Resources For You

• Allow your child(ren) to help with preparation of meals
• Eat together as a family and support one another
• Exercise together and make it FUN!

GET TO STEPPIN’!

SNACK RIGHT

• Baked chips.
  Deep-fried potato chips typically get more than half of their calories from fat. Stock up on baked chips instead. A one-ounce serving of Kettle Crisps, for instance, gets just 15 of its 110 calories from fat. Baked tortilla chips are another good choice; you can find flavorful brands that get only a third of their calories from fat.
  
  
• Light popcorn.
  Some brands of microwave popcorn are swimming in butter or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (which can clog arteries). But Orville Redenbacher's Light Natural Gourmet Popping Corn is surprisingly low in fat and, like all popcorn, high in fiber.
  
  
• Frozen fruit bars.
  The best of these frozen treats contain chunks of real fruit — orange, pineapple, peach, and banana, to name a few. They're a great, fat-free summer refresher.
  
  

RECIPIES FOR KIDS

• Oven "Fried" Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce View
  Ingredients
  Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

  Chicken:

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 16 pieces)
  • 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes
  • 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon instant minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  
  Preparation

  1. To prepare sauce, combine honey and mustard in a small bowl; cover and chill.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°.
  3. To prepare chicken, combine chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish; cover and chill 15 minutes. Drain chicken, discarding liquid.
  4. Combine cornflakes and next 5 ingredients (cornflakes through pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag; add 4 chicken pieces to bag. Seal and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Spread oil evenly in a jelly-roll pan, and arrange chicken in a single layer in pan. Bake at 400° for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with sauce.

  
  Yield
  8 servings (serving size: 2 chicken tenders and 1 tablespoon sauce)
  

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• Fun Fruit Kabobs View
  Ingredients

  • 1 apple
  • 1 banana
  • 1/3 c. red seedless grapes
  • 1/3 c. green seedless grapes
  • 2/3 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup nonfat yogurt
  • 1/4 c. dried coconut, shredded

  Utensils

  • knife (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
  • 2 wooden skewer sticks
  • large plate

  
  Directions

  1. Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes, washing the apples and cutting them into small squares, peeling the bananas and cutting them into chunks, and cutting the pineapple into chunks, if it's fresh. Put the fruit onto a large plate.
  2. Spread coconut onto another large plate.
  3. Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and design your own kabob by putting as much or as little of whatever fruit you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end.
  4. Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in the yogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll it in the coconut.
  5. Repeat these steps with another skewer.

  
  Serves: 4
  Serving size: 1 kabob
  Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.
  Suggestion: Roll your kabobs in something besides coconut. Try granola, nuts, or raisins, or use your imagination.
  

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• Mini Pizzas View
  Ingredients

  • 1 standard-sized bagel, cut in half
  • tomato sauce
  • shredded mozzarella cheese
  • toppings like diced green pepper, chopped onion, or chopped tomato (whatever you like)
  • seasonings like oregano, basil, and pepper

  Utensils

  • oven (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
  • knife
  • baking sheet

  
  Directions

  1. Set the oven to low heat.
  2. Spread tomato sauce on each bagel half.
  3. Sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the tomato sauce on each half.
  4. Add your favorite toppings.
  5. Put a light sprinkling of seasonings on each half.
  6. Put your bagel halves on the baking sheet.
  7. Bake in the oven on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. You'll know they're done when the cheese is bubbly.
  8. Let cool for a minute, then enjoy your tiny pizzas!

  
  Serves: 1
  Serving size: 2 tiny pizzas
  

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• Shake-It-Up Chicken Nuggets View
  Serves 4: 4 nuggets per serving
  
  Chicken nuggets are usually deep-fried in hot oil to give them a crusty coating. But all that oil makes the nuggets greasy. In our recipe, the chicken is tossed in a bag with seasoned stuffing mix and grated Parmesan cheese. It is then baked in the oven. These "oven-fried" nuggets are crisp and golden. But, they don't have that extra fat you get from deep-frying.
  
  Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 cups herb-seasoned crumb stuffing mix
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons margarine
  • 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)

  Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Resealable plastic bag (1 gallon size)
  • Rolling pin
  • Small saucepan or small microwave-safe bowl and wax paper
  • Measuring spoons
  • Medium shallow bowl
  • Mixing spoon
  • Paper towels
  • Cutting board
  • Small, sharp knife
  • Baking sheet
  • Oven mitts
  • Tongs

  
  Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Measure stuffing mix into resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and place on flat surface. Crush crumbs by rolling and pressing rolling pin over bag.
  3. Open bag and add Parmesan cheese. Reseal bag and shake to mix thoroughly.
  4. Melt margarine (see Cook's Note)
  5. Place melted margarine, buttermilk, and pepper in medium shallow bowl. Stir well with spoon. Set aside.
  6. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels.
  7. Place chicken breasts on cutting board. Cut chicken with small, sharp knife into 16 chunks of the same size. (Each chicken breast should give you 8 chunks or pieces.)
  8. Dip each chicken chunk into buttermilk mixture, covering all sides. Let extra buttermilk mixture drip off. Place 3 dipped chunks at a time into bag of crumbs. Seal bag tightly and shake until chicken pieces are evenly coated with crumbs.
  9. Place coated nuggets on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken chunks.
  10. Place baking sheet in oven. Bake nuggets 4 minutes.
  11. With oven mitts, remove pan from oven. Using tongs, turn over each nugget.
  12. Return to oven and bake 4 to 5 minutes, or until medium golden brown.
  13. With oven mitts, remove pan from oven. Using tongs, remove nuggets to platter or plates. Serve nuggets immediately. Place a small bowl of your favorite dipping sauce nearby, if you like.

  
  Cook's Note
  You can use the stovetop or the microwave to melt margarine. If you choose a stick margarine, it can easily be measured by looking at the tablespoon markings on the wrapper and cutting off the amount you need. Each stick equals 8 tablespoons. To melt the margarine, follow these easy steps:
  Stovetop

  • Place margarine in small saucepan.
  • Place saucepan on burner.
  • Turn heat to low.
  • Heat until margarine melts, stirring occasionally.

  Microwave

  • Place margarine in small microwave-safe bowl.
  • Cover with waxed paper.
  • Microwave on HIGH (100 % power) 30 to 45 seconds for 1 tablespoon, or 45 to 60 seconds for 1/4 cup.

  
  

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• Summer Chicken View
  Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (add more veggies and sauce for more chicken servings)
  • 2 large summer tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 scallions (green onions, use all)
  • 1 box fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 3 Tb canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 t flour
  • 2 t butter
  • 4 oz. fat-free or low-fat chicken broth
  • 1 t thyme (optional)
  • 1 8oz carton light or fat-free sour cream
  • Small bowtie pasta

  
  Preparation

  1. Pound chicken breasts to even thickness.
  2. Salt and pepper chicken.
  3. Saute in oil on medium high heat for 5 minutes on each side.
  4. Transfer chicken to oven-proof dish; cover and place in 250 oven.
  5. Stir mushrooms and a tablespoon of water into pan drippings
  6. Reduce heat to saute mushrooms slowly util soft.
  7. Add chopped tomatoes and green onions and cook until soft.
  8. Stir to release sauteed bits and add 2 t butter and 1 t flour.
  9. Cook on low for 1 minute and add 4 oz. chicken broth.
  10. Season with thyme and stir until silky.
  11. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
  12. Serve immediately over chicken and pasta.

  
  

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