SERVINGS: 4
SERVING SIZE: ⅔ cups grain mix and one egg (134 grams)
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup rye berries
• 4 teaspoons (20 milliliters) olive oil
• ½ cup carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons sweet onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 cup green peas, thawed from frozen
• ½ cup (112 milliliters) orange juice
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) honey
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) sesame oil
• 4 large eggs

Instructions

1. Soak rye berries in water overnight and drain in fine sieve colander.
2. In programmable pressure cooker, combine berries and 2 cups water and cook at medium pressure for 30 minutes. Drain in fine sieve colander, then set aside.
3. In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes.
4. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add caraway seeds, stir and cook 1 minute.
6. Add peas, orange juice, rye berries, honey and sesame oil and cook 5 minutes.
7. Reduce to low heat and keep warm.
8. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat for 2 minutes.
9. Add egg and cover for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottom of eggs start to harden. Use a spatula to gently turn over eggs.
10. Cook 1 minute or until yolk and white are firm. Repeat with remaining eggs.
11. To serve, place equal amounts grain and vegetable mixture in 4 bowls and top each with 1 egg.

Cooking Note: Grain berries can be cooked in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 287 calories, 12g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 187mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 9g sugar, 11g protein, 392mg potassium, N/A phosphorus

SERVINGS: 6
SERVING SIZE: 2 tortilla cups (170 grams)
PREP TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
• ⅓ cup diced mini sweet peppers
• 2 tablespoons diced sweet onion
• ½ cup finely shredded carrots
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ⅔ cup petite diced tomatoes with juice (no salt added)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded cooked chicken breast (from 17-ounce breast)
• ¾ cup cooked black beans
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• Cooking spray
• 12 corn tortillas
• ¾ cup crumbled queso fresco

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a 2-quart saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
2. Add peppers and onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add carrots, stir and sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in cumin, coriander and chili powder.
5. Add tomatoes with juice. Stir in chicken and cook just until tomato juice is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.
7. In a mixing bowl, mash beans using a potato masher or fork.
8. In a small bowl, beat egg.
9. Stir sour cream into egg.
10. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
11. Mist muffin tin with cooking spray.
12. Using a 2¾-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out center of each tortilla.
13. Cut open the outer tortilla circles. Wrap these tortilla pieces around inside edges of muffin cups.
14. Place 1 tablespoon mashed beans on each inner tortilla circle and push into center of tins.
15. Top beans with 1 tablespoon egg-sour cream mixture and spread to edges.
16. Top with 2 tablespoons chicken mixture.
17. Using the back of a spoon, push down chicken mixture, leveling with top of muffin tin.
18. Bake for 20 minutes.
19. Let cool enough to carefully remove tortilla cups from pan.
20. Serve each cup topped with 1 tablespoon queso fresco.

Cooking note: If you cannot find queso fresco, crumbled goat cheese may be used instead.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 337 calories, 14g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 81mg cholesterol, 178mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, 3g sugar, 21g protein, N/A potassium, N/A phosphorus

A baggie of these mini muffins might do the trick and bring a smile.

Apple Carrot Mini Muffins

Makes 72 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 2½ cups whole-wheat flour
• 1½ cups wheat germ
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup honey
• 1 cup shredded carrots (3 medium carrots)
• 4 cups shredded apples (4 medium apples)
• 1 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt). Set aside.
2. In bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs until starting to froth. Add sugar and honey and beat slightly.
3. Add carrots, apples and oil to mixing bowl and beat slightly.
4. Add dry ingredients to mixer, mixing only until combined.
5. Drop by 1 tablespoon scoops into mini muffin pan sprayed with olive oil. Bake at 375°F for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

Millet

You might have seen the small yellow seed in birdseed, yet in Asia, India and Western Europe, millet is a staple grain. This non-gluten grain cooks on the stove top in 20 minutes and is a high magnesium whole grain that’s a great substitute for rice.

Teff

Teff has over twice the iron of other grains and three times the calcium. This versatile, sweet flavored grain is good in stews, grain bowls and ground in flours for cakes and muffins.

Spelt

If you’re going to pick one new whole grain to try, this is the one. Spelt can be used in place of common wheat. While it has less gluten forming potential than durum wheat, the results are softer breads with golden colors with a taste that melts in your mouth.

Kamut

Kamut wheat is a nutritious source of iron, fiber, zinc and magnesium. It has higher levels of protein and more vitamin E than common wheat. Like spelt, it produces a softer golden texture in baked goods. It also works well in pasta flours.

