Fantastic Fiber

Gotta go but can't?

Constipation is a common problem in both children and pregnant women.  Although the cause of the problem may be different depending on the individual, adding fiber, water and physical activity to the equation can usually help.

Fiber

• How does it help?

There are two types of fiber and they both aid in digestion.  There is soluble fiber that absorbs water, which helps to soften stool.  This is also the type of fiber that helps you to stay feeling full.  Then there is insoluble fiber that helps with adding bulk to stool which helps things to move along more quickly. You want to make sure you're adding fiber to your (child's) diet slowly, to prevent any uncomfortable side effects like gassiness and bloating.

• Where to find it:                                    

Fruits, dried fruits, vegatables, beans, peas, lentils, bran and whole grains are all great sources of fiber.  Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables provide more fiber when you leave the skin on and when they are not cooked. Try apples or celery with peanut butter for a snack with fiber that is fun to eat.

Water:

Drinking water everyday is always important.  Adding fiber to your diet makes this even more important.  Drink plenty of water to make sure you are staying hydrated and keeping everything balanced in your body.  Offer your child water between meals as opposed to other drinks.

Exercise:

Moving your body as another factor that keeps your digestive system healthy.  Make sure you're moving your body everyday whether it's by dancing, jumping rope, or or going for a walk. 

 -Valerie Marcellus, Nutritionist

Create a Better Convenience Meal

One of the most healthy things you can start doing with your family is to start having regular, family meals. A family meal means everyone sitting at the table and enjoying the same food at the same time (it does NOT have to mean an elaborate 4 course dinner). Whoever is in charge of the cooking (it might be mom, dad, or someone else) has a big responsibility to get a good tasting, healthy meal on the table. A lot of times this can seem like too much work and pressure and it is easy to give up on family meals. However, the benefits of family meals are worth some trouble to get everyone together to eat at the same time.

And cooking does not have to be hard! Convenience meals are a great way to get a meal on the table quickly. Here are some ideas to take typical convenience foods to a higher level. These tips add extra nutrition and variety to common convenience foods:

Boxed Mac & Cheese: Add cooked chicken, turkey or ham leftovers and veggies like broccoli, peas, or bell peppers. If you don’t have any leftover meats to add, open and drain a can of tuna and add chopped tomatoes. Now you have a complete meal instead of a side!

Frozen Pizza: Buy a plain cheese frozen pizza and top with your favorite veggies (broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, olives, etc…) You know they never put enough toppings on frozen pizzas…

Stir Fry Dinner Kit: Add extra veggies and protein (like chicken breast) to stretch the meal further and cut down on sodium.

Frozen waffles or pancakes: Top waffles or pancakes with ½ cup berries or cut up bananas, fat free whipped cream, and lite syrup. My favorite version is pancakes with peanut butter, bananas, and syrup.

Frozen ravioli or tortellini: Mix with your favorite prepared marinara sauce and add in some frozen veggies.

And finally, the mother of all convenience foods….

Ramen noodles: These noodles are pretty much just starch and fat- they do not have a lot of staying power. To make a meal, add some protein like cooked meats or egg. Add in some fresh or frozen veggies and don’t use the entire seasoning packet and you have yourself a pretty decent meal.

- Allison Leonard RD

Fluffy Fruit Salad!

Now that the warmer weather has rolled in, here is a great recipe to try. It is also a delicious, inexpensive dish to take to those summer cookouts!

Fluffy Fruit Salad can be made according to what fruits you and your family enjoy and the fruit portion of this recipe can be purchased with your WIC vouchers!

What you will need:

• Canned fruit of your choice (usually 4-5 cans)
• Fat-free or sugar-free Cool Whip (1-2 containers)
• 1 bag of mini marshmallows

I will let you know what I do and then you can substitute any fruit you prefer.

1. You want to start out with a colander in the sink so you can drain all the excess syrup and water off.
2. I usually combine 1 can of pineapple, 1 can of fruit cocktail, 1 or 2 cans of peaches, 2 cans of Mandarin oranges and occasionally cut up grapes if I have them on hand, into the colander. (the number of cans you will need will depend on how many servings you want). Rinse if desired to remove excess sugar.
3. Let the fruit drain for about 30 mins, frequently stirring the fruit around to drain all liquid possible.
4. In the meantime be sure your Cool Whip is thawed and ready to add. I will buy the sugar- free Cool Whip or the fat-free Cool Whip as opposed to the regular Cool Whip, there is no taste difference! The number of containers of Cool Whip you will need depends on your servings of fruit. I only need one for the amount I make.
4. After your fruit is fully drained, in a large bowl combine your fruit with your container(s) of Cool Whip.
5. Stir until Cool Whip is throughout
6. Add desired amount of mini marshmallows to mixture
7. This dish can be eaten at room temperature immediately, but is delicious chilled! Remember.. Cool Whip contains milk so this dish will need to be refrigeratored if not eaten right away.

*Keep in mind when storing in refrigerator for longer than 24-48 hours, the fruit may pool juice in the bottom of the bowl, just pour off excess juice and serve. Also, the marshmallows may get soggy during this time period so plan accordingly.

This dish makes a great dessert or snack during the day! Enjoy!

Christy Redmond, Nutritionist

Cool Dishes Using Canned Beans

WIC recently announced that canned beans will be added as a choice on your WIC vouchers. With the weather warming up so quickly around here, chilli and soups do not sound so great anymore!

Check out some of these recipes for warm weather dishes using canned beans. Remember that you can use cooked, dried beans as well (about 2 cups of beans equals 1 can in these recipes).

Easy Corn and Black Bean Salsa

 

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 jar of salsa (16 oz, chunky style)

Drain corn and beans (rinse with water to decrease sodium if desired) and combine with salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tuna and Bean Salad

1 can tuna, drained

1 can white beans (navy or cannellini), drained

½ pint chopped grape or cherry tomatoes

1 T capers (omit if you like)

Italian salad dressing or balsamic vinaigrette

Combine first four ingredients gently to avoid mashing the beans. Serve over lettuce mix or cold, cooked pasta. Top with salad dressing.

Canned Bean Salad

1 can each kidney beans, black beans and chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 cup corn, canned or frozen

1 red pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 jalepeno pepper, finely minced

½ cup vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup sugar (add less or more depending on your desired amount of sweetness)

Mix all ingredients and chill. Add salt and pepper as desired.

- Allison Leonard RD