(UPDATED, 5/5/08:  The recipes are there for viewing—beautiful pics and inspiring ideas.)

I thought of this dish immediately.  Eating more veggies (and fruits) is at the top of my healthy eating and weight management list, keeping with the philosophy to let fruits and veggies take center stage and think of meats and poultry as condiments.  Who knew?  That parsley garnish may have been the healthiest thing on the plate!

This is a favorite.  So pretty and it just looks like summer and spring fun.  It’s endlessly adaptable—add a few leftover roasted potatoes, some corn (fresh or frozen), a yellow squash.  Good for a quick weeknight dinner or a summer party.  It’s a great taste companion for grilled meats.

Summer Stir Fry

Serves 4; 15-20 minutes hands on; ready in 30 minutes

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• ¼ lb trimmed green beans

• ¼ lb asparagus, cut into 1” pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, ½“ slices, halved
• ½ medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 4-6 green onions, cut into 1” pieces
• 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
• salt & lemon pepper
• Parmesan cheese, optional

Spray a large skillet with a lid with olive-oil spray.  Add the olive oil and heat to medium.  Then add the garlic and green beans and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Next add the asparagus, zucchini, and bell pepper and stir fry for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the green onion and tomato over the other vegetables.  Add a sprinkling of salt and lemon pepper.  Cover and reduce to very low heat.  Cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan or offer it at the table.

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 At 5:33 p.m. yesterday, the Reuters folks in Washington reported:  “Researchers surpised so few kids take vitamins.”

But only 58 minutes earlier, the Reuters folks in New York had reported:  “Dietary supplement use widespread among U.S. youth.”

So if 31.8% of kids, from infancy to age 18, take vitamins and minerals, is this good news or bad news?  Or is it good news that just isn’t good enough?  Or maybe it’s bad news that could have been worse?  Or maybe it was a slow news day on the health front?  Or . . . ?

Forget the Centrum Silver.  I’m looking for the aspirin and googling Santorini.  That’s my opinion.

Carrots Contessa

Serves 4; about 5-10 minutes hands on time; ready in under 20 minutes

• 3/4 lb (about 3 cups) baby carrots
• 1/3 cup water
• generous 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried dill weed
• 2 Tbsp light butter

Split any thicker carrots lengthwise. Then combine the carrots, water, salt, pepper, and dill in a large skillet. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 6-7 minutes.

Uncover and add the butter. Saute for 1-2 minutes until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter, but not dry.

Per serving, approximately 56 calories; 3.1 g. fat; 7.2 g. carbohydrates; 2.5 g. fiber; 308 mg. sodium; .6 g. protein

Heh.  Actually, a little bit of bacon goes a long way in adding flavor, particulary for vegetables.  And it’s when we get bored with the same ol’ dishes that we’re tempted to cheat indulge.

Try about a half slice per serving.  Cook it in a heavy saucepan or deep skillet then remove it to crisp.  Pour off all but about one teaspoon of the drippings.  Then add the veggies to stir fry a bit before adding other ingredients, seasonings, and liquid.  Finish cooking, as needed, and sprinkle the dish with crumbled bacon.

(Note that even this little bit of bacon adds a significant saltiness, so go lightly on adding other salt.)

The catch to this is having the bacon on hand.  If you don’t use bacon on a regular basis, then it becomes a plan-ahead item for the shopping list rather than a grab-and-cook staple.

Here’s the quick tip.  After opening a new package of bacon, separate the slices and stack them with a piece of waxed paper under each slice.  Slide the stack into a freezer bag, label with the date, and freeze.  When you need a piece or two for a dish, you can easily peel off the amount you want.  There’s no need to thaw before cooking.

Over 1000 children have been followed since the age of seven months.  About half of the participants were counseled to shift fat intake from saturated animal fats to healthier unsaturated fats, such as those in fish, nuts, and seeds.   As infants, the counseling was directed to the parents, but by age 7 it was directed primarily to the kids.

As age 14 there was a difference in cholestrol levels between the groups.  Although the difference appears small, it does translate into expected lower adult cardiac risk in the group that received counseling.

The study will follow the subjects until they reach the age of 20.

It may seem like what we say to kids about healthy food choices is just going in one ear and out the other.  But this study seems to show that at least some of it is being heard.  And remembered.

UPDATE, 8/16/07:  Research coming out of Pennsylvania State University reported in Nutrition Journal this week confirms that before puberty, kids oxidize fatty acids more readily than adults, making their need for healthy fats a bit higher than that for adults, with a recommended range of 25-35%.  The range for adults is 20-35%.

Crispy Zucchini Sticks

Serves 4; about 10 minutes hands on time; ready in 20 minutes

• 4 medium zucchini, about 1½ lb
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 egg whites
• ranch dressing, optional
• marinara sauce, optional

Preheat the oven to 450°. Spray a large baking sheet with olive-oil cooking spray. Cut each zucchini into 3” pieces. Then quarter each piece into sticks. Set aside. Mix the crumbs and next 4 ingredients. Finely grind the Italian seasoning with your fingertips and add to the crumb mix. Stir until thoroughly combined.

Whisk egg whites until almost frothy and pour into a shallow dish. Dip each zucchini stick into the egg, then completely coat with the crumb mixture. Place on the baking sheet. Spray with the olive-oil cooking spray. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until crispy. Serve with marinara sauce and/or ranch dressing for dipping.

Per serving without sauce or dressing, approximately 96 calories; 2.3 g. fat; 13.7 g. carbohydrates; 3.7 g. sugars; 2.4 g. fiber; 6.3 g. protein

First, it’s not about the food, so that should spark hope in the heart of any parent.  Just keep offering that broccoli.  Kids in the experiment not only preferred the fries, they also liked supermarket carrots better when they had the golden arches stamp of approval.

Second, rather than see this as a problem, think of it as a solution.  Why not stop at McDonald’s tonight?  Don’t pick up the burgers and fries, just buy some of their packaging to wrap up your dinner.

Heh.  What do you think?