Healthy Recipe: Meatballs!

January 12, 2011 at 9:06 am

By Caitlin Quinn, BU Dietetic Intern

I prepared this basic meatball recipe in our Healthy Cooking on a Budget class.  Who says all beef is bad?  This meatball recipe uses 93% lean beef and fresh vegetables and quinoa for added flavor and fiber!  This recipe is quick and easy but versatile as well.  If you’re looking for a twist on a meatball sub try adding a chopped jalapeño and some chili powder.  The flavor possibilities are endless when using the meatball base and they freeze well too!

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Basic Meatballs

Ingredients

½ lb 93-96% lean ground beef
1/4 cup cooked quinoa
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 green bell pepper diced
1/2 onion diced
¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Non stick cooking spray

Directions

1.       Cook quinoa according to directions on package.

2.       While quinoa is cooking preheat oven to 350°F and mince garlic, pepper and onion.

3.       In a large bowl mix beef, quinoa, pepper, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, cheese, and black pepper.  Combine using a potato masher or clean hands.

4.       Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and form 1-2” meatballs using hands or melon scoop.  Place in oven for 25-30 minutes.

5.       While meatballs are cooking heat tomato sauce in a medium sauce pan and add meatballs to sauce when cooked.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION FACTS (3 meatballs)

Calories 210
Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Protein 17 g
Carbohydrate 20 g
Fiber 4 g
Sodium 470 mg

Enjoy!

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , | Comments (6)

Taking a Well Break with Sargent Choice

December 20, 2010 at 10:37 am

By Elizabeth Jarrard, Dietetics Student, Sargent College

We had a fun time at the Well-Break BU Student Health's Wellness Team put on last week! What better way to beat Finals stress than relaxing with peers, getting a massage, and eating some healthy food! We were handing out Sargent Choice Cookies, and the Wellness team was whipping up smoothies and serving fruits and vegetables.

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We enjoyed seeing some Sargent Choice fans, and lovers of our cookies!

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You can find our cookies in all of the dining halls, and they are also sold at the GSU

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We love talking to our fans, introducing new people to healthy treats, and providing the Boston University community with events to de-stress in finals season!

Have a healthy Winter Break, and we'll see you in the New Year!

Happy Holidays from the Sargent Choice Team!

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Events | Comments (0)

Brain Food and Study Snacks

December 17, 2010 at 10:18 am

By Elizabeth Jarrard, Dietetics Student, Sargent College

Feeling the Finals Crunch? With the semester wrapping up, it becomes impossible to find a nook in Mugar, the gym is filled with people trying to release stress in 15 minute sprints, and every table at the GSU is packed with students studying while eating. We received the following question In the Sargent Choice Mailbox:

Hello,

I was wondering if you can tell me some foods that can help you study/ provide brain power   Thanks

In stressful periods of time such as Finals, good nutrition is key. A combination of lack of sleep, and stress will leave you feeling exhausted, and on the verge of getting sick. Sticking to a healthy diet will help power your study sessions and bring you to the end of finals period feeling strong!

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image source

Last week we posted some snack ideas for nighttime munchies and we also keep a list of Top 10 Brain Foods

Also check out Meal Planning 1 + 2 + 3 Chart and Smart Snacking 1 + 2 + 3 Chart

Good Luck powering through this finals period and we look forward to seeing you next semester!

What are some of your favorite study snacks?

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in MythBusters, Nutrition News, Recipes | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Fruit Juice: Health or Hype?

December 16, 2010 at 11:45 am

By Elizabeth Jarrard Dietetics Student, Boston University

Every time we turn on the TV, listen to the radio, drive down the road, we are bombarded with advertising from food marketers proclaiming that their product is the secret to weight loss, longevity, and pleasure. With over 200 food choices to make every day it is difficult to sort through claims produced by food manufacturers to make the best choice for your health. Today we’ll tackle the issue of fruit juices: health or hype

As part of its ongoing efforts to uncover over-hyped health claims in food advertising, the Federal Trade Commission has issued an administrative complaint charging the makers of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice with making false and unsubstantiated claims that their products will prevent or treat heart disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction. David Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said:

Any consumer who sees POM Wonderful products as a silver bullet against disease has been misled. When a company touts scientific research in its advertising, the research must squarely support the claims made. Contrary to POM Wonderful's advertising, the available scientific information does not prove that POM Juice or POMx effectively treats or prevents these illnesses.

