Not Made in America

In October 2011, I ended up in the hospital. In January a care package arrived from my Medicare provider.

This is a wonderful service intended to provide nutrition to an individual who was just released from the hospital. (Though 3 months is a long time to wait.)

What I found disturbing is Medicare dollars are being used to purchase foods from Thailand and the Philippines.

How many jobs would be created if government programs were required to purchase items “Made in America?”

Kids Eat Right, Monday Message for May 28, 2012

Article of the Week

Young people with a positive image of themselves don’t obsess about calories, food or weight. 

4 ways to give your child the gift of a positive body image. http://bit.ly/K0Ynv3  

Hot Tip

Pack food right from the refrigerator into your picnic cooler
immediately before leaving home. http://bit.ly/KuWAOp 

Recipe of the Week

Pick up a precooked pork loin roast from your
supermarket deli counter to make these
quick sandwiches for your kids. http://bit.ly/KZLrmG  

Featured Video

Want to give your kids a tasty, creamy snack that hits the spot on hot days? 

Try Mom's Mango Smoothie! http://bit.ly/pYWKAl  

The Kids Eat Right Monday Message is a benefit of the Kids Eat Right Campaign Volunteer program.

May 25, 2012 Nutrition Highlights, Events, and Food Finds

Heat Safety Awareness
Brown-Bag-It Day
Gifts from the Garden

Cooking with Spaghetti Squash

National Brown-Bag-It Day

Gifts from the Garden Month

Not yet, but in about 6 to 8 weeks I should have a
garden filled with fresh vegetables.

Cooking with Spaghetti Squash

Recipe Makeover: Bon Appétit Slow-Roasted Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes and Couscous

The original recipe is located at the following link: Slow-Roasted Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes and Couscous 

With some slight changes and portion control, you can save over 200 calories, 10 g fat, 30 mg Cholesterol, and 237 mg Sodium.

Modified Slow-Roasted Salmon with
Cherry Tomatoes and Couscous

Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Salmon
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 bunch dill fronds
1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
3-pound center-cut skin-on salmon fillet (prepare 4 oz cooked Salmon per person)
8 ounces small cherry tomatoes on the vine

Tomatoes and Couscous
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup Israeli couscous, dry (1/2 cup cooked per person)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions
Yogurt Sauce. Mix yogurts, dill, chives, and lemon zest in a medium bowl until well combined. Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Salmon. Preheat oven to 325°. Pour 3 Tbsp. oil in a roasting pan just large enough to fit the salmon. Make a bed of herbs in bottom of pan; top with salmon, skin side down. Drizzle salmon with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Top with tomatoes. Bake until salmon is just cooked through in the center (a small knife will slide easily through flesh), 25–30 minutes.

Tomatoes and Couscous. Toss tomatoes in a medium bowl with 2 Tbsp. oil and parsley. Set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add couscous and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain couscous; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in butter and 1 Tbsp. oil. Gently fold tomatoes into couscous.

Serving. Use a large spoon or fork to serve salmon, leaving skin in pan. Serve with yogurt sauce and couscous.

May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity Marine Biodiversity

The United Nations proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The 2012 theme is Marine Biodiversity. 

For many coastal communities, the survival of marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity is essential to their nutritional, spiritual, societal and religious well-being. But even for the many millions of people who may not think that they have any strong reliance on the ocean, marine ecosystems and wildlife provide all kinds of benefits. Many coastal environments provide protection for those farther inland from the ravages of the sea. Coral reefs buffer land from waves and storms and prevent beach erosion. Dune systems on beaches stabilize shorelines from erosion and encroachment. Mangroves, mudflats and deltas trap sediment, preventing the land behind it from sliding ever-seaward.

The ocean world is in all our daily lives. For example, sponges from the Mediterranean have been used for painting, cooking, cleaning and even contraception for at least 5,000 years. Substances derived from seaweeds stabilize and thicken creams, sauces, and pastes, are mixed into paint and used to make paper and even in skin lotion and toothpaste.

Many marine plants and animals also contain a multitude of substances already being used, or identified as being of potential use, in medicines. Each of the 700 known species of cone snail produces a unique cocktail of 100 to 200 toxins, some of which have already been developed into pain killers: one, which has been on the market since 2004, is more than 100 times more powerful than morphine. A 2010 study predicted the existence of between 250,000 and close to 600,000 chemicals in the marine environment, approximately 92 percent of which remained undiscovered; those chemicals, the study’s authors estimated, might yield up to 214 new anti-cancer drugs, worth anywhere from US $563 billion to $5.69 trillion.

Most importantly of all, tiny marine plants called phytoplankton produce energy, like plants on land, through photosynthesis. As a result of that photosynthesis, they release oxygen. In fact, phytoplankton release half of all oxygen in the atmosphere.

Under the Sea

Video Message from Mr. Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias
International Day for Biological Diversity

Resources.

The International Day for Biological Diversity 
Ocean Conservancy

The Ocean Foundation

Save the Sea

Kids Eat Right, Monday Message for May 21, 2012

Article of the Week

Kids who eat with their families are healthier and do better in school.   Make Sunday night dinner a family affair!  http://bit.ly/JHZpKW  

Hot Tip 

Lower the risk of your kids getting diabetes and other diseases by making sure they consume fiber-rich foods. http://bit.ly/Kt5ygo

Featured Video

Are your kids tired of same old snack? Try this Meal-in-a-Peel Potato Bar!  http://bit.ly/LRYtnM

National Employee Health and Fitness Day May 16, 2012

Employees’ Health And Fitness Programs

Workplace Wellness Programs enhance the
overall health and productivity of your organization.

Benefits For Employers

Increase employee productivity

Improve health care costs

Less illness and injuries

Reduce employee absenteeism

Benefits For Employees

Less stress

Improve physical fitness

Better eating habits or weight control

Increase physical and mental health 

6 Steps to Creating a Wellness Program

Presentor: Mitzi Dulan, RD

Bob Harper from the "Biggest Loser" provides
tips on how to stay healthy at work.

National Employee Health and Fitness Day™ is the third (3rd) Wednesday in May each year. Administered annually by the National Association for Health and Fitness. NEHF is a national health observance, created to promote the benefits of physical activity for individuals through their work site health promotion activities. Founded in 1989 National Employee Health and Fitness Day has enlisted tens of thousands of participants from employers around the world.

For More Information on how to Improve Employee Health and Fitness visit the following links:

National Employee Health and Fitness Day Campaign

NCPAD The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability

May 15, National Hummus Day

Try Hummus on various fruits, vegetables and crackers to make a healthy snack.

May 10, National Shrimp Day

Nutrition Education for Older Adults, #5

Nutrition Education for Older Adults, #4

Kids Eat Right, Monday Message for May 7, 2012

article of the week

Are you an athlete mom who wants to also breastfeed your baby? Follow these tips! http://bit.ly/K50jS8

hot tip

What's for breakfast? Even if kids are on their own in the morning, most can make these easy breakfasts.  http://bit.ly/Kh7F7Z

recipe of the week

Like Italian Beef? Try this wonderful version with an easy and different crust of noodles that you'll use again and again for other casseroles. http://bit.ly/JWQesh

featured video

Sweet potatoes are popular because they taste great and are a nutrition superstar. Try these Sweet Potato Strips next time your child wants a snack. http://bit.ly/IHCgYt

Celebrating Older Adults

A look at people's perception of old or aging as we
view active adults.

Meet the Young at Heart