The Dish

Welcome - Expand your menu!

Wayne County Extension is presenting articles about health and food. We’ll offer recipes that include foods in season, on sale, or that might be a bit unique. Look for The Dish in the Insider, at Royal’s Market, and on the Wayne County Extension website.

July 17, 2008

Spinach Smoothie

Wondering what to do with all that spinach coming up in the garden? First of all, the Spinach Smoothie recipe really is delicious and it’s a fun way to involve kids in making and eating a healthy breakfast or snack. But for those less adventurous with food I thought I’d list a few other simple and healthy uses for spinach for you to try:

• Use fresh spinach to make a crispy salad or put on your sandwich to add an extra crunchy sound.
• Add chopped spinach to lasagna, soup, or your favorite pasta dish.
• Anywhere you would use lettuce is a great place to use spinach instead.
• Add spinach to your quesadilla or burrito or throw a handful in your taco salad.
• Put some spinach into your breakfast omelet.
• Stir-fry spinach. Add garlic, onion and chopped red bell peppers for a colorful dish. Serve with brown rice.
• Make a beautiful and easy snack by topping some whole wheat crackers with a spinach leaf, a small slice of tomato, and some cottage cheese.    

Enjoy!   -Lisa

 
Spinach Smoothie
6-8 ounces yogurt, any flavor
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 fresh or frozen banana
1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit (i.e. strawberries, peaches, raspberries)
1 packed cup fresh spinach
Blend well in a blender. Delicious as a morning smoothie. Kids love the CRAZY color of this healthy and fabulously tasting treat. But, if your kids don’t happen to like the color, try adding darker fruits like berries.

July 10, 2008

Garlic Elixir

This simple combination of fresh items can be used as salad dressing, in soups, on bruschetta or eaten raw. If you want to mix this up each time you make it, try adding chopped black olives, red pepper flakes, anchovies or capers before processing in the blender.

Enjoy!   -Lisa
 
Ingredients:
1 cup peeled garlic cloves
¼ cup fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1 TBS red wine vinegar
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBS lemon juice
½- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
 
Instructions:
1. Process peeled garlic and parsley in blender until chopped fine or to your liking.
2. Place ingredients from blender into a medium size mixing bowl.
3. Add the salt, vinegar, pepper and lemon juice.
4. Stir in ½ cup olive oil into bowl with other ingredients. If needed, continue to add another ½ cup until the oil has permeated the mixture.
5. Place in glass jar and cover with ¼ to ½ inch olive oil
6. Store in glass jar in refrigerator

July 3, 2008 

Garlic Mustard Potatoes

Offer your clan a new twist on an old favorite this Independence weekend!  Try serving Garlic Mustard Potatoes instead of (or along with) your regular potato salad. These zesty, delicious potatoes are easy to prepare, low in cost and high in flavor. They are also a good source of vitamins C and B6.  This recipe is bound to become a family favorite. 

Enjoy!   -Lisa
 
Ingredients:
1 ½ Pounds      Small red potatoes, halved or quartered
3 Tbs                Extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbs                Dijon mustard
3 Cloves           Garlic, minced
1 ½ Tbs            Finely chopped rosemary
½ tsp                Cayenne pepper
½ tsp                Salt (Kosher salt is recommended)
½ tsp                Ground black pepper (freshly ground is recommended)
 
Instructions:
1. Line a baking sheet with heavy foil. 
2. Wash and chop potatoes.
3 Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Drain potatoes and let cool.
5. While potatoes cool, mince garlic cloves.
6. Then whisk the olive oil, mustard, minced garlic, rosemary, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
7. Add the cooled potatoes to the dressing and toss to coat the potatoes.
8. Place the potatoes on the foil-covered baking sheet.
9. Preheat broiler.
10. Place baking sheet in oven 6 inches from heat source, and broil potatoes for 5 -6 minutes.
11. Remove baking sheet from oven and turn the potatoes, then broil an additional 5-6 minutes.
12. Place in large bowl and serve.

 

June 16, 2008

Summer Citrus Vegetables

You will love this cool, light and fresh vegetable dish throughout the summer.  It is a fast, easy, delicious recipe that is low in fat and high in vitamins. For example, one serving provides 160% of the RDA for Vitamin A. One note, if you don’t have fresh oregano I strongly encourage you to pick a small start at one of the local nurseries. They cost around $2.00 and are easy to grow in the yard in summer or in a window box year round. The difference in flavor, particularly in this recipe, is significant.

Enjoy!   -Lisa
 
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh (or ¼ teaspoon dried), chopped oregano
4 cups sliced, steamed mixed vegetables such as zucchini, corn, carrots, and tomatoes
 
Instructions:
1. Slice vegetables and steam in a small amount of water.
2. Drain, and place in a bowl to cool.
3. Mix lime juice with oil. Add oregano and combine.
4. Pour lime juice mixture over cool vegetables and mix well.
5. Serve.
 
Cost:
Per Recipe: $ 1.71
Per Serving: $ 0.43
 

June 12, 2008  

What does eating a variety of foods mean?

Variety does not mean to eat more food than you need or would normally eat in order to get a variety of foods every day. It simply means to eat different foods on different days. Many of us eat the same foods day in and day out because it is easy, fast, and what we know and like. However, this can cause some nutritional concern. Different foods contain different vitamins and minerals. No single food can give us all the nutrients that we need in the amounts needed. This is the reason to eat a variety of foods, but don’t get carried away. Follow the given number and sizes of servings of the Food Guide Pyramid. Over a period of several days, it is important to choose different foods within single groups of the Food Guide Pyramid. Also, we need to choose foods from every group of the Food Guide Pyramid to get the vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy and strong. Variety also spices up our lives. It is boring to eat the same foods every day. By choosing a variety, we can add enjoyment to our meals.   

*FSNE Education Program, June Calendar