No one can argue that Pomegranates are a wonderful and healthy food, full of vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants. According to the USDA pomegranates are a good source of dietary fiber (11 grams each), 5 grams of protein, folate (107 micrograms), calcium (28.2 mg), vitamin C (28.8 mg), and vitamin K (46.2 mcg). Since POM is made from 100% pomegranate juice, one would think it would have many of the same great nutrients.

Not so. A $3.99 16-oz bottle has 270 calories, 64 grams of sugar, no fiber, and no vitamin C, calcium, folate or vitamin K. Yes, the only ingredient many be pomegranates, when you compare it to a whole pomegranate, the juice is merely sugar water-stripped of fiber and nutrients. Pomegranate Juice is not a magic bullet A glass of POM a day is not going to prevent heart disease if the rest of your diet is laden with trans and saturated fat. It is important to look at your diet in its entirety, rather than trying to gain benefits from a single serving of fruit juice.

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So let’s get over this hype and get healthy! Swap out the juice and reach for a piece of fruit! Aim for 2-4 servings of fruit per day. If you enjoy fruit juice, try diluting it with sparkling water to make your own spritzer. Next time you are at a grocery store, take a closer look at the health claims the manufacturer proclaims. Turn the package over and take a look at the actual nutrition panel and judge the food for yourself. Knowledge is power, and make sure you are well-armed!

What kind of product claims are you influenced by? Any you are confused about? Let us know in the comments section and we’ll post the answer in a future post!

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Nutrition News | Comments (0)

Rich, Gooey Chocolate Cookies: Sargent Choice’s Remedy for Finals-Induced Stress and Icy Temperatures

December 15, 2010 at 11:25 am

Rich, Gooey Chocolate Cookies: Sargent Choice’s Remedy for Finals-Induced Stress and Icy Temperatures

By Kelli Swensen, Dietetics Student, Sargent College

With below-freezing temperatures and nose-numbing winds, I put down my human physiology textbook and layered up to make the trek to Stuvi2’s Sargent Choice Test Kitchen. With the tips of my ears cranberry red and frantically searching my pockets for a tissue, I made it into the elevator, pressed the round 23 button, and relaxed, knowing in a few short moments I would be enjoying a steaming hot cup of tea and eating fresh-out-of-the oven cookies.

Unknown to me until this year, the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen is held at Professor Karen Jacob’s beautiful Stuvi apartment every Wednesday night at 8:30. If you haven’t been to one of these nights: go! The name “Sargent Choice Test Kitchen” may be a bit intimidating to some, but trust me, it’s far from it. It is more of an extended family get-together over healthy food and hot tea – an essential part of the night. If you love to crack eggs, sift together flour, simmer onions and garlic, mince vegetables, or just have a passion for eating, you will love it here.   And after the food? You can go back to studying or you can stay and socialize, even get everyone to compete in a hilarious game of Apples-to-Apples.

If you did decide to brave the cold Wednesday, you would’ve been rewarded with Sargent Choice Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies. If you’re someone who isn’t always a fan of fruit in desserts, give this one a shot – trust me, it’ll surprise you how perfectly the chewy texture of the cherries combines with the gooeyness of the cookie.

To start, reconstitute 2/3 cup of cherries by soaking them in a bowl of hot water; this will add back some of their original moisture. On Wednesday, we did a mix of dried cherries and dried cranberries, which I highly recommend doing to add another level of sweetness to the cookies.

