry Juice Drink

2 T. Meijer balsamic vinegar

2 T. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1 T. red onion, finely chopped

Peel cucumbers. Holding a fork with tines facing down, drag the tines down the length of the cucumber. Continue until all sides are scored. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Toss sliced cucumbers with salt in a large mixing bowl. Place slices in a colander or sieve over a mixing bowl to drain for 1 hour. Meanwhile, pour juice into a small mixing bowl. Add balsamic vinegar and fresh mint.

After 1 hour, drain cucumber slices and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Place in medium glass mixing bowl, add red onion and pour marinade over mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more to blend flavors.

Keep refrigerated for up to a week in a tightly sealed container. Makes about 6 1/2-cup servings.

Per Serving: Cal. 18 (0%DV), Fat Cal. 1, Total Fat <1gram, Chol. 0mg, Sodium 786mg (33 DV),Pot. 144mg (4%DV), Carb. 4grams (1%DV), Dietary Fiber <1gram (3%DV), Sugars 3grams, Protein <1gram (1%DV), Vit. A 266IU (5%DV), Calcium 16mg (1%DV), Vit. C 13mg (22%DV), Iron <1mg (2%DV), Dietary Exchange: Vegetable 1

Source: Ocean Spray.

Beverages

Sunshine Swizzle  

Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 5 min

Makes: 7 servings, 1 cup each

1 tub CRYSTAL LIGHT Ruby Red Grapefruit Flavor Drink Mix

1-1/2 qt.  (6 cups) cold club soda

1 cup cold orange juice

1 T.  lime juice

Place drink mix in large plastic or glass pitcher.

Add club soda, orange juice and lime juice; stir until drink mix is completely dissolved.

Serve over ice cubes in 7 tall glasses.

Jazz It Up by garnishing with fresh lime slices.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories  20 Total fat  0 g   Saturated fat  0 g Cholesterol  0 mg Sodium  40 mg Carbohydrate  4 g   Dietary fiber  0 g   Sugars  4 g Protein  0 g Vitamin A  0 %DV Vitamin C  20 %DV Calcium  0 %DV Iron  0 %DV

Healthy Living Information

Low fat

Low calorie

Good source of vitamin A or C

Low sodium

Diet Exchange

Free

Source: Kraft Foods

Pear and Cranberry Smoothie  

Serves 1

1/2 cup Old Orchard Healthy Balance Cranberry Fruit Juice Cocktail

1 very ripe whole pear

4 ice cubes

1) Peel and core the pear, then cut it into chunks.

2) Place cranberry juice cocktail and pears into a blender and mix.

3) Add the ice cubes, one at a time, and blend until smooth.

Estimated nutrition information per serving: calories: 95, total fat: 0.2g, sodium: 4mg, total carbohydrates: 24.5g, fiber: 4.3g, protein: 0.5g. Source: Old Orchard.

Low Calorie Lemonade

Makes 8 servings

7 cups Water

1 cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice from Concentrate

1 cup Equal® Spoonful* 

Combine ingredients. Stir until Equal dissolves. Serve over ice.

Nutritional Information per serving:

Calories 17 

Protein 0 g 

Carbohydrates 5 g 

Fat 0 g 

Cholesterol 0 mg 

Sodium 11 mg 

Food Exchange:   Free Food 

Source: Equal.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound Meijer Tilapia fillets (about 4-5 pieces)

1/2 Cup Salsa (fresh refrigerated is best, or your favorite from the jar)

1/2 Sweet Onion, sliced thin

Method:

Pre-heat grill to medium heat (or oven to 450 degrees).  Coat the center of a large piece of aluminum foil with olive oil or non-stick pan spray.  Season tilapia with salt and pepper and place on oil-coated area of foil.  Spoon salsa evenly over top of tilapia, and top with onion slices.  Fold sides of foil up and seal to form a packet and place on grill (or in oven).  Cook until fish is opaque-white and flaky (about 10 – 12 minutes).  Remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro if desired and enjoy! 

Approximate Nutrition Information per serving (4 oz) Using refrigerated fresh salsa: 120 calories, 1.1g Fat, 0.5g Saturated fat, 53 mg Cholesterol, 3g Carbohydrate, 223 mg Sodium, 22g Protein.

Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables

Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4  pound)
2 medium white potatoes, peeled, cut into 2” pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
1 medium onions, peeled and sliced thick
1 small tart baking apple, peeled and core removed, cut into thick slices
Meijer Canola oil (about 1/2 to 1 Tbls)

1/2 tsp. McCormick dried, crushed Rosemary
Coarse Salt and Freshly ground pepper
 
Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine all vegetables with enough oil to lightly coat, mixing with hands. Add meat, and turn until also coated.   Place vegetables into a large casserole and place pork tenderloin on top of vegetables.

Sprinkle mixture and meat with crushed Rosemary, 1-2 tsp of salt, and grind pepper over top to taste.

Pre-heat oven to 350^oF.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to baking dish.  Cover the second roast with aluminum foil and place in oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check vegetables for doneness. Remove cover and let roast for another 10-15 minutes to crisp potatoes.

Remove from oven; re-cover, let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving tenderloin.

Approximate Nutrition Analysis (per serving):  306 Calories, 5.6g Fat, 1.5g Saturated Fat, 83 mg Cholesterol, 31g Carbohydrate, 32g Protein, 133 mg Sodum

Spinach Salad with Dried Cherries

Serves: 4 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound spinach or baby spinach leaves, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 cup sun-dried cherries (or cranberries)

1 apple, unpeeled, quartered and thinly sliced

          (Brush with pineapple juice to prevent browning)

Maple-Honey Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. raspberry or balsamic vinegar

Method:

1. Combine spinach, pecans, cherries, and apple in a large salad bowl and set aside. 

2. To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together mustard, maple syrup, honey, olive oil and vinegar in a small mixing bowl until well combined and smooth.

3. Just before serving, combine vinaigrette and salad, toss and serve immediately.

Approximate Nutrition Information (per serving):  245 calories, 33g carbohydrate, 3g protein, 12g fat, 4g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium.

Cran-Apple Scones (makes 12-14 scones)

Ingredients
2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry flour (or whole grain white flour)
1/4 cup Meijer sugar
1 tablespoon Meijer baking powder
1 teaspoon Meijer baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Meijer salt
1 cup Silk® Unsweetened Soymilk
1/4 cup Tropicana® Pure Premium orange juice
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/4 cup Meijer canola oil
1 cup coarsely chopped apples
 

Method:  Preheat oven to 375°F. 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, together the Silk®, orange juice, cranberries, orange zest and canola oil. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix together until just moistened.  Gently blend in chopped apples.  Drop the batter in about 1/4 cup measures onto parchment lined baking sheets . Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Cool and drizzle with the orange glaze.

Fresh Orange Glaze

1 cup Meijer confectioners® sugar
2 tsp. grated orange rind
2 Tbsp. Tropicana® Pure Premium orange juice

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.  Lightly drizzle over cooled scones.

Approximate Nutrition Information (per serving): 187 Calories, 5g Fat, 32g Carbohydrate, 16g sugar, 2.5g Fiber, 0mg Cholesterol, 2.7g Protein, 210 mg Sodium

2 cups (16 oz.) Tropicana Pure Valencia Orange Juice
1 cup Meijer low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 Florida navel orange, peeled and cut into one-inch chunks
½ t. Meijer ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a blender container and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.  Makes 2 servings

Pair this smoothie with Meijer whole-grain toast and a handful of almonds or sunflower seeds for additional nutrients to support the immune system.

Salmon and Orange Salad
This entrée salad is packed with delicious ingredients that offer a variety of nutrients to support the immune system and other important systems.  From smoked salmon with essential omega-3 fatty acids to juicy Florida oranges with antioxidant vitamin C – this salad has exciting flavor and nutrients to support good health this cold and flu season.

1 cup Tropicana Pure Valencia Orange Juice
4 T. walnut oil (may substitute canola oil)
1-1/2 t. Meijer Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3 T. shallots, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
3 cups Dole baby spinach leaves
3 cups Dole mixed greens
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
6 strawberries, thinly sliced
1/3 cup red onion slices
1 large Florida navel orange, peeled and cut into slices
2 T. roasted and salted sunflower seed kernels
2 smoked salmon fillets (3-4 oz. each)

Whisk orange juice, oil, mustard, garlic and shallots together in a small bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Toss baby spinach and mixed greens together; divide between two large plates or large bowls.  Arrange half of the mushrooms, strawberries, red onions and orange slices over each salad.  Sprinkle each salad with 1 T. sunflower seeds; top with salmon fillet.  Drizzle 4 T. of Orange Shallot Vinaigrette over each salad.  Reserve remaining dressing for other uses. Makes 2 servings.