Still hard to find, I was thrilled to find these in a capital city international store. I’m planning to include these in a layered jar salad to familiarize my students to the grain and to enjoy the taste of the kind of sweet grain.

Jobs Tears Layered Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1½ teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salad

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cooked black beans
• 9 tablespoons sweet peppers, diced
• 9 tablespoons corn, cooked
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cooked Job’s tears
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons radishes, sliced
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons green onion, diced
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pepitas
• 2 ounces microgreens or arugula

Instructions

1. Shake or blend all dressing ingredients.
2. Place 1 tablespoon dressing in bottom of each jar.
3. Add salad ingredients in layers to each jar: 3 tablespoon black beans, 1½ tablespoons peppers, 1½ tablespoons corn, 3 tablespoons Job’s tears, 1 tablespoon radishes, 1 tablespoon green onion, 1 tablespoon tomato, 1 tablespoon pepita.
4. Garnish top with touch of microgreens. Cover with lid. Turn jar over and shake to eat.

SERVINGS: 5
SERVING SIZE: ½ cup beans and 2 tablespoons sauce (160 grams)
PREP TIME: 30 minutes (plus 6 hours to chill)
COOKING TIME: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup large dried lima beans
• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) olive oil
• ¼ cup diced Vidalia onion
• ¼ cup diced fennel bulb and stalks (2 tablespoons each)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1½ cups (400 milliliters) water
• ½ cup diced fresh tomato
• Fennel frond (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Rinse and sort lima beans.
2. To a large bowl, add beans and 2 cups water.
3. Place bowl in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours; if water drops below beans, add more water.
4. When ready to cook, drain and rinse beans.
5. Turn on a programmable pressure cooker and set to brown or sauté.
6. Add oil and allow to heat for about 3 minutes.
7. Add onion, fennel and garlic and sauté 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Stir in tomato paste, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cumin.
9. Add beans and water.
10. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and close the pressure valve.
11. Cook at medium pressure for 30 minutes.
12. If time permits, allow the cooker to naturally release pressure, about 15 minutes.
13. Switch pressure valve to open.
14. When the steam is completely released, remove the lid.
15. Stir in fresh tomatoes, garnish with fennel frond and serve.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: 215 calories, 11g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 103mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 1g sugar, 7g protein, 434mg potassium, 123mg phosphorus

The art of combining mushrooms and other vegetables with beef creates juicy, flavorful recipes that are more sustainable. 

Utilize every bit of the caps and stems by chopping the washed mushrooms in the food processor. Saute these and other vegetables in olive oil and drain thoroughly before combining with raw beef, egg and seasonings. The vegetable-beef blend can then be made into meatballs, burgers or meatloaf and cooked.

This meatloaf recipe utilizes equal parts of mushrooms and beef:

Mushroom Beef Meatloaf

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 8 ounce mushrooms, quartered
• ¼ cup celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
• ¼ cup carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
• ¼ cup onions, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 2 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ pound ground beef (85-90% lean)
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup whole grain cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine washed vegetables in food processor bowl. Pulse until finely chopped.
2. Saute vegetables in olive oil for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Vegetable mixture will reduce in size by half.
3. Drain thoroughly, squeezing to remove excess water.
4. Combine vegetables with beef, egg, cornmeal and seasoning. Form into meatloaf shape of choice.
5. Place in a greased baking pan that allows for draining. Cover with tomato sauce mixed with brown sugar.
6. Bake uncovered approximately 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Pizza Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup + ¹⁄₄ cup whole wheat flour, divided
• 2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 cup warm (125° F) water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¹⁄₄ cup + ³⁄₄ cup all purpose flour, divided
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 mushrooms (stems removed), diced
• 4 mini sweet peppers, diced
• ¹⁄₄ cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon Kalamata olives, chopped
• 3 tablespoon marinara sauce
• ¹⁄₂ cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¹⁄₄ cup Gruyere or Parmigiano cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. In bowl of electric mixer with dough hook in place, mix 1 cup whole wheat flour with yeast. Add water and honey. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl down.
2. Add ¹⁄₄ cup whole wheat flour and ¹⁄₄ cup all purpose flour, salt and olive oil. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl down.
3. Slowly add remaining ³⁄₄ cup all purpose flour, kneading on low speed until dough leaves sides of bowl, about 7 minutes.
4. Place in bowl sprayed with olive oil spray. Turn dough. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes.
5. Saute mushrooms, peppers and onion in olive oil for about 8 minutes.
6. Add garlic and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Empty into a bowl and cool.
7. Mix chopped olives with sauteed vegetables.
8. Punch dough down. Turn onto board sprinkled with flour. Roll to 14-x-8 inch rectangle.
9. Brush marinara sauce over dough to about ¹⁄₂ inch from ends.
10. Sprinkle with all of vegetable-olive mix and cheddar cheese.
11. Fold in short ends of dough. From long end of dough, roll and seal seam. Cut roll into 12 pieces. Place cut side up on parchment paper. Press down slightly and sprinkle with additional cheese.
12. Transfer rolls with paper to a pizza stone preheated in a 425°F oven. (I use an inverted cookie sheet to hold the paper and rolls to carefully slide to the hot baking stone.) Bake for 12 minutes. Cool slightly on a cooling rack.

