Spring Ahead of Your Health! Brittany Lawrance RD, CSO, LDN, CNSC

Color Your Plate with Fruits and Vegetables Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables! Whole, cut-up, pureed, or 100% juice Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried 2

Health Benefits 3

Fruits and vegetables are full of many nutrients: Vitamins Minerals Fiber Antioxidants 4

Health Benefits May help protect against: Cancer Diabetes Heart disease 5

Health Benefits Are also: Fat-free Cholesterol-free Sodium-free 6

Key Nutrients 7

Key Nutrients: Why is Vitamin A important? Vitamin A Keeps eyes and skin healthy Protects against infections Strawberries, tomatoes, mangos, asparagus 8

Key Nutrients: What does Vitamin C do? Vitamin C Helps heal cuts and wounds Keeps gums and teeth healthy Peppers, onions, tomatoes, mangos, oranges, pineapple, zucchini, squash, bananas, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, blueberries 9

Key Nutrients Potassium Helps maintain healthy blood pressure Potatoes, bananas, oranges, orange juice, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broccoli 10

Key Nutrients: Why is Fiber important? Fiber Decreases risk for heart disease Helps maintain good bowel function Apples, pears, berries, oranges, bananas, grapefruit, baked potato with skin, squash, carrots, corn, broccoli, mixed vegetables, spinach 11

Nutrient-Rich Fruits & Vegetables Most fruits and veggies contain many different nutrients: Bananas: vitamin C, potassium, fiber Tomatoes: vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, lycopene Mushrooms: riboflavin, niacin, copper Spinach: iron, folate, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber Snow peas: iron, manganese, vitamin C 12

Variety of Colors 13

Color Your Plate! 14 The best way to get all the important nutrients is to eat lots of variety and color Choose fruits and vegetables from different color groups Try new fruits and veggies

Name some Red fruits and vegetables Apples Red grapes Strawberries Red peppers Red onions Tomatoes 15

What are some Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables? Lemons Mangos Oranges and orange juice Peaches Pineapples Carrots Summer squash Orange and yellow peppers Sweet potato 16

Name fruits and vegetables that are White and Tan/Brown Bananas Cauliflower Mushrooms Onions Potatoes White corn 17

What vegetables and fruits are Green? 18 Green apples Green grapes Limes Asparagus Broccoli Green beans Leafy greens Spinach Green peppers Snow peas Zucchini

Name some Blue and Purple fruits and vegetables Purple grapes Blueberries Blackberries Raisins Eggplant Purple potatoes 19

Recipes 20

Pasta Primavera 21 Source: Prep Time: 25 minutesReady in: 1 Hour Cook Time: 35 minutesServings: 12 Ingredients 2 (12-ounce) packages penne pasta2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning 2 yellow squash, chopped1 cup grated Romano cheese 2 zucchini, chopped 2 Tablespoons butter 2 carrots, julienned½ large onion, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, julienned1 pint grape tomatoes 2 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and chopped4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 10 spears of asparagus, trimmed and chopped4 teaspoons lemon zest ½ cup olive oil, divided2/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves ½ teaspoon salt2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ cup and 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Pasta Primavera 22 Directions 1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. 2.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes; drain. 3.In a bowl, toss squash, zucchini, carrot, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans, and asparagus with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Arrange vegetables on baking sheet, and roast for 15 minutes in the preheated oven until tender. 4.Heat remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Stir in onion and garlic. Mix in cooked pasta, lemon zest, basil, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. Gently toss and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowel. Toss with roasted vegetables and sprinkle with Romano cheese to serve.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Pitas Ready In: 25 minutesServings: 4 Ingredients 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken½ cup chopped pineapple, fresh or canned ½ cup BBQ sauce1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese 4 pita breads (6 inches)1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced1 can (4 oz) mushrooms, drained Directions 1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 2.In a small bowl, combine chicken and BBQ sauce, spoon over pitas. 3.Top with onion, green pepper, chilies, mushrooms, pineapple, and cheese. 4.Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. 23 Source:

Strawberry Spinach Salad Prep Time: 10 minutesServings: 4 Ready In: 10 minutes Ingredients 6 oz (about 6 cups) baby spinach 1 ½ Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 pint strawberries 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ cup pecans, chopped¼ cup feta cheese ¼ cup red onion1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Directions 1.Whisk dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large salad bowl. 2.Slice red onion and slice or quarter strawberries. Mix with spinach, pecans, and cheese. 3.Toss to coat evenly. 24 Source:

Safety in the Kitchen 25 1.Wear gloves and an apron at all times while preparing food in class. 2.Wash your hands for 20 seconds before handling food and after handling raw food. 3.Do not touch your face, hair, phone, or clothes while cooking. If you do, remove your gloves, wash your hands, and put on clean gloves. 4.Change your gloves in between different food tasks. 5.Turn pot handles away from the front of the stove, so that people do not bump into them. 6.Do not put knives into the sink with other items. Someone could reach in and get hurt. 7.Never put water on a cooking fire – use a fire extinguisher. 8.Do not leave food unattended while cooking. Food Safety Video

Which is better… Fresh, Frozen, or Canned? 26

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables 27 Positives Larger Variety Cost less in season Able to touch, smell, see before buying Negatives Lose nutrients during storage More expensive when not in season More easily contaminated Use quickly before rotting

Frozen Fruits & Vegetables 28 Positives Already washed and cut Frozen at peak freshness Lower cost Longer shelf-life Available year round Negatives Vegetables: may have added sodium, fat Choose plain vegetables or those with low-fat sauces Fruits: may have added sugar Choose unsweetened

Canned Fruits & Vegetables 29 Pros Convenient, ready to eat Canned at peak freshness Protected against foodborne illness and contamination Low cost Longer shelf-life Available year round Cons Vegetables may be high in sodium Choose “low sodium” or “reduced sodium” Fruits: may be high in sugar Choose “packed in its own juices,” “packed in fruit juice,” or “no sugar added”

Fresh, Frozen, and Canned 30 Don’t worry about the form – Just try to get more fruits & veggies in your diet!

Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables 31

Which spring fruits and vegetables are in season right now? 32 Apricots Limes Mangos Pineapple Strawberries Asparagus Broccoli Collard Greens Green Beans Mushrooms Spinach Swiss Chard

What are some Summer Fruits & Vegetables? 33 Apricots Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Grapes Honeydew Kiwi Mangoes Nectarines Peaches Raspberries Watermelon Bell peppers Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Green Beans Lima Beans Summer Squash Tomatoes Zucchini

Thank you for coming! 34

Resources