Springtime Green ... Getting Going on Gardens

It's springtime across the country ... and that means plenty of travel for me to give presentations at dietetic, school nutrition, and other professional meetings. You can download PDFs of my Recent Presentations on my website ... and read about School Meals That Rock in the states that I have visited on Facebook. Here, I am going to spend April honoring Earth Day 2011 by focusing on growing gardens and enjoying produce, starting with a wonderful new initiative by Montana's First Lady.

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As a botanist, Montana’s First Lady Nancy Schweitzer is a strong supporter of math and science education in Montana schools. Together, the Governor and First Lady launched a Math and Science Initiative to help Montana youth discover math and science in K-12 classrooms and higher education, find out about career opportunities, and explore Montana’s splendid surroundings. The Initiative’s newest feature, Nancy’s Garden, brings fresh vegetables and healthy eating to the classroom.

“Nancy’s Garden is a new opportunity that can help create the next generation of gardeners, scientists, and engineers in Montana,” says the First Lady. “The Governor and I hope teachers find this a helpful, hands-on resource to nurture gardening, promote healthy eating, and explore math and science.”

Nancy’s Garden provides an exciting gardening experience for Montana 4th grade students by supplying grow boxes, seeds, lesson plans, instructions, and other materials for their classrooms. The teacher’s guide was designed with the help of gardening and nutrition experts from the Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana State University Extension, and Montana Team Nutrition. The lesson plans take students through planting, growing, and finally eating produce from Nancy’s Garden. With tips from the Governor’s Office of Community Service, teachers are encouraged to connect their classroom garden to the community with volunteers and service learning activities.

“Montana’s 4th grade students are in for a wonderful growing experience this spring,” says the First Lady. “I encourage families across Big Sky country to join in the fun and grow gardens at home too. It is such a natural, hands-on way to get students excited about math and science and engaged in healthy eating!”

ABCs of Breakfast ... U through Z

Underweight

Teen boys, especially those involved in sports, are often looking for ways to ‘bulk up’ and build muscle. A hearty breakfast, with only moderate amounts of fat, is one of the best places to begin. Protein is essential – scrambled eggs or an omelet with a couple of extra whites are a wonderful choice. Smoothies made with couple of tablespoons of powdered milk are another delicious option (and much cheaper than fancy protein powders).

Variety

Variety is the spice of life and the foundation of healthful eating. The best way to get the 40+ nutrients your body craves is to eat a wide variety of foods at every meal, including breakfast. Around the world, people eat a wide variety of breakfast foods – so be creative in your choices and take time to enjoy a morning meal every day. Always remember, it can be as convenient and as inexpensive as a bowl of cereal and milk – which costs on average of $.50 and takes only a few minutes to eat.

Waffles

This is a shameless plug for my personal favorite ‘American’ breakfast: Belgian waffles with fruit (like sliced bananas or berries) and a little whipped cream or vanilla yogurt. While not an every-day breakfast, they are a wonderful weekend or vacation treat. (And, consider sharing one with a friend, since many waffles are more than enough for two, especially if you splurge on some lean breakfast meat as a side.)

Xiang jiao

(I’ll admit that this is ‘cheating’ a little, but it’s hard to find an X breakfast food – this one means banana in Mandarin.) While you can easily eat nature’s fast food just as is, you can also enjoy bananas in almost all of the breakfast foods mentioned in this series: on hot oatmeal, cold cereal, and waffles, for example. You can also make a delicious Skinny Banana Split for breakfast … with ¼ cup vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate low-fat Greek (or other) yogurt; sliced nuts (almonds, peanuts, or pecans); and berries. If you need more detailed directions than the photo, visit the recipe page of the Western Dairy Association.

Yams (aka sweet potatoes)

Looking for a yummy way to add variety to a favorite breakfast food? Enjoy a variety of home “fries,” including yams (aka sweet potatoes in some produce departments), red potatoes, Yukon golds, or very fun purple-fleshed potatoes. Any of these roots can be sliced into ¼-rounds, lightly brushed with olive oil, and baked in a ____ degree oven until crisp on the outside and deliciously soft inside.