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While the cherries and cranberries are soaking, combine 1 cup of whole white wheat flour, 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ tsp of baking powder, ¼ tsp of baking soda, and ¼ tsp of salt.

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In another bowl, beat, on high speed, ¾ cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup of unsalted butter in a large bowl until creamy. I know ¾ cup of sugar may not sound like enough sugar but trust me you do not want to add any more! The best part about these cookies is the combination of deep, chocolaty taste with bursts of sweetness from the cherries and cranberries.

Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 egg to butter mixture. Put the mixer on low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture. Our batter was pretty dry so we added a little more than 1 Tbs of water. If this happens to you, only add 1 Tbs of water to start, and then add in little amounts as needed. The batter is supposed to be quite sticky, so don’t add too much liquid.

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The recipe says to drain cherries and fold them into the batter along with the 3 Tbs of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips; however, because our dough was a bit dry, we didn’t drain the cherries completely and poured some of that water into the batter.

Once the batter is sticky but not dry, make tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place each 2-inches apart onto baking sheets that have been covered with cooking spray. We found that the cookies come out best if you slightly flatten the dough, making small disks.

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Once the baking sheets are ready to go, pop them in a 350-degree oven for about 12-15 min. The edges should look chewy and the middles still slightly doughy – don’t worry they will continue to cook a bit after you take them out of the oven. The recipe says to cool for 5 min, which for us was impossible, resulting in many burnt, but still satisfied, tongues. If you’re impatient like us, I do want to warn you that although the cookies may be wonderfully hot, the cherries and cranberries will be painfully hot.

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So what do they taste like? The most accurate description is they are decadently rich, gooey brownies in cookie form. The cranberries and cherries in the recipe have a holiday feel to them, making this a perfect cookie to add to your holiday cookie platter. Remember to keep an eye out for next semester’s Test Kitchen Schedule! Happy Holidays!

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Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup 100% whole white wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup dried cherries (we did half dried cherries and half cranberries) + Hot water
  • 3 Tbs semi-sweet mini chocolate chips or regular chocolate chips roughly chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350

2. Measure out 2/3 cup dried cherries into a bowl and cover with hot water.

Let sit while mixing together other ingredients. (If using cranberries, soak

them with the cherries)

3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife

4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a

whisk.

5. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed

until well blended

6. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. With mixer on low speed, gradually add

flour mixture. Mix just until combined. If batter seems too thick or will not

stir together well, add 1 Tbs of water

7. Drain cherries and fold into batter with chocolate chips. (If your batter is

dry, you can opt to not completely drain the cherries and use some of that

water to moisten the dough)

8. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated

with cooking spray. (It may help to flatten the dough into disks)

9.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven; cool on

pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Tip: In our recipe we use White Whole Wheat Flour instead of All Purpose Flour. Milled from white whole wheat, White Whole Wheat Flour has all the fiber and nutrition of traditional whole wheat, with milder flavor and lighter color. We find that in cookies, muffins, pancakes and quick breads, using white whole wheat flour in place of the entire amount of all-purpose flour yields a baked treat that's just as tasty as the original, with the benefit of increased fiber, vitamins and minerals. Our favorite brand is King Arthur's Flour. Try next time you bake!

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (6)

Holiday Recipe: Spinach and Artichoke Dip…with Tofu?

December 13, 2010 at 12:02 pm

By Morgan Medders, Dietetic Intern

Tofu has been around for centuries, but only recently has been increasing in popularity in the United States.  And it’s no wonder why!  Tofu is packed with high-quality protein, is extremely low in saturated fat, and is cholesterol-free.  Plus, since it’s practically tasteless on its own and comes in a variety of types, the possibilities are nearly endless.  From stir-fries to soups to grilled BBQ-style and even desserts, tofu really can do it all!

So now are you convinced to find a new way to add tofu in your diet?  Try this recipe for a spin on a favorite party dip!  The silken tofu adds a good source of protein as well as a nice creamy texture!=

I recently made this dip as a cooking demonstration in Healthy Cooking on a Budget class held at the FitRec - and everyone loved it.  There were certainly no leftovers!  The students commented that they wouldn’t have known it was made with tofu if they hadn’t watched me make it.