Serve this salad with a slice of whole grain baguette from the Meijer bakery; and a scoop of lowfat frozen yogurt for dessert.

Asian Spiced Couscous with Toasted Walnuts
Preparing this couscous with vitamin C-rich 100% Florida orange juice instead of water adds a tasty citrus zing while boosting the immune system-supporting benefits of this Asian-flavored side dish.  Additionally, walnuts contain essential omega-3 fatty acids and ginger has been reported to have potential anti-inflammatory components.  Simply peel the fresh gingerroot with your potato peeler and grate.

1-1/3 cups 100% Tropicana orange juice
1 t. fresh gingerroot, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 t. Meijer soy sauce
1 t. Thai chili garlic paste
1 cup whole wheat couscous (dry)
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1 T. fresh red chile pepper, seeded and finely minced
2 T. cilantro, finely chopped ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted

Whisk orange juice, grated ginger, garlic, soy sauce and Thai chili garlic paste together in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Bring to a boil and add couscous, stirring quickly.  Remove orange juice mixture from heat and stir in green onions and pepper.  Cover and let stand 5 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and toasted walnuts.  Serve Warm.
Meal Idea:  Add a green salad and sliced pork tenderloin.

Get Well Basket
If you have a friend or relative that does come down with a cold or the flu they will greatly appreciate a basket of “wellness”.  Add the following items and deliver with a cheery card.

Basket suggestions:

• Kleenex® Tissues
• Absopure bottled water
• SoBe Life bottled water
• Homemade chicken noodle soup
• Favorite magazine or book
• Movie DVD
• Fresh fruit
• Lipton Tea
• Flavored honey

Recipes from www.floridajuice.com

Quick Breakfast Ideas:

 Banana Oat Muffins

prep time: 20 Minutes • cook time: 15 Minutes • time to table: 35 Minutes

topping:

1/2 cup Quaker® oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (try Splenda Brown Sugar)

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour

2-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

muffins:

1 cup fat-free milk (or try Silk Soymilk)

1/2 cup Quaker® oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (14 oz) banana quick bread and muffin mix

1/2 cup snipped pitted dried plums OR dried figs

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Spray bottoms of 18 medium muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

2. For topping, combine all topping ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

3. For muffins, mix together milk and oats in large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in oil and eggs until well blended. Add banana quick bread mix and dried plums. Stir by hand 50 to 75 strokes, as directed on package, or until blended.

4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with topping, dividing evenly.

5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it and topping is golden brown. Remove muffins from pan to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

6. To freeze, wrap cooled muffins in foil, or place in freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze up to 6 months.

Servings: 18. Source: Quaker.

Honey Sweet Wheat Breakfast Sandwich

We've lowered the fat in this star-struck favorite and have upped the healthy goodness for a yummy organic sandwich that's food safe and doesn't need to be kept chilled — perfect for the school lunchbox!

For each sandwich, you will need:

1 small, ripe organic banana

2 slices Rudi's Organic Honey Sweet Whole Wheat Bread

2 tablespoons organic peanut butter

2 tablespoons organic butter

In a small bowl, mash the organic banana with a fork. Meanwhile, lightly toast the Honey Sweet Whole Wheat Bread. Divide and then spread the organic peanut butter on each slice of toast. Top with the mashed organic banana and put slices together to form sandwich. Melt half the organic butter in a small, nonstick skillet and fry the sandwich, browning one side. Turn sandwich over, melt remaining half of butter, and finish browning second side. Serve hot.

Yield: 1 hot sandwich! Source: Rudi’s Bakery.

Quick Lunch and Dinner Ideas:

Southwest Chicken Wrap in Flour Tortilla with Avocado and Black Bean Salad and Prime Fillet Chicken Breast with Southwest Seasonings

Makes about 20 wraps.