Any grain, when cooked, is the starting point for stir fry and grain bowls. Grains serve as the chewy component of soups. When roasted, they provide the cereal block in muesli. Cooked whole grains offer unique tastes and textures to hot dishes and cold salads. 

You’ve probably noticed the variety of grains ground into flours and pastas on the grocery shelves. Cooking directions vary. Make sure the first ingredient is “whole.” When purchasing rice varieties, look for brown or colored rice.

Because gluten forms the structure in shaped breads, gluten-free flours work best in batter breads, muffins, cookies and pancakes.

Ezekiel Flour

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1¹⁄₄ cups wheat berries
• ³⁄₄ cup spelt berries
• ¹⁄₄ cup whole barley
• 2 tablespoon millet
• 2 tablespoon dry lentils
• 3 tablespoon assorted dry beans

Instructions

1. Combine grains and beans in a flour mill and thoroughly grind into flour.

No access to a flour mill? Some recipes say grains can be ground in a high speed blender. Millet and lentils ground fine in a spice or seed grinder. Here is a recipe for mixing purchased flours to produce the same results:

Ezekiel Flour

Makes 2 1/4 cups

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• ¹⁄₂ cup + 2 tablespoons spelt flour
• 2 tablespoons barley flour
• 2 tablespoons bean flour
• 2 tablespoons millet, ground in a spice mill or seed grinder
• 2 tablespoons lentils, ground in a spice mill or seed grinder

This flour mix is good in batter breads, muffin and cookie recipes. The flour has less gluten than all wheat flours and does not hold its shape well without the pan. Use the paddle blade of the mixer and do not knead as long an all wheat dough.

Ezekiel bread is based on a passage in the Bible, where the prophet Ezekiel was instructed to make bread from wheat, barley, beans, lentils and spelt. It was the fasting bread eaten for a year while on exile in the desert.

Whole grains are heart healthy and lower the LDL bad cholesterol. They help us feel fuller longer and control blood sugar. They are a valuable source of fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, Vitamin E, magnesium and iron.

Enjoyed in the early 20th century, this egg-and-potato-based breakfast met challenges of wartime conservation efforts while repurposing the waffle iron.

Servings: 2
Serving size: 2 4-inch square waffles
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 extra-large eggs
• ⅓ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely diced shallots
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup peeled and shredded white potato
• ½ cup finely diced Red Delicious apple with skin

Instructions

1. Break eggs into a small bowl and beat with a whisk.
2. Add ricotta and incorporate with the whisk, followed by shallots, garlic, parsley and salt. Whisk well.
3. Lightly oil an 8-inch square waffle maker with cooking spray. Preheat waffle maker (use medium-high setting, if available).
4. Stir potatoes and apples into egg mixture.
5. Pour mixture onto preheated waffle maker, spreading evenly to the edges.
6. Close lid and bake until eggs are set and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving: CALORIES 180; TOTAL FAT 8g; SAT. FAT 4g; CHOL. 196mg; SODIUM 249mg; CARB. 15g; FIBER 2g; SUGARS 4g; PROTEIN 12g; POTASSIUM 296mg; PHOSPHORUS 195mg

I jumped right in and tried as many grains as I could. The Internet is full of recipes, so if I wanted to grind a specific grain, I searched for a recipe made with that grain’s flour. While no one in my family is gluten-sensitive, it is important to categorize by gluten-containing and gluten-free grains since gluten is what gives breads structure and rise. Gluten-free baked goods can be crumbly and often need binding agents for structure.

Here is a mixed-grain bread recipe that I hope you’ll get the chance to try.  Try this bread toasted with your favorite spread on top.