Tofu Spinach and Artichoke Dip has all the great flavors of the always-popular appetizer, but with an added boost of soy protein and far less fat than traditional recipes.  Silken tofu and Greek yogurt make the dip luxuriously creamy, while packing in the nutrition.  The recipe is amazingly quick and easy as well!  And feel free to use any of your favorite dippers to scoop it up and gobble it down.  The dip can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, and then popped into the oven just before the guests arrive!  Leftovers (if there are any!) can be reheated or served cold, or even added to sandwiches or wraps.

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So try this one out for your next party, or the next time you’re having friends over for the big game or movie-night!  You don’t even have to tell them it’s made with tofu!

Tofu Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

8 oz silken tofu
6 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon onion powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
4 whole wheat pitas, cut into triangles and toasted
2 bell peppers (any color), cut into slices
2 heads of endive, leaves separated
2 cups baby carrots

DIRECTIONS

1.      Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.      In a blender or food processor, puree the tofu, yogurt, garlic, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.

3.      Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the artichokes, spinach, and half of the cheese.

4.      Spoon the mixture into a medium-sized baking dish.  Top with the remaining cheese.

5.      Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

6.      Serve with toasted whole-wheat pita triangles, slices of bell pepper, endive leaves, and baby carrots.

Enjoy your tofu!

Calories 430 calories
Fat 7g
Saturated Fat 1.5g
Protein 31g
Carbohydrates 60g
Sodium 460mg

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , | Comments (5)

Tackling Quinoa and Risotto with One Recipe: Sargent Choice Test Kitchen

December 8, 2010 at 11:51 am

By Allison Mars, Dietetics Student, Sargent College

Going to the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen in Prof. Jacob's apartment is my favorite way to spend a Wednesday night, and Wednesday, November 17th, Quinoa Risotto with Arugula and Parmesan was on the menu. People have pre-conceived ideas about both quinoa and risotto, assuming that both are difficult to make, and time intensive, but this recipe is both quick and easy.

Picture1 KJ Test Kitchen Quinoa Risotto

Not only is this quinoa risotto gluten free, it's also high in fiber and protein! The longest part of the process was chopping all of the delicious vegetables. Once everything is combined in the pot, it needs to simmer for about 12 minutes, and you have a quick, nutritious and delicious meal. This recipe can be made vegetarian by simply swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Picture2 KJ Test Kitchen Quinoa Risotto

We tripled the recipe to accommodate all of the people in the test kitchen. The red bell pepper was omitted due to an allergy. If you can’t have red bell peppers either, you could always substitute zucchini or asparagus. Instead of using the whole 6 and ¾ cups broth, we found that 6 cups worked better. We also used slightly less arugula than the recipe called for because it didn’t cook down quite as much as we expected. Another change was that we used red quinoa, which has a slightly nuttier taste, instead of regular quinoa. Although the recipe does not explicitly say it, the quinoa should be rinsed in cold water before cooking.

Picture3 KJ Test Kitchen Quinoa Risotto

The final outcome: When we tasted this recipe before adding the cheese it seemed to be missing something. This cheese almost made up for it, but it still seemed to be lacking any real flavor punch. The arugula added too much of a bitter taste, and we felt that there was still too much liquid in the quinoa even after simmer for a little over 12 minutes. If that happens to you, give it another couple minutes and check on it again.  If you wanted to reduce the bitterness from the arugula, you could substitute it with a milder tasting leafy green, such as spinach. To give more flavor to the dish perhaps increase the thyme to ½ teaspoon and add ½ teaspoon of marjoram when you cook the onions. Overall this recipe was has a good, earthy flavor and would pair very nicely with chicken or pork.