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 can (about 16 ounces) Meijer black beans (frijoles negros), drained, rinsed and drained again (about 1 1/4 cups)

1 cup coarsely diced roasted red pepper

1/2 cup Meijer frozen corn kernels

2 Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed

4 ounces unpeeled English cucumber, seeded and diced (1/2 inch)

1 scant tablespoon dried oregano

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon golden-colored (not extra-virgin) olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 tablespoon hot sauce

2 4-ounce pouches Bumble Bee® Prime Fillet™ Chicken Breast with Southwest Seasonings

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

About 20 Mission® Fajita size flour tortillas

Whipped cream cheese spread for spreading

Several green-leaf lettuce leaves (the frilly lettuce)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Gently combine the garlic, black beans, roasted red pepper, corn kernels, avocados, cucumber, oregano, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and hot sauce sauce in a large bowl.

2. Drain the 2 pouches Bumble Bee® Prime Fillet™ Chicken Breast with Southwest Seasonings, discarding the liquid. Break up the fillets into large shreds and add them to the bowl, along with the cilantro, tossing gently to combine.

3. To make the tortillas easier to roll up, wrap them in aluminum foil and heat for 10 minutes in a low oven.

4. To assemble the wraps: Lay the warmed tortillas (a few at a time) on your work surface. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese evenly over each one. Arrange a lettuce leaf over the top 1/2 of the tortilla, the frilly edge just touching the top. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the avocado and black bean salad a little above the center of the leaf. Fold the bottom of the tortilla halfway up over the filling, then, starting at one end of the unfolded sides, roll the tortilla until it completely encloses the filling, leaving the top open. Place seam side down on a plate and continue until all the filling is used.

© Copyright 2006 FLAVOR PUBLICATIONS, INC.

Recipe developed by Joie Warner - award-winning, best-selling author of over 25 cookbooks. Visit her online at www.joiewarner.com

Source: Bumble Bee.

1-2-3 Tuna Salad

Makes 3 Servings

1 can (6 oz.) BUMBLE BEE Chunk White of Chunk Light Tuna in water

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

3 tablespoons Meijer mayonnaise

Shredded lettuce or 3 English muffins (or try Rudi’s Organic Bakery 7 Grain with Flax Bread)

DIRECTIONS:

Open tuna can, discard lid. Hold a small wire mesh strainer or colander over an empty sink; dump can of tuna into strainer, hold over sink until all of the liquid has drained. (To be sure all of the liquid has drained, gently press on tuna in strainer with the back of a spoon.) Place tuna in a medium bowl; flake into small pieces with a fork. Add relish and mayonnaise to tuna, stir until evenly combined. Serve atop shredded lettuce, as a salad; or divide between English muffins, as a sandwich. Source: Bumble Bee.

Spicy Asian Beef & Snow Pea Soup

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

Meijer vegetable cooking spray

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, 3/4-inch thick, cut into thin strips

1 cup whole baby carrots, cut in thin strips

4 oz. fresh snow peas, cut into thin strips

1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger root

4 cups Swanson® Beef Broth OR Swanson® 50% Less Sodium Beef Broth or Certified Organic

1 tbsp. soy sauce (try low sodium soy sauce)

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 cups hot cooked jasmine rice OR Chinese-style noodles

Spray a 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the beef and stir-fry until it's well browned, stirring often. Remove the beef from the skillet with a slotted spoon.

Add the carrots, peas, onion, garlic and ginger to the skillet. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stir the broth, soy sauce, red pepper into the skillet. Heat to a boil. Return the beef to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes.

Spoon 1/3 cup of the rice in each of 6 serving bowls. Divide the soup mixture amon the bowls.

Campbell's Kitchen Tip: For a change of pace from regular rice, give jasmine rice a try. This type of rice from Thailand is aromatic and has a unique nutlike flavor.

TIP: **This recipe is also great using Swanson® Lower Sodium or Certified Organic Beef Broth in place of regular beef broth.

Nutrition Information

Calories 314, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 814mg, Total Carbohydrate 49g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 19g, Vitamin A 56%DV, Vitamin C 9%DV, Calcium 3%DV, Iron 13%DVSwanson® Lower Sodium Beef Broth: Calories 314, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 514mg, Total Carbohydrate 49g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 20g, Vitamin A 56%DV, Vitamin C 9%DV, Calcium 3%DV, Iron 13%DVSwanson® Certified Organic Beef Broth: Calories 313, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 573mg, Total Carbohydrate 49g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 19g, Vitamin A 56%DV, Vitamin C 9%DV, Calcium 3%DV, Iron 13%DV. Source: Swanson Broth.

