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Vegetables & Side Dishes
“Kids Eat Right” Recipe: Garden-Veggie Ratatouille
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Rinse and peel 1 small red onion. Peel 2 medium garlic cloves. Rinse 1 small eggplant, 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium yellow squash and 1 large tomato.
- Dice onion and eggplant into ½-inch pieces. Slice zucchini and squash into ½-inch slices. Chop tomato. Mince garlic.
- In a medium bowl, add onion, eggplant, zucchini, squash, garlic, 3 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Toss until veggies are well coated.
- Coat baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Spread veggies out in a single layer so they do not touch. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Add tomato to baking sheet. Return baking sheet to oven. Bake, stirring occasionally, until veggies are golden crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes more.
Cooking and Serving Tips
- If fresh tomatoes are not in season or not available in your store, use 1 (14 ½-ounce) can diced tomatoes, no salt added. Drain in a colander. Add to baking sheet in step 6.
- Serve over polenta, spinach, brown rice, whole wheat pasta or with hearty whole grain bread.
- Top with grated Parmesan cheese, if you like.
- For a faster version, cook veggies in a large skillet on top of the stove with 1 teaspoon oil instead of baking.
“Kids Eat Right” Recipe: Roasted Fresh Asparagus
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Clean and trim 1 pound thin asparagus spears.
- Drizzle a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Lay the asparagus spears evenly on the pan. Turn them to coat with oil. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the asparagus for 20 minutes or until the stalks are crisp-tender. Remove from pan to a serving dish.
Shopping Tips
- Be sure the asparagus spears are firm and fresh looking and the tips are tightly closed.
- Asparagus should be eaten with a few days for the best flavor.
- The best way to store asparagus in the refrigerator is to cut off an inch from the stalk and stand the spears upright in an inch or two of water, covered with a plastic bag.
Nutrition Note
- Asparagus is a great source of folate, iron and potassium. This vegetable is also high in vitamins A and C.
- 6 asparagus spears = 30 calories, 1 gram fiber
Food Trivia
- Asparagus also comes in purple and white varieties. The purple asparagus turns green when cooked.
- The white variety is cultivated by covering the stalks with mounds of earth to prevent the development of chlorophyll, which creates the green hue.
- Asparagus is a member of the lily family.
Apple-Barley Pilaf
Apple Barley Pilaf
- In large skillet melt 2 tablespoons no-trans-fat soft margarine over medium heat. Add 1 small diced yellow onion and ½ cup uncooked barley; cook, stirring until golden. Add 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup golden raisins and ¼ teaspoon dried thyme to barley mixture.
- Heat to boil; reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 40 to 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Core and finely chop 2 large apples. Fold the apples and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley into the barley mixture. Cook for 5 additional minutes before serving.
- Makes 4 servings.
Apple-Snow Pea Stir Fry
- In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add 1 medium sliced red onion and 2 thinly sliced carrots. Stir fry for 3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup fresh snow pea pods, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon crushed dried basil and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 thinly sliced cored apple. Cook for 2 more minutes. Serve hot.
Asian Brown Rice Salad
- Bring water to boil over high heat in medium saucepan. Stir in 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice; return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30-40 minutes or according to the package directions. Rinse rice with cold water; drain well.
- Meanwhile, place skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to brown. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in 1 (8-ounce) can drained, sliced chestnuts, 1 cup snow peas, ½ cup chopped red onion, ½ cup chopped green bell pepper and ¼ cup dried cranberries. Stir in rice.
- Dressing: In small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add to the rice salad; toss to coat. Makes 6 servings.
