WIC Issue 3 by ChopChop Family

â&#x201E;˘

Busy Weeknight

Dinner Make a salad (and its dressing too)

pasta sauce

A simple snack your child can make

Recipes and tips for Healthy Women, infants, and children This special issue of ChopChop has been created especially for participants in the WIC program, with attention to the nutritional needs and supplemental food opportunities of those families.

Table oF ConTenTs Issue 3

Departments 3 Quick Bites 4 How-to: Freeze Fruits and Vegetables 7 Together Time: Clap with Me 9 ChopChop Jr. 15 Kitchen Garden: Sprouting Celery

Here are some of the cooking terms you might see in our recipes.

Recipes

At the top of each recipe, you’ll find a key code like this. Here’s how to read it: handS-on Time

This is how long it takes to work on the recipe, including gathering your kitchen gear and preparing the food.

Founder/President Executive Director Editor Creative Director Photographer Food Stylist Copy Editor Graphic Designer Marketing Business Development Special Projects Associate

Learn the Lingo

6 Overnight Oatmeal 8 Lemony Any-Bean Hummus Wrap 10 Basic Salad Dressing 11 Green Salad 12 Tomato Sauce and Pasta 14 Banana Applesauce

SALLY SAMPSON PATTI MCKENNA CATHERINE NEWMAN VIC DEROBERTIS CARL TREMBLAY CATRINE KELTY GINA HAHN CHRIS POWERS SHARON SPRAGUE Evilee Ebb Abby Reich

• Cored means with the stem and hard center part removed. • Diced means cut up into cubes or squares about the size of dice. • Minced means finely chopped. • A pinch is the small amount you can pinch between your finger and thumb. • Pitted or seeded means with the pits or seeds removed. • Sauté means to fry something gently in a little oil. • Simmer means to cook at a very gentle boil. • “To taste” means taste it to see whether you want to add more of something. • Toss means to mix together lightly.

❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 5 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 2 servings

ToTal Time

This is how long it takes to make the recipe from start to finish, including the time for cooking and baking when you may be able to do something else. In recipes that do not involve cooking, this may be the same as handS-on Time.

makeS

This number will usually tell you how many people the recipe serves. But sometimes we’ll tell you how much the recipe makes.

QUICK BITES Jicama with a sprinkle of chili powder

Melon balls

Frozen peas

Banana

www.chopchopmag.org 3

How-to: Freeze Fruits and Vegetables Try these tips and tricks to make the most of your produce budget

Think seasonal. Fruits and vegetables that are in season—that means growing now— are going to be less expensive and more delicious than those that have to be shipped in from a different climate far away. So if, for example, you live in the Northeast, you’ll want to get your strawberries in June, your tomatoes in August, and your sweet potatoes in October. (What’s ready when will depend on where you live.) Some produce that stores or ships well—like potatoes, carrots, apples, and bananas— is fairly inexpensive all year round.

Date and label your bags of frozen foods

Blanch it. Some vegetables should be blanched (that means just barely cooked) first and frozen solid in a single layer on a baking sheet before being packed into labeled zipperlock bags: • cut-up zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower • trimmed green beans • sliced carrots • spinach • chopped sturdy greens such as collards, chard, and kale

4 www.chopchopmag.org

Freeze it. When good produce is inexpensive, if your budget allows, buy a lot and freeze it to use later for cooking. Some vegetables can be frozen raw in a labeled zipperlock bag: • chopped onions • chopped celery • diced peppers • chopped herbs • corn kernels cut from the cob • tomatoes

How to blanch and Freeze: 1

1 Bring a pot of water to a boil over

high heat.

2 Add vegetable. 3 Cook until its color brightens, 1 to 2 minutes. 4 Drain. 5 Plunge into a bowl of ice water. 6 Drain again, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, and freeze. 7 Transfer to a labeled zipper-lock bag and return to the freezer.

Freezing Do’s and Don’ts

Cut-up fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums, mangoes, and pineapple), pitted cherries, and whole berries can also be frozen solid on a baking sheet before being packed in bags. Don’t freeze potatoes, which get mealy, or vegetables you’d want to eat raw such as lettuce, cucumbers, and radishes, since they get too soft. www.chopchopmag.org 5

Healthy Start

Overnight Oatmeal Assemble this creamy oatmeal the night before, and then, while you sleep, your fridge will do all the work for you! In the morning, just grab the jar and go. ❚ Hands-on TIME: 5 minutes ❚ TOTAL TIME: 10 hours ❚ MAKES: 1 serving

KITCHEN GEAR Measuring cup Measuring spoons Jar with tight-fitting lid INGREDIENTS 1⁄3 cup old-fashioned oats (plain oatmeal) 1⁄3 cup plain yogurt 1⁄3 cup milk 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen (unsweetened) blueberries 1 tablespoon chopped, slivered, or sliced almonds * ½ teaspoon honey or real maple syrup (if you like) Pinch of salt

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them. CLEAN the countertop. GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter. SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry. PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put all the ingredients in the jar. 2. Screw the top on tightly and shake the jar well. 3. Refrigerate overnight. Eat right out of the jar or dump it into a bowl.