Swanson Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

2 tbsp. Meijer cornstarch
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
Meijer vegetable cooking spray
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
5 cups cut-up vegetables *
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder OR 2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups hot cooked rice, cooked without salt

Stirthe cornstarch, broth and soy in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.

Spraya 12-inch nonstick skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it's well browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Addthe vegetables, ginger and garlic powder to the skillet.Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stirthe cornstarch mixture in the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve over the rice.

*Use a combination of broccoli flowerets, sliced mushrooms, sliced carrots, sliced celery, red or green pepper strips and sliced green onions.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a green salad with shredded carrot anda light sesame-ginger dressing. For dessert, serve sugar-free vanilla pudding topped with mandarin orange segments and sliced almonds.

Nutrition Information

Nutritional Values per Serving (with Swanson® Chicken Broth): Calories 388, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 69mg, Sodium 641mg, Total Carbohydrate 56g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 31g, Vitamin A 92%DV, Vitamin C 64%DV, Calcium 6%DV, Iron 19%DVNutritional Values per Serving (with Swanson® Natural Goodness™ Chicken Broth): Calories 391, Total Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 67mg, Sodium 477mg, Total Carbohydrate 56g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 32g, Vitamin A 92%DV, Vitamin C 64%DV, Calcium 6%DV, Iron 19%DV. Source: Swanson.

Creamy Dijon Dressing

From: Campbell's Kitchen

Prep: 5 minutes

Chill: 2 hours

Serves: 2

1 can Campbell's® Healthy Request® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp. vinegar

2 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix soup, mayonnaise, water, vinegar, mustard and garlic in bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hr. Stir before serving.

Nutrition Information: Calories 36, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 4mg, Sodium 169mg, Total Carbohydrate 3g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Protein 0g, Vitamin A 1%DV, Vitamin C 0%DV, Calcium 2%DV, Iron 0%DV. Source: Campbell’s.

Easy Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. Meijer lean ground beef

1 cup tomato sauce, catsup, or barbecue (BBQ) sauce (or try Barilla Pasta Sauce)

1 1/4 cups Quaker Oats, (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1 large Meijer egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Heat oven to 350° F.

2. Combine all ingredients; mix lightly but thoroughly.

3. Pat into 8x4-inch loaf pan.

4. Bake 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

5. Let meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Drain off any juices before slicing.

Servings: 8. Source: Quaker.

Southern Style Squash Casserole

11/2 tablespoons Smart Balance 67% Buttery Spread

1 medium onion, chopped

8 to 10 yellow summer squash, sliced

1/4 cup water

1 10-ounce can Campbell’s reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup Smart Balance Omega Light Mayonnaise

Black pepper (to taste)

1 cup Meijer plain cracker or bread crumbs

4 ounces Smart Balance shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for about one minute, add squash and stir to combine.

2. Add water. Cook, stirring frequently, until squash is tender.

3. Stir in cream soup, mayonnaise, and pepper.

4. Lightly coat the bottom of a 2-quart casserole with Smart Balance cooking spray.

5. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cracker crumbs in the bottom of the casserole dish. Spoon 1/2 of the squash mixture over the bread crumbs and top with half of the shredded cheese.

6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs over the cheese and add remaining squash mixture.

7. Top with remaining cheese and cracker crumbs.

8. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 206 calories, 9 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 9.6 grams fat, 2.0 grams saturated fat, 3.1 grams monounsaturated fat, 2.5 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 trans fatty acids, 525 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 2031 mg Omega-6 fatty acids, 9mg cholesterol, 620mg sodium, 3 grams fiber. Source: Smart Balance.

Ginger Carrots

2 1-pound packages baby carrots or 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced

1/4 teaspoon Meijer salt

1/3 cup Smart Balance 67% Buttery Spread

3 tablespoons Splenda brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1. Steam carrots until just tender. Drain and sprinkle with salt.

2. In a skillet, melt margarine and stir in brown sugar and ginger.

3. Add carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring gently until lightly glazed and tender.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 122 calories, 1 gram protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 6.2 grams fat, 1.8 grams saturated fat, 2.3 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.7 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 trans fatty acids, 263 mg Omega-3 fatty acids, 1518 mg Omega-6 fatty acids, 0 cholesterol, 193mg sodium, 3 grams fiber. Source: Smart Balance.