Quinoa Mixed Grain Bread

Makes 1 loaf; 12 to 14 slices

Ingredients

• 1½ cups white flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1¼ cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup garbanzo bean flour
• ⅔ cup red quinoa flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In bowl of electric mixer with dough hook in place, mix 1 cup white flour, sugar and yeast.
2. In a small saucepan on the stove, heat skim milk to 125°F.
3. Slowly add warm milk and lemon juice to flour mixture and mix on medium-high speed 2 minutes.
4. Add whole-wheat flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Add garbanzo and quinoa flours and salt. Mix on low speed, scraping down bowl as needed.
6. Slowly add remaining ½ cup white flour, kneading on low speed until dough leaves sides of bowl.
7. Place dough in a bowl oiled with olive oil spray. Turn dough over to coat in oil. Let rise until doubled in size, then punch it down.
8. Place dough in an 8-inch loaf pan oiled with olive oil spray. Cover and let rise until doubled in size again.
9. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Rhubarb is a perennial plant that grows from crowns or seeds and can flourish for about a decade. Given full sun, plenty of water and well-drained soil, the plant can thrive in otherwise neglected areas of cooler climates. Rhubarb produces leaves that are inedible (they contain oxalic acid, which can be toxic) but are beautiful in flower gardens. There are green and red varieties, but the color has no impact on flavor.

In the Kitchen

Tart rhubarb usually is combined with sugar and sweet fruits to bring out its flavor. When cooked, rhubarb quickly turns into a jam-like sauce, which makes a flavorful topping for yogurt or ice cream and can accompany meat or fish and warm porridge as a chutney. Diced fresh and frozen rhubarb can be added to pancake, muffin or cake batters. To bring out the flavor, combine rhubarb with ginger, vanilla, lemon, oranges, peaches or berries.

Hothouse rhubarb is available from December through March, and field-grown rhubarb is available March through October, peaking between April and June. Frozen diced rhubarb can be purchased year-round at grocery stores.

Before cutting into chunks and cooking rhubarb, wash stalks and trim the ends. Similar to celery, some rhubarb stalks also have fibrous skin that can be removed.

In the Clinic

Rhubarb is low in calories, sodium and fat. A ½-cup serving of raw diced rhubarb has 13 calories and 1 gram of fiber. It also provides 5 percent of the daily value for calcium, 8 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, 5 percent of the daily value for potassium and 22 percent of the daily value for vitamin K.

A ½-cup serving of frozen rhubarb has 15 calories and 1 gram of fiber. It provides 13 percent of the daily value for calcium, 5 percent of the daily value for vitamin C and 25 percent of the daily value for vitamin K.

In Quantity

When buying fresh rhubarb, look for crisp stalks with no blemishes or gashes. Remove all leaves, then tightly wrap and refrigerate stalks for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze, can or dry diced rhubarb.

Foodservice retailers sell frozen diced rhubarb in larger quantities, such as 30-pound bags of nearly 100 servings.

Cindy Gay, RDN, LD, serves as historian for the West Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, teaches in the lifelong learning program and conducts farmers market demonstrations. She is a Stone Soup blogger and author of cindyshealthymeals.blogspot.com.

Rhubarb-Mango Smoothie

Developed by Karman Meyer

Servings: 2
Serving size: 1 ¼ cups (280 grams)
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 milliliters) unsweetened soy milk
• 1 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1 cup frozen sliced rhubarb*
• ⅓ cup fat-free vanilla skyr**
• 1 date, pit removed, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Add soy milk to a blender followed by mango, rhubarb, skyr, date, chia seeds and ginger. Blend until smooth.

Notes

*If using fresh rhubarb, slice cleaned stalks into 1-inch pieces and lay flat on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm. Keep frozen rhubarb pieces in a freezer storage bag until ready to use.

**Vanilla Greek yogurt may be used in place of skyr.

Nutrition Per Serving:
CALORIES 177; TOTAL FAT 3g; SAT. FAT 0g; CHOL. 0mg; SODIUM 83mg; CARB. 31g; FIBER 4g; SUGARS 23g; PROTEIN 9g; POTASSIUM N/A; PHOSPHORUS N/A

Note: Nutrition information for potassium and phosphorus in skyr not available.

Karman Meyer, RD, LDN, is a Nashville-based nutrition and culinary consultant and freelance writer. She is a Stone Soup blogger and author at thenutritionadventure.com.

