Ingredient Spotlight: Pumpkin

October has arrived. This means fall is in full swing. If you’re looking for and craving all things pumpkin spice, this fiber-ful dip should hit the spot! It will be a festive addition to all your tailgates, fall parties and potlucks. 

Pumpkin Spice Dip

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 (5.3 oz each) containers vanilla yogurt, such as Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla

2 packets stevia

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, plus additional for garnish

1½ tsp cinnamon

Graham crackers and/or apple and pear slices, for serving

All you do:
Stir together pumpkin, yogurt, stevia, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice. Serve with graham crackers, apples or pears, if desired.

Pumpkin is a vegetable from the squash family. It offers a variety of health benefits, one of the most prominent being its vitamin A content. Just one half cup of pureed pumpkin offers 280% of the daily value of vitamin A. That half cup also provides 4 grams of fiber, making pumpkin a diabetic-friendly choice. It also has just 10 mg of sodium and 65 mg potassium, making it a heart-healthy choice. With only 50 calories per half cup serving, this fall favorite is also weight-management friendly. 

Happy Fall!

-Dietitian Natalie 

Conversation Starters

Looking for ways to get the conversation going with your kids at meal times? Check out these ideas that were featured in the Back to School edition of the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine!

Preschool:
-If you could be any animal, what would you want to be and why?
-What is your favorite book? What characters did you like and why?
-In the book, Green Eggs and Ham, Sam-I-am says he will not try green eggs and ham. Then he does and he likes them. Have you ever tried something for the first time and said, "Hey, I like this!"

Elementary:
-What do you like most about school so far?
-What do you want to be when you grow up?
-What can you give or do for someone that doesn't cost any money?
-What do you think about rules? Do you think they're important? What are some rules you have at school?
-If you have three cookies and five friends, what would you do?

Middle School:

-Did you read any new books from the library? 

-If you had three wishes, what would they be?

-Talk about something nice someone did for you this week or something that you did for someone to make them feel better.

-What makes someone a good friend?

-What do you do when you disagree with your friends?

High School:

-How did your science experiment turn out?

-What special talents do you bring to the table when you work on group projects?

-How do you know when you can trust another person?

-What traits about your mom or dad would you like to have as an adult?

College:

-What are your favorite classes?

-What types of food do you enjoy eating around campus?

-What do you enjoy doing for fun?

-What is the best thing that's happened to you since you started college?

-Are you finding any classes more interesting that you expected? Why?

-What is one way that you take care of yourself?

-Dietitian Amanda

National Family Meals Month–Whole-Grain Lasagna Cups

September is National Family Meals month. Your West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians encourage you to eat one more family meal together each week. Below shows a step-by-step method in creating a healthy, tasty and fun recipe. The whole family can be involved in making these Whole-Grain Lasagna Cups!

Gather the following ingredients:

Reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, whole-grain lasagna noodles, dried parsley, dried basil, lean ground turkey, low-fat cottage cheese, pasta sauce or marinara sauce.

Traditional lasagna ingredient	Ingredient to swap	Health benefits of swap
White flour lasagna noodles	Whole-grain lasagna noodles	Increase in fiber
Whole milk shredded cheese	2% reduced-fat shredded cheese	Decrease in calories and saturated fat grams
Ground beef	Ground turkey	Decrease in calories and saturated fat grams
Part-skim ricotta cheese	Low-fat 1% cottage cheese	Decrease in calories, saturated fat grams, increase in protein
Traditional pasta sauce	Prego Light Smart pasta sauce	Decrease in calories and grams of added sugar

Cook entire box of lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles. Spread noodles out on a paper towel to dry and cool.   

While noodles are cooling, brown ground turkey in a skillet with ½ tablespoon basil and ½ tablespoon parsley. Drain turkey.

 Stir in 2 cups pasta sauce. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Place a cooled lasagna noodle on a cutting board. Find a household item that is similar in size to the bottom of a muffin cup, such as a wine glass. Cut the cooled lasagna noodles into circles. You’ll use about 3 whole lasagna noodles for this step. Discard scraps.

 Coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil non-stick cooking spray. Place one cut-out lasagna noodle circle in the bottom of each muffin cup.

Place cooled lasagna noodles on cutting board. Using a knife or the edge of a spatula, cut the noodle in half lengthwise. You’ll use 6 lasagna noodles for this step.  

