National Find A Rainbow Day

"Eat Right with Colors"  explores the health benefits associated with eating foods of many colors. "Eating a rainbow" includes color diversity in your meals and food choices, so as to enhance your intake of a wide range of nutrients. 

Recipes

RAINBOW HUMMUS 6 WAYS

RAINBOW VEGGIE PLATTER IDEA
by #alphafoodie!
I love hummus and rainbows 

– a perfect appetizer to wow your guests

Rainbow Buddha Bowl

@createkidsclub
@produceforkids

Red and Pink Foods

Apples, Beets, Cayenne, Cherries, Cranberries, Guava, Kidney Beans, Papaya, Pink Beans, Pink/Red Grapefruit, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Radishes, Raspberries, Red Bell Peppers, Red Cabbages, Red Chili Peppers, Red Corn, Red Currants, Red Grapes, Red Onions, Red Pears, Red Peppers, Red Plums, Red Potatoes, Red Tomatoes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelons

Green Foods

Alfalfa, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocado, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Chives, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Edamame, Endive, Fennel, Green apples, Green Beans, Green Cabbage, Green Grapes, Green Olives, Green Onion, Green Pears, Green Peas, Green Pepper, Green Tomatoes, Honeydew, Kale, Kiwi, Leeks, Lettuce, Limes, Mint, Okra, Oregano, Parsley, Pistachios, Snow Peas, Spinach, Sugar snap peas, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tomatillo, Wasabi, Watercress, Zucchini

Blue and Purple Foods

Blue Grapes, Blue and Purple Potatoes, Blueberries, Dried Plums, Plums, Eggplant, Pomegranates, Elderberries, Juniper Berries, Kelp (Seaweed), Purple Belgian Endive, Purple Cabbage, Purple Figs

Yellow and Orange Foods

Apricots, Bananas, Butternut Squash, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cheddar Cheese, Citrus Fruits, Clementines, Corn, Creamsicle, Garbanzo Beans, Golden Apples, Golden Flax Seed, Golden Raisins, Grapefruit, Honey, Lemon, Lemongrass, Mandarin Oranges, Mangoes, Nectarines, Orange Jello, Orange Peppers, Orange Tomatoes, Oranges, Papaya, Parsnips, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Rutabagas, Saffron, Salmon, Spaghetti Squash, Squash Blossoms, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Tangerines, Whole Grains, Yams, Yellow Apples, Yellow Beans, Yellow Peppers, Yellow Summer Squash, Yellow Wax Beans

White and Black Foods

White: Cauliflower, Coconut, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Scallions, Horseradish, Jicama, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Millet, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Quinoa, Shallots, Soy Products, Sunflower Seeds, Tofu, Turnips, White Beans, White Corn, White Sesame Seeds

Black: Black Beans, Black Cherries, Black Currants, Black Mushrooms, Black Olives, Black Quinoa, Black Raspberry, Black Rice, Black Sesame Seeds, Black Soybeans, Blackberries, Boysenberries, Prunes, Raisins, Seaweeds, Tamari (Soy Sauce)

Wellness News employs young adults with "Special Needs" (Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy). My staff started the project in September 2010. Over the next five months, we would take over 600 photographs of colorful foods in order to create the March presentation for NNM. Many of the photographs are available for purchase, with the proceeds going to special needs young adults. Contact Dr. Sandra Frank for additional information (recipenews@gmail.com).

Prepared by
http://www.dietitians-online.com/
http://www.weighing-success.com/
Wellness News (www.weighing-success.com/WellnessNews.html)
Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, FAND
Jake Frank

March 6, National Nutrition Month Topics

National Dentist’s Day

Your mouth, teeth, and gums are more than just tools for eating. They’re essential for chewing and swallowing—the first steps in the digestion process. Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume. So what you put in your mouth impacts not only your general health but also that of your teeth and gums.

#NationalDentistDay – What You Eat Affects Your Teeth  http://bit.ly/2D4CCZC #NationalNutritionMonth

#NationalDentistDay –  What (and How) to Eat When You're Having Dental Issues #NationalNutritionMonth http://bit.ly/2tmb5Dp

National Oreo Cookie Day

Oreo is a commercial brand of biscuit usually consisting of two chocolate wafers with a sweet cream filling in between. As of 1974, Oreo's are marketed as "Chocolate Sandwich Cookies" on the package. The version currently sold in the United States is made by the Nabisco. Starting in January 2006, Oreo cookies replaced the trans fat in the cookie with non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.