Picture4 KJ Test Kitchen Quinoa Risotto

Quinoa Risotto with Arugula and Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup yellow onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken/vegetable broth
2 cups chopped, stemmed arugula
½ cup carrot, peeled and shredded
½ cup sliced shitake mushrooms
½ cup red pepper, sliced thinly
½ cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
¼ cup reduced fat parmesan cheese, grated
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon ground thyme

Directions:

  1. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and saute until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and quinoa, and cook for 1 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the garlic brown.
  3. Add the chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is almost tender to bite, about 12 minutes.
  4. Stir in the arugula, carrot, mushrooms, pepper, and tomatoes and simmer until the quinoa grains have turned from white to translucent, about 2 minutes longer.
  5. Sprinkle the cheese and ground pepper on top. Serve immediately.

Karen Jacobs holds the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen on most Wednesday nights throughout the semester. Every event is free and open to the entire BU community. Tonight she's be making Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies- with Milk provided! Go check it out!

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Events, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Healthy Recipe: Tuscan Penne Pasta Salad

December 3, 2010 at 11:09 am

By Bethany Gentile, BU Dietetic Intern

Love pasta? Want to try something new? We swapped out traditional white pasta noodles in this salad for Whole Grain penne. Whole grain pasta adds fiber, vitamins and minerals and keeps you fuller longer as a complex carbohydrate. Look for the Whole Grains Council 100% Whole Grain/Excellent Source stamp of approval when shopping for pasta.

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Bionaturae Whole Wheat Pasta, Trader Joes 100% Whole Wheat pasta and Ronzoni's Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat pass our taste test. Stir fried with vegetables and a lean protein this makes a fantastic lunch or dinner!

Tuscan Penne Pasta Salad

Makes 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS IMG_2702

½ lb (8oz) whole wheat penne
1 cup peas
1 cup cut asparagus
1 cup cut red bell pepper
1 bag (10 oz) spinach
¼ cup sundried tomatoes
2 tablespoons onion
½ clove garlic
¼ cup fresh basil
¼ cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt and dash black pepper

DIRECTIONS

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1.     Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper.

2.      Prepare the pasta al dente, according to the package instructions.

3.      Wash and cut peppers and asparagus. Sauté peppers, onions, asparagus with drop of oil (and garlic if desired)

4.      Heat peas and spinach (microwave or stovetop).

5.      Strain the pasta and promptly add peas, spinach, peppers, asparagus, onion, sun dried tomatoes, and the dressing. Stir to combine well.

6.      Allow the pasta salad to cool before adding the basil and parmesan.

Enjoy this with a heart healthy protein source such as grilled chicken breast or tofu for a complete 1+2+3 meal.

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Recipe modified from Tuscan Penne Pasta Salad recipe found on wholegraingourmet.com

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

Healthy You: Healthy Planet!

December 1, 2010 at 12:40 pm

By Sabrina Harper, Sustainability Director of Dining Services

Eating well incorporates many different factors.  Quality can be a multi-faceted adjective to describe food.  Wholesome food is good for your body and mind.  Wholesome can also describe food that is grown, caught, raised and processed locally and naturally.

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What are the benefits of eating locally?

  1. Locally-grown produce is usually tastier because it was picked at its peak ripeness and landed on your plate not too long after that.  When produce travels long distances, it is often gassed to retard the ripening process.
  2. Locally-grown produce often comes from smaller more sustainable farms, which means it may be grown organically, using less pesticides and fertilizers, and using seeds which are not genetically modified or altered.
  3. Large food production can be prone to outbreaks of Salmonella and E.Coli.  By supporting smaller, locally-grown producers and growers, you are less at risk.
  4. Eating locally means eating seasonally.  If you’ve ever gone strawberry picking, you know the difference between strawberries flown in from Mexico and a juicy fresh-picked strawberry right off the bush.
  5. Local food has a lower carbon footprint, which means it is better for the environment.  Less miles traveled means less carbon emissions to contribute to global climate change.
  6. Eating locally supports the local economy.  On far-traveled produce, farmers normally only see $.20 or less of each dollar you spend on fresh produce.  The rest goes to distribution, transportation, marketing, packaging and refrigeration.  Also, by supporting local agriculture, you help preserve farmland and open spaces and protect it from development.