Wrap each noodle half around the inside of a muffin cup to form the sides of the lasagna cups.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of turkey mixture into each noodle cup.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, ½ cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese and ½ tablespoon ground black pepper.

Place cottage cheese mixture on top of turkey mixture.

Top cottage cheese layer with another layer of turkey mixture, followed by shredded mozzarella cheese.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with additional pasta sauce. 

It’s important to make your family meals balanced to ensure everyone is receiving proper nutrition from each food group. Use MyPlate as a guide to help visualize what a healthy plate looks like. These whole-grain lasagna cups primarily represent the grains and protein food groups. The pasta sauce is also a non-starchy vegetable source and the cottage cheese is a calcium-rich dairy source. To balance this plate furthermore, pair with a leafy green strawberry salad along with an 8 oz. glass of skim milk, and you’ve got a complete meal!

Take the Hy-Vee Family Meals challenge today! Simply post a photo to your social media of your family enjoying a meal together and use the hashtag #hyveefamilymeals. Hy-Vee will donate $1 per post to Meals for the Heartland, up to $100,000. Sharing or retweeting the posts below will also count toward the $1 donation. 

 https://www.facebook.com/HyVee/photos/a.95639907796.97759.84150862796/10153766361267797/?type=1&theater

https://twitter.com/HyVee/status/775724595294986241

-Dietitian Natalie 

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Back-to-School Breakfast Bars

Looking for a healthy breakfast bar? Try these nutrient-dense back-to-school breakfast bars. Each bar is a good source of protein, fiber and is low in added sugars. Whether you’re a student headed back to school, or an adult headed back to work, these bars are sure to fuel your day the healthy way! 
  

  Base Ingredients

All you need

2 cups quick cooking oats

 ¾ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 ripe bananas

2 tsp vanilla

2 scoops Tera’s Whey vanilla protein powder

1 scoop Pinnaclife prebiotic fiber 

 All you do

Pulse quick cooking oats, sliced almonds, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, cinnamon, bananas, vanilla, protein powder and fiber in food processor. A high-powered blender works really well.

Using a spatula, press into a 9-inch-square baking pan, lightly greased with Hy-Vee 100% olive oil cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Topping Ingredients

All you need

½ cup quick cooking oats
¼ cup sliced almonds

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1 cup fresh blueberries

¼ cup unsweetened almond milk

½ tsp cinnamon

All you do

Combine oats, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, blueberries, almond milk and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.  Pour on top of base mixture.  Bake for another 15 minutes.

 Cut into 16 squares. Voila! These bars can be enjoyed as a snack or breakfast item. Substitute the blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, or a mixture of dried fruit.  

Nutrition Facts per serving (1/16^th of recipe): 152 calories, 7g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 149mg sodium, 19g carbohydrates, 3.5g fiber, 6.5g sugar, 5.5g protein.

-Dietitian Natalie 

Dietitian Pick of the Month: Beanitos

Try this month's dietitian pick: Beanitos^TM! Beanitos^TM are chips made with beans, which means they are loaded with nutrition. Here are five reasons to choose Beanitos^TM:

1. High in fiber! Studies have shown that diets high in fiber may help lower LDL cholesterol levels (the 'bad' cholesterol).
2. Variety! Beanitos^TM are made with black, white and pinto beans that come in several delicious flavors.
3. Beanitos^TM may help you maintain a healthy body weight-foods high in fiber and protein may help reduce appetite.
4. They are gluten-free, MSG-free and corn-free, making them a good option for those with food allergies and sensitivities.
5. Beanitos^TM are a kid-friendly healthy snack-great for after-school snacking!

Beanitos^TM taste delicious all by themselves or with your favorite hummus or guacamole. You could also substitute the Triscuits for Beanitos^TM in Ned's Nacho Recipe. If you're feeling adventurous, check out the recipes below for some new dinner and snack ideas using Beanitos^TM!

Beanitos^TM Chips Chicken:
Serves 6.
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1/4 cup white rice flour
1 (6 oz) bag nacho cheese flavored Beanitos^TM chips, crushed
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste
2 pounds chicken breast, pounded thin and cut into 6 portions
2 tbsp butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

All you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk egg and milk together in one bowl. Place white rice flour in separate bowl. Put Beanitos^TM chips, salt, pepper and garlic powder in separate bowl.
3. Lightly dip chicken in flour and then in egg wash. Dredge chicken in Beanitos^TM chips.
4. Place chicken breasts in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the butter cubes between and over the chicken. Cover with aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Source: adapted from beanitos.com.