#NationalOreoCookieDay How bad are Oreo’s? This nutrition l abel will tell you 

Celebrating Green Foods National Nutrition Month

Celebrating Green Foods

Food Sources

Alfalfa, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocado, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Chives, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Edamame, Endive, Fennel, Green apples, Green Beans, Green cabbage, Green Grapes, Green Olives, Green Onion, Green Pears, Green Peas, Green Pepper, Green Tomatoes, Honeydew, Kale, Kiwi, Leeks, Lettuce, Limes, Mint, Okra, Oregano, Parsley, Pistachios, Snow Peas, Spinach, Sugar snap peas, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tomatillo, Wasabi, Watercress, Zucchini.

Do you know other foods that are Green?

Ways to increase Green Food Intake:
•Add spinach or broccoli when cooking pasta, rice or soup.
•Freeze green grapes for a sweet snack.
•Add thin slices of green apples or zucchini on a sandwich.

About Green Fruits and Vegetables.
Green in plants signifies the presence of the plant pigment chlorophyll. The nutrients found in these fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels, improve vision, enhance the immune system, and fight harmful free radicals.

Green fruits and vegetables are rich in many vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, folate, vitamin C, and beta-carotene (vitamin A). They contain phytochemicals such as luteins and indoles, which may reduce the risk of heart disease. They are high in fiber and support a healthy digestive system.

Definitions:
Phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) are found in plants. They are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their colors. Phytonutrients help protect plants from diseases found in the environment and protect us in a similar way. Studies have linked an increase of fruit and vegetable intake with lowering the risk of specific cancers and heart disease. The following list describes how phytonutrients may also help protect human health.
1. Act as an antioxidant.
2. Improves immune response.
3. Improves cell-to-cell communication.
4. Destroys cancer cells.
5. Repairs DNA damage caused by toxins in the environment.

Antioxidants. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products (known as “free radicals”) that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants can prevent or slow down the damage caused by these free radicals and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also improve the immune defense and lower the risk of infection. Some examples of antioxidants include vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene and flavonoids.

Kermit Sings Being Green

The Symbols of the Passover Seder

Passover is spelled using the foods symbolic of the seder table.
P = Z'roa (Shank bone)
A = Maror and Hazeret
SS = Charoset
O = Baytzah
V = Roasted Beets
E = Matzo
R = Karpas (Vegetable)

Shalom Sesame
Khalikidan's Passover Seder
Khalikidan and her family came to Israel from Ethiopia.
Join her family for a Passover seder, and
share Khalikidan's excitement in reciting the four questions.

The Symbols of the Passover Seder

 

Passover is a holiday rich in symbols retelling the story of the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt. The seder is a ceremonial dinner observed on the first night of Passover, and in many homes on the second night as well. The seder table is set with a seder plate, salt water, matzo, kosher wine, Cup of Elijah, Miriam's Cup, and a copy of the Haggadah for each guest.

Matzo

Matzo is an unleavened bread made solely from flour and water and is not allowed to rise. Matzo symbolizes freedom. As the Jewish people fled Egypt there was no time to wait for the bread to rise. A plate of three whole matzahs are stacked and separated from each other by cloths or napkins. The middle matzo is broken in half and put aside for the afikoman.

The afikoman is eaten as a dessert. The person leading the seder will hide the afikoman and ask all the children to find it. Children will receive toys or other gifts as a reward for returning the afikoman.

The top and other half of the middle matzo is used for the hamotzi (blessing over bread), and the bottom matzo is used for the korech (Hillel sandwich).

Haggadah. The book containing the story of the Exodus and the ritual of the Seder. It is read at the Passover Seder.

Many of the symbols are displayed on the seder plate, which is the centerpiece of the seder table.

 
Karpas (Vegetable). This part of the seder plate dates back to a first and second century tradition in Jerusalem. At the beginning of the seder a vegetable, usually lettuce, radish or parsley is dipped in salt water and eaten. It is said the salt water represents the tears our ancestors shed during their years of enslavement.

Z'roa (Shank bone). The roasted shank bone of a lamb reminds us of when the Jewish people marked the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a lamb as a signal that death should pass over them. The shank bone also reminds us of the sacrificial lamb killed and eaten during the days when the Temple stood. In modern times, some Jewish families will use a poultry neck instead. Vegetarians will often replace the shank bone with a roasted beet, which has the color of blood and is shaped like a bone, but is not derived from an animal.