Barilla PLUS™ Penne with Artichokes  

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4-6

2 tablespoons Meijer extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups (9 ounce package) frozen artichoke hearts

to taste salt

to taste freshly ground black pepper

1 jar BARILLA Marinara Sauce

1 box PLUS™ Penne

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated

HEAT oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic, saute until golden.

ADD artichokes; season with salt and pepper.

ADD sauce and simmer for 5 minutes or until artichokes are cooked through.

COOK pasta according to package directions. Drain.

ADD pasta to sauce; mix well. Stir in parsley and cheese.

TRANSFER to a serving platter or bowl

Source: Barilla.

PLUS™ Spaghetti with Chicken Breast, Red and Green Bell Peppers, Red Onion and Romano Cheese

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 10-12

1 box BARILLA PLUS™ Spaghetti

2 tablespoons Meijer olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, julienne

1 green bell pepper, julienne

1/2 medium onion red onion, julienne

1/2 pound chicken breast, sliced

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

to taste salt

to taste freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated

BRING a large salted pot of water to a boil.

HEAT 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan; add garlic and red onion,; cook for sweat for 4 minutes.

ADD chicken and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a separate pan and cook three-fourths of the way through.

ADD the peppers to the onions and sauté for 3 minutes.

ADD chicken broth and continue cooking until reduced by half.

COOK PLUS Spaghetti according to package directions.

ADD the chicken to the pepper and onion mixture; season the mixture with salt and pepper. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the Romano cheese.

TOSS chicken mixture with the cooked PLUS Spaghetti

Source: Barilla.

Akasha's Silky Creamed Spinach

Four 6-ounce bags of pre-washed baby spinach

2 cups Silk Unsweetened Soymilk

1 bay leaf

1-tablespoon Meijer butter or olive oil

1-tablespoon minced shallot

2 tablespoons unbleached flour

3/4-teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

Place spinach in a large saucepan or stockpot with 1/2 cup of water.

Cook covered over medium heat until the leaves are wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool. Press or squeeze out the excess water from the spinach and finely chop. Set aside in a medium bowl.

In a saucepan heat the Silk® Soymilk with the bay leaf to just below the boiling point and set aside. In another saucepan heat the butter over medium high heat and sauté the minced shallots for 2-3 minutes to soften.

Sift in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the flour is browned slightly in color about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Slowly whisk in the warm Silk® Soymilk and return the saucepan to the heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring often to prevent lumps and cook for about 6-8 minutes until it reaches the consistency of a thick cream sauce. Remove the bay leaf.

Mix in the spinach. Season with the salt, nutmeg and add freshly ground pepper to taste.

Servings: 4. Source: Silk Soymilk.

Nutrition information: http://www.silksoymilk.com/AppetiteAppeal/RecipeDetail_Recipe.aspx?ID=81

Beverages

Vanilla Créme Lite

Makes: 1 serving

3/4 cup boiling water

4 tsp. GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL Sugar Free Vanilla Crème

2 Tbsp. thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, divided

ADD boiling water gradually to flavored coffee in mug, stirring until dissolved.

STIR in 1 Tbsp. of the whipped topping until well blended.

TOP with remaining 1 Tbsp. whipped topping.

Nutrition Information: Calories 50 Total fat 3.5 g Saturated fat 3 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 55 mg Carbohydrate 6 g Dietary fiber 0 g Sugars 2 g Protein 0 g Vitamin A 0 %DV Vitamin C 0 %DV Calcium 0 %DV Iron 0 %DV Healthy Living Information

Diet Exchange

1/2 Carbohydrate + 1/2 Fat

Source: Kraft Foods

Mocha Cappuccino Lite

Makes: 1 serving

3/4 cup boiling water

4 tsp. GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL Sugar Free Suisse Mocha

2 Tbsp. thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, divided

ADD water gradually to flavored coffee in mug, stirring until dissolved.

STIR in 1 Tbsp. of the whipped topping until well blended.

TOP with remaining 1 Tbsp. whipped topping.

Nutrition Information: Calories 50 Total fat 3 g Saturated fat 3 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 35 mg Carbohydrate 5 g Dietary fiber 0 g Sugars 2 g Protein 0 g Vitamin A 0 %DV Vitamin C 0 %DV Calcium 0 %DV Iron 0 %DV Healthy Living Information

Source: Kraft Foods.