Fuel for the Future

Good food is key to good health. “Good food,” means more than just good flavor. We need food which provides the nourishment or fuel our body needs to be healthy, tasting great is a bonus.

When doing programs for children, I often use a car analogy to talk about what we eat. Just like our cars, our body gets us where we need to go. We must fill our body with food just like we fill our car with fuel for it to run. None of us would go to a gas station and fill up our tank if we were not certain there was gas at the pump. I ask the kids why we wouldn’t want to put the wrong fuel in our vehicles, and they say, “You would ruin it or mess it up. You wouldn’t be able to go where you want or need to go.” Yet every day, we put food, “fuel” in our bodies that we really don’t know what it contains or if it is good for us. If we run out of gas in our car, we can’t go anyplace. If we don’t give our body the fuel (food) it needs, we probably will not be as healthy or feel as good as we would like. Even though it would be expensive, we have access to a new car if ours quits running. We don’t have the same option with our body. We have to take care of the one we have.

MyPlate is a useful meal planning tool, to ensure we are getting the food our body needs to be healthy. A goal would be to make one half of our plate fruits and vegetables, one forth lean protein and one forth grains (with one half of the grains being whole grains).

So often we get in a routine of eating the same foods over and over. Our taste buds change as we age. Foods, we may not have enjoyed as a child may now be some of our favorites. Make sure there is variety in your diet and eat a “rainbow of colors.” Try a new fruit or vegetable each week. Shop on the outside edge of the grocery store to make sure you don’t fill your shopping cart with processed foods. Also try foods prepared different ways. Some people prefer their vegetables raw, others like cooked. Try fresh, canned, and frozen of the same food to determine what your family likes best.

If you haven’t tried fresh pineapple, you are missing a delicious summertime treat. Although fresh pineapple is a little more work to prepare, the taste difference between the two is worth the effort. Not sure how to cut a pineapple? There are many different ways, but this works well for me.

Scrub pineapple thoroughly with a vegetable brush.

Twist off the top.

Cut off the bottom.

Place the flat bottom on a cutting board.

Cut the pineapple in half and then in quarters.

Cut the hard core from the center of each piece.

Use the core to infuse flavored water.

Cut the peel from the fruit.

Squeeze the juice from the peel into the container you are storing your fruit in or your container of flavored water.

Cut the fruit into the sizes of pieces you desire. Enjoy!

NOTE: When purchasing a fresh pineapple, recall pineapple ripen on the vine, so they really don’t ripen any more once they are picked. They should be firm to the touch, yellowish green in color and have a sweet pineapple smell.

Fresh pineapple is delicious just by itself or can be substituted for canned in most recipes. The exception are recipes containing gelatin. Fresh pineapple has a natural enzyme called “bromelain” which keeps gelatin from gelling. Try adding fresh pineapple to your favorite fruit salad, smoothies, desserts, Hawaiian pizza or just pairing it with cottage cheese. Often you can purchase a whole pineapple for less than what one can costs at the grocery store. Save money and buy extra pineapple when they are on sale to freeze or can. Enjoy the delicious flavor of fresh pineapple now and later.

Fresh pineapple can also be tray frozen in individual pieces. This method works well when pineapple will be added to a smoothie, Hawaiian pizza, or fruit salad. Frozen pineapple is also delicious just by itself.

To tray freeze, line a baking sheet or tray with wax paper or parchment paper. Cut pieces of pineapple to desired size and place on the paper, so pieces are not touching each other. Freeze until firm. Place frozen pieces in a freezer bag or freezer container. Label with the date and return to the freezer until ready to use.

Easy Fruit Salad

Makes 10 1/2 cup servings

2 cups of fresh pineapple cut into bite size chunks or

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained

1 (15-ounce) can fruit cocktail in juice, drained

2 small bananas, sliced

1 (8-ounce) low-fat yogurt (Greek has more protein.

Try lemon or vanilla flavored.)

Drain canned fruit.

Wash, peel, and slice bananas. Mix fruits and yogurt together. Cover and chill until ready to serve. For variations use fresh fruits, instead of canned:

1 cup grapes, halved

2 cups cantaloupe, cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup strawberries, quartered

1 cup apple, cut into bite sized pieces

Source: Cooking with Faithful Families

Chili Lime Fruit Salad

Serves 6

Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

This recipe calls for grapefruit, mango, and pineapple, but you can use most any combination of fruit.

Fruit Salad

2 grapefruit, cut into sections

2 mangos, chopped

1/2 pineapple, chopped (can use canned—discard juice)

Dressing

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, grapeseed, or sunflower seed)

2 Tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 Tablespoon sugar (or less)

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the fruit in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Make the dressing using a screw top jar or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Place all dressing ingredients in the jar or container and shake to combine. Pour over the fruit and stir. Serve immediately or chill until serving.