img class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-3345″ alt=”Five-A-Day, the Baptist Way” src=”http://showcase.republicahavas.com/websites/baptist-health-news/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Five-A-Day-the-Baptist-Way-300×300.jpg” width=”300″ height=”300″ align=”left” />Now that the first week of school has passed, how did you do in the food department? Did your children leave the house after a nutritious breakfast? Or was everyone running around helter-skelter trying to make it out the door on time?
Did you pack a healthy lunch? What about dinner? Did you cook the meal or did you pick up some fast food?
If you didn’t get an A+ after your first week of school, don’t worry. There’s plenty of time to make the grade, and Baptist Health’s “Five-a-Day, the Baptist Health Way” is here to help.
“Five a Day, the Baptist Health Way” is an easy guide you can use to follow the healthy food plan based on USDA guidelines [1], which encourage you and your family to reach for more fruits and vegetables. A good goal is to eat two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables per day.
Lucette Talamas, a registered dietician at Baptist Health, prepares dishes that follow the guidelines. They include her Cool Cucumber Tomato Salad and baked sweet potato fries.
Cool Cucumber Tomato Salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 ripe medium tomatoes
3 medium cucumbers
½ medium onion
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed (or ¼ teaspoon dried dill)
Preparation:
- Cut tomatoes into ¾-inch cubes.
- Remove part of the cucumber peel in lengthwise strips. Cut each cucumber lengthwise into quarters and then remove any coarse seeds. Cut into ¾-inch cubes.
- Cut onion into small, even-sized cubes.
- Combine with other vegetables in a serving bowl.
- Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl, pour over vegetable cubes and toss well.
- Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes to marinate. Serve chilled.
Nutrition fact: Cucumber is a good source of vitamin C. Tomato is high in vitamins C and A.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional: ½ teaspoon curry powder and ¼ teaspoon ground cumin.
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and then each half into 5-6 wedges.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Optional: add curry and cumin spices. Toss gently to coat.
- Place wedges on a baking sheet, making sure they do not overlap.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Turn fries over and finish baking for about 15 more minutes or until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Note: Thinner fries may take less time to bake.
Nutrition fact: Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A and C and a good source of dietary fiber.