Zinc

Like iron, zinc is an important mineral in brain development, cognitive functioning, and a strong immune system. Lean beef has zinc, iron and protein (ZIP) – which makes a lean roast beef wrap an especially powerful breakfast possibility. No time to wrap up a breakfast? No worries – pack some beef jerky in baggie, grab a banana, and you’ll be good-to-go when you pick up a carton of low-fat milk.

ABC's of Breakfast ... P through T

Protein

Protein is the missing ingredient in many breakfasts. Add protein (soy, beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, or dairy foods) – and you have a high-energy start with LASTING POWER. Protein can be from common breakfast foods, such as eggs and lean Canadian bacon – and from less typical items like a piece of leftover steak, black beans for a breakfast burrito, or a small handful of almonds with dried fruit.

Quality vs. Quantity

All-you-can-eat restaurants and super-sized portions have become an American way (and weigh) of life. Make the most of your morning meal by enjoying all foods – just don’t overdo it. And, listen to your stomach; it will let you know when it has all it-wants-to-eat. Best way to hear the I-am-satisfied messages from your stomach – slow down and savor your breakfast.

Role models

In terms of food and kids, it’s monkey see, monkey do. Parents, grandparents, and teachers can all be positive role models for the habits that we want to see in young people. If you make breakfast part of your day, the children around you will see and learn that eating in the morning is important way to start their day too.

Shakes and Smoothies

Liquid breakfasts are popular with people who don’t like to eat early in the day. They are also great for athletes with early AM games or practices. The options range from very simple (instant breakfast with milk) to the more elaborate (blended milk, yogurt, fruit, juice, ice, etc.). If you choose a commercial product (canned or prepared in a store like Jamba Juice), check calories and added sugars, which can be very high.

Toast

Make your toast do double-duty. First, for a morning fiber boost, choose whole grain bread – like whole wheat, honey wheat, oatmeal, or seven grain. Then, let your toast deliver protein – by topping it with a light layer of nut/seed butter (peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower, or sesame) or some melted cheese. A sprinkling of dried fruit (raisins, craisins, blueberries, or cherries) or few thin slices of fresh fruit (bananas, apples, or pears) will make it a complete breakfast!

ABC's of Breakfast ... K through O

Kumquats

Kumquats?!??! There are tons of tasty ways to be adventurous at breakfast time. Try a new food (mangoes in the morning) or new concept (tortilla wraps with meat and cheese). Allow children to be creative with breakfast – after all, they are the ones that have to eat it! My personal fav of unusual breakfasts is still the olives in Turkey, which usually include sliced tomatoes and cucumbers as well.

Leftovers

Quick, easy, tasty, and almost always available, leftovers are awesome in the morning. Try ‘em for breakfast – and you may have a practical, convenient way to keep your fridge cleaned out! Leftover breakfast can be everything from a slice of leftover pizza to slices of leftover steak or leftover lasagna to leftover beans for a breakfast burrito.

Milk

This one is a serious no-brainer. Milk provides lasting protein power – along with bone-building calcium and at least a dozen other nutrients. Chocolate has all the same nutrients and, in most cases, only about 10 grams of added sugars. Warm it up and you have the fav breakfast beverage of French children (un bol de chocolat chaud). If you prefer soymilk, be sure to choose a brand that is fortified with calcium and soy’s missing vitamins (A and D).

Nuts

In reasonable portions (like a handful), nuts offer powerful nutrition in a delicious package. Eat them alone, or create your own trail mix with nuts, whole grain cereal, and dried fruit (plus a few chocolate chips for your sweet tooth). Sprinkle walnuts onto hot or cold cereal – or pump up your yogurt parfait with a crunchy layer of almonds.

Overweight

If you skip breakfast to try and control your weight, you’re on the wrong track. Numerous studies have shown that breakfast eaters have healthier weights than breakfast skippers. Remember, starving in the morning almost always leads to stuffing sometime later in the day.