Baytzah (Hard Boiled Egg). There are two interpretations of the symbolism of the hard boiled egg. One is an ancient fertility symbol. The other is a symbol of mourning for the loss of the two Temples, the first of which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. and the second of which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. Hard boiled eggs were traditionally the food of mourners and became symbolic for the loss of these sacred sites.

Charoset. A mixture of chopped apples, nuts, wine and spices representing the mortar the Jewish slaves used to build structures for the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Maror (Bitter Herbs) reminds us of the slavery the Jewish people endured in Egypt. Horseradish, either the root or a prepared paste is often used.

Hazeret (Bitter Vegetable) also symbolizes the bitterness of slavery. Romaine lettuce is usually used. When hazeret is not represented on the seder plate some families will put a small bowl of salt water in its place.

Elijah's cup is placed at the center of the table. After the seder meal there is a custom to pour a cup of wine, the "Cup of Elijah," and open the front door of the home. According to tradition, at this moment our homes are graced by the presence of Elijah the Prophet.

Miriam's Cup is a new ritual object that is placed on the seder table beside the Cup of Elijah. Miriam's Cup is filled with water close to the beginning of the seder. It serves as a symbol of Miriam's Well, which was the source of water for the jewish people in the desert. Putting a Miriam's Cup on your table is a way of making your seder more inclusive. It lets people know that the words of girls and boys, women and men, are welcome. It is also a way of drawing attention to the importance of Miriam and the other women of the Exodus story - women who have sometimes been overlooked. It is said, "If it wasn't for the righteousness of women of that generation we would not have been redeemed from Egypt"

To our Family and Friends, we wish you a Happy Passover.

Introducing the Green Foods National Nutrition Month

Green Foods

Host: Grace

Food Sources

Alfalfa, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocado, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Chives, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Edamame, Endive, Fennel, Green apples, Green Beans, Green cabbage, Green Grapes, Green Olives, Green Onion, Green Pears, Green Peas, Green Pepper, Green Tomatoes, Honeydew, Kale, Kiwi, Leeks, Lettuce, Limes, Mint, Okra, Oregano, Parsley, Pistachios, Snow Peas, Spinach, Sugar snap peas, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tomatillo, Wasabi, Watercress, Zucchini.

Do you know other foods that are Green?

Ways to increase Green Food Intake:
•Add spinach or broccoli when cooking pasta, rice or soup.
•Freeze green grapes for a sweet snack.
•Add thin slices of green apples or zucchini on a sandwich.

About Green Fruits and Vegetables.
Green in plants signifies the presence of the plant pigment chlorophyll. The nutrients found in these fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels, improve vision, enhance the immune system, and fight harmful free radicals.

Green fruits and vegetables are rich in many vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, folate, vitamin C, and beta-carotene (vitamin A). They contain phytochemicals such as luteins and indoles, which may reduce the risk of heart disease. They are high in fiber and support a healthy digestive system.

Definitions:
Phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) are found in plants. They are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their colors. Phytonutrients help protect plants from diseases found in the environment and protect us in a similar way. Studies have linked an increase of fruit and vegetable intake with lowering the risk of specific cancers and heart disease. The following list describes how phytonutrients may also help protect human health.
1. Act as an antioxidant.
2. Improves immune response.
3. Improves cell-to-cell communication.
4. Destroys cancer cells.
5. Repairs DNA damage caused by toxins in the environment.

Antioxidants. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products (known as “free radicals”) that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants can prevent or slow down the damage caused by these free radicals and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also improve the immune defense and lower the risk of infection. Some examples of antioxidants include vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene and flavonoids.

Wellness News employs young adults with "Special Needs" (Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy). My staff started the project in September 2010. Over the next five months, we would take over 600 photographs of colorful foods in order to create the March presentation for NNM. Many of the photographs are available for purchase with the proceeds going to special need young adults. Contact Dr. Sandra Frank for additional information (recipenews@gmail.com).

Prepared by
http://www.dietitians-online.com/
http://www.weighing-success.com/
Wellness News (www.weighing-success.com/WellnessNews.html)
http://www.wheelchair-connection.com/
Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RD, LDN
Jake Frank
Lance Li

Jonathan Cruz