Moroccan Medallions

Developed by Cindy Gay

Ingredients

• [2 grams]      ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• [1 gram]        ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
• [<1 gram]      ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
• [7 grams]      2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) olive oil
• [35 grams]    ¼ cup onion, diced
• [30 grams]    ¼ cup carrots, peeled and diced
• [2 grams]      1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
• [20 grams]    ¼ cup white mushroom caps, diced
• [2 grams]      ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• [2 grams]      ½ teaspoon fresh turmeric, grated
• [45 grams]    ¼ cup kasha*
• [190 grams]  ¾ cup (180 milliliters) water
• [2 grams]      ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• [1 gram]        2 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
• [265 grams]  2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• [1 gram]        ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Place cumin, cardamom and coriander seeds on baking sheet and toast at 450°F (233°C) for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Grind spices to a fine texture in a grinder devoted only to spices.
2. Pour oil into a nonstick skillet, add onion and carrots and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add ground spices, garlic, mushrooms, ginger and turmeric and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add kasha and water to skillet and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and parsley.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a clean counter. Place one chicken breast on plastic and top with second piece of plastic. Cover with clean towel and pound chicken with smooth side of a mallet. Repeat for second chicken breast.
4. Cover each chicken breast with ½ cup kasha mixture, leaving a ½-inch rim around the edges. Roll chicken breast from the long end. Place stuffed chicken breasts seam-side-down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until interior reaches 165°F (74°C). Slice chicken breasts with an electric, carving or serrated knife. Serves 2.

Cooking Note:

• *To make your own kasha, roast buckwheat groats at 450°F (233°C) for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Serving size: 1 stuffed chicken breast (175 grams)

CALORIES 228; TOTAL FAT 8g; SAT. FAT 2g; CHOL. 73mg; SODIUM 84mg; CARB. 10g; FIBER 2g; SUGARS 2g; PROTEIN 28g; POTASSIUM 401mg; PHOSPHORUS 243mg

Keep Growing

Some will find the perfect job right away that matches their skills; some won’t. If you’re in the latter group, don’t get discouraged. Stay with the not-so-perfect job for a while and work at it.

Read, Write, Participate, Attend

The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics publishes the research of your colleagues. Food & Nutrition Magazine provides practical solutions to the research. The editors at both publications are engaging and accessible and want to hear from you. Attend conferences to hear how that research is being used.

Make a Meal

Make a meal from scratch using healthy ingredients. Learn practical solutions you can pass on to your clients.

Empower Others

By participating in community events, you show support for those people who also work to improve the health of others.

Think about Laws

Express your views with state legislators. Support the Academy’s public policy work! This is what made state licensure and medical nutrition therapy laws possible, and created jobs and revenue for the RDN.

Get Fresh Air

Take a break and go outside when you can. On weekends, pack a picnic and head to a nearby park.

Be There to Care

Come to work feeling inspired and give your best.

Remember This: “First the Root Goes Down, Then the Plant Goes Up”

Make yourself a good example. Walk the walk and talk the talk in preventing disease by eating and serving nutrient-dense food.

Know Our Heritage

The year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Our profession is a crucial component in health care.

Laugh Every Chance You Get

When you make mistakes, laugh at yourself!

Respect the Environment

Buy local, prevent waste, live within your means and support your work café.

Leave Work Behind

Find a creative outlet where you can focus on something other than work’s worries. Try to carve out 30 minutes to yourself each day to recharge.

Make Others Feel Special

Don’t forget to thank everyone who works to support our mission.

Help and Connect

Donate foods that you can’t use on your menus to hunger groups.

Be the Best You Can Within Your Style and Gifts

What matters in the long-run is sticking with it and having the resilience to get back up when you get knocked down.

Product Reviewed:
Gunter Wilhelm Cast Fry Pan

When cooking with this nonstick, oven-safe pan, my vegetables sautéed and sizzled as if I were a TV cooking show celebrity. The Gunter Wilhelm Cast Fry Pan is perfect for foods meant to brown on the outside and remain soft on the inside. Grilled cheese sandwiches and pancakes turn out just the way you want them, and stir-fried vegetables and meats brown nicely with only a little oil. Delicate fish cook quickly, and both fried eggs and hash brown. However, it wasn’t good for omelets — the outside was too crispy — or roasting vegetables.

The pan preheated in about 5 minutes, and was easy to clean by hand with soap and water— soaking or washing in a dishwasher is not recommended.

