Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Mealtime Magic: Back-to-School Recipes from Guiding Stars

Giving you the perfect cure for your end-of-summer, back-to-school angst, a nutritional guidance program called Guiding Stars pulled together a list of recipes for making you the coolest kid at the lunch table this fall. The list includes a wide range of the latest healthy snacks, meals and dessert.

1. Chocolate Date Snack Bars
Number of Servings: 20 (33 G )

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients
2 cups dates, pureed
2 cups whole almonds
1/4 cup cocoa powder
5 tablespoons flax seeds
Pinch salt

Directions
1. Line a 9″ square baking pan with wax paper.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
3. Blend thoroughly, stopping occasionally to scraped down the sides.
4. When the mix comes together to form a dough, use wet fingers to press it into your pan.
5. Refrigerate until firm enough to cut.

2. Quinoa Granola
Number of Servings: 4 (36 G )

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
2 tablespoons whole flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seed
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash cardamom

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Spread on a non-stick baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes.
Kids Crunch Trail Mix

3. Kids Crunch Trail Mix
Number of Servings: 8 (109 G) Servings (109 G )

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients
4 c. Kashi Go Lean Crunch
1/2 c. roasted, salted soy nuts
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
1 c. raisins
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. dry roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions
Combine ingredients and store in air-tight container.

4. BLT Pasta Salad
Number of Servings: 20 (55 G )

Created by: Erin Dow

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients
1 lb. whole wheat pasta such as rotini or macaroni, cooked, drained and cooled under running water
3/4 c, low-fat ranch dressing (recipe below pasta salad directions)
2 c. baby spinach leaves
1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. low-fat shredded cheese
2 T. bacon bits
Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing:
1 c. lowfat buttermilk
1/2 c. lowfat plain Greek yogurt
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 t. fresh chives, chopped
1 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. dry dill
1/4 t. mustard powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. black pepper
1/8 t. paprika

Directions
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Serve immediately or within 2 hours for best quality. To prepare the dressing, mix dressing ingredients thoroughly.

5. Roasted Red Pepper and Chicken Wrap
Number of Servings: 2 (265 G )

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients
4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 (10 in.) flour tortillas, warmed
2 T. hummus
1 c. lettuce, chopped
1/2 c. tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper

Directions
1      Spray a small nonstick frying pan with cooking spray. Add the chicken and sauté over medium-high heat until the chicken is lightly browned and opaque throughout. Set aside.
2      Turn on the broiler. Place the pepper on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Broil, turning frequently with tongs until the skin blackens all over. Transfer the pepper to a covered bowl. Let steam until the skin loosens, about 10 minutes. Peel, remove seeds and slice.
3      To serve, place a warmed tortilla on each plate. Spread 1 tablespoon of the hummus on the tortilla. Add half of the chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and roasted pepper to make each wrap. Fold in the sides and the bottom of the tortilla up over the filling, then roll to close.

6. Couscous & Cherry Salad
Number of Servings: 4 (289 G )

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 2/3 c. water
1 1/3 c. whole wheat pearl couscous
1/4 c. orange juice
2 T. olive oil
1 T. red wine vinegar
2/3 c. unsweetened dried cherries
2 stalks celery, finely diced
3 oz. baby arugula, finely chopped
1/2 c. walnuts, lightly toasted
3 shallots, peeled and sliced
2 oz. gouda, shredded

Directions
1      Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2      Whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Add the dried cherries and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
3      Drain and reserve the liquid. Whisk to make sure it’s fully emulsified. Stir liquid into the couscous.
Stir in the steeped cherries, celery, arugula, walnuts and sliced shallots. Top with cheese. Serve warm or are room temperature.

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