Chocolate Covered Bananas:
Serves 10.
1 bag dark chocolate chips, melted
3 or 4 bananas, sliced
1 bag white bean Beanitos^TM chips, crushed

All you do:
1. Melt chocolate according to package instructions.
2. Dip banana slices in the melted chocolate and top with crushed Beanitos^TM.
3. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour.
4. Store in a freezer.

Source: adapted from beanitos.com.

-Dietitian Amanda

Spiced Chickpea "Nuts"

Are you looking for a snack that is both healthy and tasty? Try chickpeas. Chickpeas are naturally a healthy snack as they are high in fiber, a good source of protein, low in unhealthy fats and free of added sugars. Try this recipe from www.eatingwell.com. It’s simple and satisfying. Who knew chickpeas could become so crunchy! 

Spiced Chickpea “Nuts”

Serves 4: ¼ cup each

Source: eatingwell.com

All you need:

1 15-ounce can Hy-Vee chickpeas, rinsed

1 tablespoon Hy-Vee extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon salt

All you do:
1. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450°F.
2. Blot chickpeas dry and toss in a bowl with oil, cumin, marjoram, allspice and salt. 
3. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until browned and crunchy, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts per ¼ cup serving:

Calories 103; fat 5g; saturated fat 0g, cholesterol 0mg, carbohydrates 14g, sugar 0g, Protein 4g, Fiber 5g, Sodium 303mg, Potassium 2mg.  

Enjoy!

-Dietitian Natalie

A Healthy Spin on Traditional Nachos

It’s time for a dietitian confession: I love nachos. I mean I REALLY LOVE nachos! I love all Mexican-style cuisine, in fact. I could eat it every day, but my cholesterol panel would probably be through the roof if I did. It’s no secret that nachos aren’t generally considered healthy. Layered with mounds of fried chips, cheese, sour cream, guacamole (good fats, but none the less, fat) and meat, nachos add up in fat and calories very quickly - especially if you are eating them out at restaurants. Check out the nutrition facts below of the nachos from restaurants in the area (all nutrition info reflects the nutrition in the whole order of nachos):

Restaurant #1: 1400 calories, 76 grams fat, 41 grams saturated fat, 4220 mg sodium, 82 grams carbohydrates

Restaurant #2: 1100 calories, 58 grams fat, 29 grams saturated fat, 3000 mg sodium, 93 grams carbohydrates

Restaurant #3: 760 calories, 39 grams fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 1320 mg sodium, 85 grams carbohydrates

After seeing these nutrition facts for myself, I sought to create my own healthy version of nachos and came up with Triscuit nachos. I’m not sure if I actually created this, but I had never seen it anywhere before. All I did was melt cheese on some Triscuits and that was it. I thought it was the best thing ever; it curbed my craving for nachos and tasted pretty good, too, even though it didn’t have all of the fancy toppings that the nachos listed above had. And then I met Ned and he created an even better version of Triscuit nachos that took them to a whole new level! Check out the recipe below and try it for yourself! These are super easy to make; they only require an additional four products to be added to your shopping list, and they are light, refreshing and delicious! Oh, and did I mention one serving only has 395 calories, 19 grams of fat and 585 mg sodium (see full nutrition info below)? Yep, these are nachos that can actually be eaten as part of a healthy diet.

Ned’s Nachos:

4 oz Jennie-O 93% lean ground turkey

15 Triscuit Thin Crisps

¼ cup Hy-Vee reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese made with 2% milk

¼ - ½ cup Fiesta fresh salsa

All you do:

1. Brown ground turkey.

2. Lay Triscuit Thin Crisps on a plate.

3. Top Triscuits with ground turkey. Sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese on top of the ground turkey and Triscuit Thin Crisps. Microwave for 20 seconds or until the cheese is melted to your liking.

4. Top with salsa and enjoy!

Nutrition information: 395 calories, 18.5 grams fat, 6.5 grams saturated fat, 28 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar, 100 mg cholesterol. 585 mg sodium.

-Dietitian Amanda