Kids in the KitChen Kids can shake up the jar.

Be Creative • Try chopped strawberries, apples, pears, or mangoes instead of blueberries. • Try chopped walnuts or pecans instead of almonds. * • Add a pinch of cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. • Add 1 teaspoon flaxseed or wheat germ. 6 www.chopchopmag.org

How to Toast Nuts

We often toast nuts because it makes them crunchier and gives them a deeper flavor. To toast the almonds, put them on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until they are fragrant and look a shade darker, about 5 minutes. * If you’re allergic to nuts, skip them.

together time

Clap with Me

Simple clapping games are fun for your baby—and let him know he’s got your attention. Try clapping simple rhythms and see if he can copy you. Or clap to your family’s favorite song.

Don’t worry if it seems silly to you! We promise your little one will love it.

www.chopchopmag.org 7

Lunch

Lemony Any-Bean Hummus Wrap This lemony hummus is protein-packed and easy to make. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are the traditional bean here, but other beans work well, and are good for adding a little variety to your lunch. Speaking of variety: for a slightly sweeter dip, try substituting orange juice and zest for half of the lemon or lime. ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 10 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 1 cup

Kids in the KitChen

INSTRUCTIONS 1. If you have a food processor, put the steel blade in the center. Add the beans and garlic and turn the processor on. Process until the beans start to break apart and the garlic is finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor, put the beans and garlic in the bowl and, using the potato masher or fork, smash the beans until they are chunky. 2. Add the oil, lemon juice and zest, and optional addins (see below), and process or mix until they are incorporated. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and salt and mix until the hummus reaches the consistency you like. Taste the hummus and decide if it needs more lemon or a pinch of salt. 3. Use right away or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Optional Add-ins • 1 teaspoon ground cumin and/or coriander • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce (if you like spicy) 8 www.chopchopmag.org

CLEAN the countertop. GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter. SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry. PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

KITCHEN GEAR Strainer  Food processor (optional) or bowl plus potato masher or fork Measuring spoons  Measuring cup Older kids can grate the Cutting board lemon zest; younger kids can carefully open and drain Sharp knife the beans Citrus grater or zester HUMMUS INGREDIENTS 1 (15-ounce) can beans (chickpeas, white beans, black beans, or pinto beans), drained and rinsed with cold water 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped ¼ cup olive oil Juice and grated zest of 1 scrubbed lemon or lime 3 tablespoons cold water ½ teaspoon salt

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

Wrap It! If you’re not packing it to go, try rolling this lunch up in the lettuce leaves instead of the tortillas. ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 15 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 2 SERVINGS

WRAP INGREDIENTS 2 whole-wheat (8-inch) tortillas 4 tablespoons Lemony Any-Bean Hummus 2 romaine lettuce leaves 4 tomato slices INSTRUCTIONS 1. Lay out the tortillas on a clean work surface. 2. Spread 2 tablespoons hummus on each tortilla and top each with 1 romaine leaf and 2 tomato slices, making a line of filling down the middle with a little room at the top and bottom. 3. Roll each wrap by forming into a cone. Take a little bit of hummus and put it on the top part of the wrap, so that it holds the wrap in place. Serve right away.

RECIPES JUST RIGHT FOR THE LITTLEST COOKS

Fruit Kabobs

kids cook

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a snacky fruit salad on a stick that kids can make on their own!

www.chopchopmag.org 9

Kitchen skills

Making Basic Salad Dressing Making salad dressing is as easy as putting the ingredients in a jar, screwing the lid on, and shaking it up. This basic recipe makes enough dressing for 3 or 4 large salads. See below for our ideas about how to change it up a little. ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 5 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 1 cup

Kids in the KitChen

Kids can measure the ingredients and shake them together.

KITCHEN GEAR Measuring cup Measuring spoons Jar with tight-fitting lid INGREDIENTS ¹/₃ cup vinegar (any kind) ²/₃ cup olive or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon mustard Salt and black pepper INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put all the ingredients in the jar and shake until combined. Then taste a little on a lettuce leaf, and add more of anything you think it needs. 2. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

10 www.chopchopmag.org

Optional Add-ins • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (to make it creamy) • Substitute fresh lemon juice for all or part of the vinegar

dinner

Whole-Wheat Pasta, Tomato Sauce, and Salad This is a good, wholesome weeknight meal that you’ll feel good feeding to your family. Plus, once you know the basics, you can mix and match to create other meals.