One drawback to this product is that the pan is heavy — probably too heavy for someone with weakened muscles such as an elderly client. It is, however, perfect for the younger novice cook, as foods cook evenly and quickly.

This recipe for Spintuce Soup was inspired by Spinoccoli Soup — a spinach and broccoli soup recipe by Rachael Ray.

This warming breakfast provides high-quality protein, fiber, calcium, vitamins and good fats.

After purchasing rhubarb, first wrap the stalks tightly and store in the refrigerator. Do not eat the leaves! Rhubarb is tart and needs sweetening. When cooked with liquid, it turns into a jam-like sauce and adds tartness to crisps and pies.

If you’re thinking of doing your own farmers market demos, planning is key.

Know the Seasons

Plan to feature recipes in cooking demonstrations that coincide with what is in season. Here, we have strawberries in May, so that’s the month we made smoothies. There’s not much local produce in June, so we made meatballs with local beef. Peaches are perfect in August, so we made glazed peaches. This was our monthly schedule:

• May: Fresh Fruit Smoothies
• June: Meatballs in Marinara
• July: Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil on Grainy Bread
• August: Glazed Peaches
• September: Warm Cinnamon Applesauce
• October: Crunchy Pumpkin Pie
• November: Warm Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Dip

You’re Not Shopping Today

Due to the sometimes limited supplies available from the vendors on the day of the market, we purchased our ingredients in advance, or even from other area farmers and vendors who delivered to the hospital.

The apples for our September applesauce came from West Virginia University’s orchards. In fact, I drove to the orchard myself to pick them up.

Think Equipment

The Morgantown Farmers Market, with partial sponsorship from WVU Healthcare, built a kitchen storage area and purchased some cooking equipment. We had access to a three-bowl sink, hand sink, griddle, grill, tables, pagoda, awning and electricity. Some serving and preparation equipment was transported from the hospital on the days of the demos. This included a commercial smoothie maker, a soup crock (for keeping hot items hot), long extension cords, steam table lids to use as “bug guards,” pans, serving trays, spatulas, dippers and pot holders.

Don’t forget sanitizing solution, plastic gloves, aprons, hats and recyclable bags (ours had our hospital logo). Also, keep in mind there is no refrigeration at the market. On smoothie-making day, we used shelf-stable soy milk and froze the containers of yogurt an hour before setup; then, we kept the remainder of the yogurt cold with ice packs in insulated containers.

When to Show Up … How Much Food to Bring

Our summer market begins each Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with the ringing of a bell. We were ready and waiting for that bell. It’s the busiest time of the market and the temperature is still cool to protect the food.

And how much food should you bring? We planned for 150 to 200 samples, and that usually lasted until about 10 a.m.

Last year my husband and I started a tradition of taking weekly picnics. He plans the destination; I’m in charge of the food.

On Saturdays, I prepare our meal, so Sundays — our picnic day — is work-free and ever so enjoyable. Just like at home, our meals include lots of vegetables, fruit, lean protein and whole grains.

Keep Cold Foods Cold

Protein foods (meats, eggs and dairy) and cut melons are potential food poisoning threats and must be kept cold. Here are my tips on how to do so:

• Pack foods in insulated containers with ice packs.
• When preparing, chill foods quickly in shallow containers. Glass and metal chill quicker than plastic.
• Pack cold plate ingredients separately and arrange the plates at the table.
• Slice meats thinly after preparation and pack in zipper bags. Store directly between ice packs.
• Freeze individual parfaits for an hour before departing.
• Pack fruit crisps and parfaits in shallow mason jars.

Keep Hot Foods Hot

In cooler months, we add soup to our picnic menu. I make the soup the day before and chill it quickly in shallow containers. Then, on the day of the picnic, I preheat the thermos by filling it with boiling water. Then, I heat the soup to a simmer, empty the thermos of water and add the soup.

We always take a thermos of coffee to enjoy after our meal. The coffee thermos is preheated with boiling water prior to adding the fresh brewed coffee.

Considering Timing and Setting

There are many state and local parks and wildlife restoration areas within a 100-mile radius of our home. This is important because you should consume all foods within two hours after packing. And we only pack what we plan to eat, so there are no leftovers!

Also, pack hand sanitizer and use it frequently.

A big part of the fun of picnics is setting the table with cloth napkins, cutlery and small plates. I cover the eating area with a cloth prior to set up. Many parks have running water where I can rinse the dishes after eating. Then, I give them a more thorough washing when I get home.

My final step: pick a flower from our yard and take a mini-bottle for a centerpiece.