Get Ready for School Days

By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.

August is a time for getting ready to focus on school days for the kids. Two of the recipes below Sun Dried Tomato & Turkey Wraps and Mediterranean Barley — Almond Salad would be good school lunch stuffers.

Sun Dried Tomato & Turkey Wraps

This recipe is great to pack for a school lunch or work lunch. The wraps can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Per Serving: 356 calories, 31 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat, 33 grams of CHO, 2 grams of fiber, 316 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4 servings. 1 wrap each serving.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low fat cream cheese whipped
• 2 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes or 6 sundried tomatoes rehydrated and chopped.
• 10 basil leaves, chopped
• 4 large flour or whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 pound sliced smoked turkey breast
• 4 lettuce leaves, green leaf, bibb or romaine, shredded

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sundried tomatoes and basil. Lay the tortillas out and spread 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on each of them. Divide the turkey among the tortillas and spread the remaining cream cheese mixture on top of the turkey. Divide the shredded lettuce among the tortillas and tightly roll Each tortilla into a cylinder, ending with the seam side down. To serve, cut the wraps I half on the diagonal and serve.

Note: For a greater nutritional bang, you can use whole wheat tortillas.

Shopping List

• low fat cream cheese whipped
• sun-dried tomatoes
• fresh basil leaves
• flour or whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 pound sliced smoked turkey breast
• Green leaf, bibb or romaine lettuce

Mediterranean Barley-Almond Salad

Per Serving: 464 calories, 18 grams protein, 15 grams of fat, 68 grams of CHO, 17 grams of fiber, 176 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes

Serves: Four 2/3 cup servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup quick cooking pearly barley
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, roasted
• 1/3 cup diced scallions
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium pot. Stir in barley. Cover and reduce heat; simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place kidney beans, bell pepper, zucchini, almonds and scallions in a large salad bowl. Transfer cooked barley to colander and rinse with cold water (both to cool it down and keep it from getting sticky). Transfer cooled, drained barely to salad bowl. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste; toss and serve.

Shopping List

• low-sodium vegetable broth
• quick cooking pearly barley
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 small zucchini
• slivered almonds
• scallions
• extra-virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar

Recipe with permission from the Almond Board of California (www.AlmondsAreIn.com)

Beef Lasagna Rolls

Per Serving: 461 calories, 49 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, 45 grams of CHO, 10.8 grams of fiber, 800 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Bake time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Vegetables oil spray
• 8 large whole-wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 pound lean ground beef (95% lean)
• 1 cup fat-free, low sodium spaghetti
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled

Filling:

• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 cup fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Topping:

• 1/2 cup shredded fat-free or part-skim mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the over at 350 degrees F. Lightly spray an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well. Lay the pasta on a damp paper towel.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink. Pour off and discard the drippings. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. In the same skillet, stir together, heat the spaghetti sauce and basil until warmed through.

In a large bowl, stir together the filling ingredients. To assemble, place the noodles that lie on a cutting board. Blot noodles dry. Spread scant — cup spinach mixture over each noodle, leaving 1 inch of space at one end of each noodle, which will become the bottom. Starting at the top, roll up each noodle. Place with the seam side down in the prepared baking dish, leaving about — inch between rolls. Spoon the meat sauce over the tolls. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Shopping List

• Vegetables oil spray
• whole-wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 pound lean ground beef (95 percent lean)
• fat-free, low sodium spaghetti
• dried basil
• 10 ounces frozen spinach
• fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese
• crushed red pepper flakes
• shredded fat-free or part-skim mozzarella
• shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

With permission from: Fast & Flavorful Beef Heart Healthy Recipes. Cattlemen's Beef Board. American Heart Association. 2004.

Breezy & Easy Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Per Serving: 270 calories, 25 grams protein, 17 grams of fat, 3 grams of CHO, 0 grams of fiber, 1446 mg sodium.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Marinating Time: 2 to 4 hours Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/1 to 2 pounds, total) trimmed of silver skin
• 1 serving of Go Southwest Marinade or Go Asian Marinade

Go Asian Marinade Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hoisan sauce
• 1/2 cup plum sauce
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions

In medium bowl combine all ingredients. Stir thoroughly to blend. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 1 month. Makes about 1 cup

Shopping List

• hoisan sauce
• plum sauce
• low-sodium soy sauce
• asian sesame oil
• fresh ginger
• 1 large clove garlic
• fresh ground pepper

Go Southwest Marinade Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In medium bowl combine all ingredients. Stir thoroughly to blend. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 1 month. Makes about 1/2 cup

Shopping List

• chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• fresh orange
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions for Pork Tenderloin

Place tenderloins in a 1-gallon, resealable plastic bag or a shallow baking pan. Coat all sides of pork with one of the marinades. Seal bag or cover pan. Refrigerate and marinate for 2 to 4 hours. Turn bag or pork occasionally to coat all sides. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling. Start grill. Brush grill with vegetable oil. Place pork directly over medium fire. Cover grill and cook pork for about 6 minutes. Turn and cover again. Cook another 8 to 10 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in the center or an instant-read thermometer which registers 160 degrees when inserted into the tenderloin's thickest point. Remove tenderloins, tent with foil and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the pork into 1-inch-thick slices, arrange on a plate and serve immediately.

Recipe with permission from the National Pork Board www.TheOtherWhiteMeat.com.

Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is a nutritionist with a masters degree in clinical nutrition who is also registered dietitian and has more than 30 years of experience in promoting healthy active lifestyles to consumers. She is a member of the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Advisory Council. Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is the publisher and nutrition editor of Kentuckiana HealthFitness and Kentuckiana Healthy Woman and a runner, cyclist, hiker and mother/grandmother.