Green Salad If you have other favorite salad ingredients, feel free to add them. This is a great way to use your own homemade dressing. ❚ Hands-on TIME: 15 minutes ❚ TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes ❚ MAKES: 4 servings

KITCHEN GEAR Measuring cup Cutting board Sharp knife Salad bowl Measuring spoons Salad servers or tongs INGREDIENTS 4 cups salad greens, such as lettuce, spinach, or spring mix or 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped 1½ cups sliced, chopped, or grated vegetables, such as tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, mushrooms, onions, radishes, bell peppers, corn kernels, or celery 3 tablespoons Basic Salad Dressing (page 10)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put all the salad ingredients in the bowl. 2. Add the dressing and mix gently until the lettuce leaves are covered with the dressing. Taste and add more dressing if you think the salad needs it. 3. Serve right away.

Kids in the KitChen

Kids can prepare the vegetables and toss the dressed salad.

www.chopchopmag.org 11

dinner

Tomato Sauce and pasta ❚ Hands-On TIME: 45 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes ❚ MAKES: 6 servings

Homemade tomato sauce is better than store-bought— plus, it uses pantry staple canned tomatoes as a base. You’ll be surprised by how delicious it is.

KITCHEN GEAR Large skillet  Measuring spoons  Sharp knife  Wooden spoon Large cooking pot  Measuring cup Colander or strainer Box grater INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil 1 to 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, including the liquid ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese ¾ pound whole-wheat pasta Pinch of salt INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the skillet on the stove and set the heat to low. Add the oil, garlic, dried basil, and oregano and cook until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. 2. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook until it just starts to boil. Lower the heat and cook until the mixture is starting to come together, 12 to 15 minutes. Taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt if you think it needs it. Leave as is or mash a bit with the wooden spoon to make it less chunky. 3. While the tomato sauce is cooking, fill the pot ¾ full with water and put it on the stove. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil. 4. Add the pasta. When the water returns to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cook until tender. Follow the directions on the box for the amount of time. 5. Drain the pasta in the colander and add it to the skillet with the sauce (if there’s no room, then dump the pasta and the sauce into the empty pasta pot). Stir in the cheese and serve right away. 12 www.chopchopmag.org

Kids in the KitChen

Older kids can grate the cheese. Younger kids can measure the herbs and carefully open the can of tomatoes.

www.chopchopmag.org 13

Sweet treat

Banana Applesauce

Applesauce is a great lunchbox treat. So are bananas, for that matter, but if your house is like many others, you don’t eat all the bananas in the bunch and end up with some that are past their prime (which means too old for eating). The addition of bananas and almonds make this raw applesauce creamy and nutty. ❚ Hands-on TIME: 15 minutes ❚ TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes ❚ MAKES: 4 servings

KITCHEN GEAR Measuring cup Food processor Sharp knife Cutting board Measuring spoons Rubber spatula Lidded container INGREDIENTS 3 tart apples, quartered, cored, and quartered again ¼ cup toasted almonds (page 6)* 2 overripe bananas, quartered ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon “Cored” means with the stem and hard center part removed.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the apples and almonds in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the pieces are as small as they will get, almost the size of grains of rice. 2. Add the bananas and cinnamon and process until smooth. 3. Using the spatula, scoop into the lidded container. 4. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

* If you’re allergic to nuts, skip them. 14 www.chopchopmag.org

Fancy That! When you’re finished mixing, add in one or more of these by hand: • ¼ cup raisins, dried currants, or chopped dried apricots • Grated zest of 1 scrubbed lemon • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Kids in the KitChen

Older kids can peel the apples and younger kids can put them in the pot.

Kitchen Garden

Sprouting Celery For a fast, super-easy, green project, try sprouting celery right in your kitchen. Who knew that by sticking the base of your celery—the part that most people throw out!—into a dish of water, you could get greenery growing in just a few days?

What you need: Celery bunch with the stalks still attached at the bottom Sharp knife Cutting board Shallow bowl Bright (though not too sunny) spot INSTRUCTIONS 1. Cut off 2 inches from the bottom of the celery. Save the celery stalks to eat later. 2. Put the bottom of the celery in a dish with half an inch of water. 3. Put the dish somewhere that gets bright light, but not in direct, hot sun. 4. Replace the water every few days. 5. Be amazed at how fast new greenery appears in the center!

Get Dirty

By keeping the celery in water, you’ll get leaves but no stalks. If you plant it in soil after it’s sprouted, you might get some good-sized stalks. • Fill a container (with holes at the bottom) with potting soil. • Dig a hole about 1 inch deep. • Put the celery bottom in the hole and pat the soil gently around it. • Put the pot in a sunny spot and watch it grow. Water it gently and keep the soil just moist, not wet.

www.chopchopmag.org 15

Here’s how it works: Every month, we’ll send out a basic recipe we think every kid should master, and we’ll include step-by-step instructions, shopping tips, food facts, and more. What do you do? Get cooking! Then earn badges and prizes for completing each recipe. Are you up for the challenge? Sign up at www.chopchopcookingclub.org and join the ChopChop Cooking Club for free.