How can you get all this local food you may ask?  Try stopping by the Boston University Farmers Market in season (August-October) and subscribing to the Ward’s Berry Farm CSA.  You can also enjoy local food in all the dining halls and the GSU.  While the New England climate can be a challenge for year-round agriculture, you can find greenhouse-grown tomatoes from Madison, Maine all year.  You can also find alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, potatoes, squash, and apples almost year-round.  In season, look out for local cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, cabbage, peppers, nectarines, peaches, pears, and more!  Local dairy is also available all over campus in the dining halls and retail locations in the form of milk, butter, sour cream, ice cream and more.  Healthy You, Healthy Planet!

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Join Sabrina and fellow BU students at the Sustainability Town Hall Meeting Tonight (12/1/10)  at 5 PM in CAS Room 216. Also at 7 pm tonight Slow Food BU is hosting a lecture "The Locavore Way" by local author Amy Colter at BU Central.

Do you try to eat more local or sustainable food?

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Events | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

Don’t Fail Your Fruits and Veggies Report Card

November 29, 2010 at 10:32 am

By Elizabeth Jarrard, Dietetics Student, Sargent College

The National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance (NFVA) recently released a report that showed in an average day, only 6 percent of individuals consume the recommended amount of vegetables and 8 percent the recommended amount of fruit.

Eight of the states with the lowest fruit and vegetable consumption are also in the top 10 states with the highest obesity rates.  William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., director of CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity said;

“A diet high in fruits and vegetables helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of several serious, chronic diseases. We need to continue our effort in making the healthy choice the easy choice.”

Fruits and vegetables are cancer fighters, heart protectors, and just plain delicious. And as Professor Joan Salge-Blake RD, always says, “They’ll fill you UP before they fill you OUT.”

IMG_7667photo credit: Elizabeth Jarrard

So how can you make the healthy choice and increase your fruit and vegetable consumption?

Did you know that here at BU you can also get a box of organic fruits and vegetables all winter long! For $20 you can pick up a box of organic produce weekly from December through April, with local products reappearing in April. The pickup location is the GSU near the link, but you have to sign up first by emailing buboxes@comcast.net.

Here are some more tips from the Fruits & vegetables: More Matters Campaign.

  • Pick up a banana or apple in the dining hall and eat it as a snack
  • Add strawberries, blueberries, or bananas to your waffles, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or toast.
  • Top toasted whole-grain bread with peanut butter and sliced bananas.
  • Add vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms or tomatoes to your egg or egg white omelet.
  • Add some cooked dry beans to your salad. Or, if you have a sweet tooth, add chopped apples, pears, or raisins.
  • Have soup. You can stick with the basics like tomato or vegetable soup or mix up some minestrone or veggie chili to cut winter's chill. When possible, choose soups with less sodium.
  • Try eating at least 2 vegetables with dinner, and swing by the salad bar in the dining hall
  • Snack on vegetables like bell pepper strips and broccoli with hummus, which you can get at any CampCo location.
  • Ants on a log isn’t just for kids- put some natural peanut butter on celeries and top with raisins
  • Want a smoothie but don’t have a blender? Stop by Jamba Juice in the GSU and get the 16oz Protein-Berry Workout, or one of the All-Fruit Smoothies which are nutrient-packed and naturally sweet with no added sugar. Nonfat plain yogurt and soy milk give berries a balance of protein, calcium and vitamin D.
  • Yogurt with fresh fruit is a great snack. Pick up a Sargent Choice parfaits for the perfect afternoon snack!
  • Canned, dried, and frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.

What is your favorite fruit or vegetable? How do you make sure you are eating enough of these super-foods?

By Sargent Choice Nutrition Center | Posted in Nutrition News | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)