Recipe of the Week: Turkey Spinach Feta Burgers with Greek Sauce

Burgers

Ingredients:

1 - 1.5 lb package of 93% lean ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped spinach

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup red or Vidalia onion, diced

2 gloves garlic, minced

3.5 ounces of crumbled feta cheese

1 tbsp Mrs.Dash Grilled Steak Seasoning

1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

Makes: approximately 6 burgers

Directions:

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil until translucent, cool. 

2. Transfer to a bowl with spinach, oregano, feta cheese, steak seasoning, nad ground turkey.  MIx well.

3. Form into 6 patties, grill or cook on stove.

Topping

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain lowfat greek yogurt
1 cup diced cucumbers
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions: Mix and drizzle on top of burgers

Serve with a sweet potato or omit the bun and add a small side salad with avocado!

Nutrition Info:
Servings per recipe: 6
Calories per serving: 280.1
Total fat: 11.3 g
Cholesterol: 66.7 mg
Sodium: 424.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 4.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 23.4 g

(Nutritional information estimated without the bun)

Recipe of the Week: Sensational Smoothies!

Strawberry Banana & Flax Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium banana
• 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk or light soy milk
• 2 tbsp ground flax seed

Makes: 1 serving

Directions: Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor

Apricot Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup calcium and  vitamin D fortified soy milk
• 4 canned apricot halves (packed in juice)
• 2 tbsp orange juice concentrate
• 2 tbsp toasted wheat germ
• 1/2 cup your choice of nuts
• 1 banana

Makes: 1 serving

Directions: Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor


Honeydew-Kiwifruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed honeydew
• 1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut up
• 1 kiwifruit, peeled and cut up
• 2 tbsp sugar or stevia
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup ice cubes
• Honeydew and/or kiwifruit slices

Makes: 3 servings

Directions: In a blender container, combine honeydew, apple, kiwifruit, sugar/stevia, and lemon juice.  Cover and blend until smooth.  Add ice cubes; cover and blend until cubes are crushed and mixture is slushy.  Garnish with additional honeydew and/or kiwifruit slices, if desired.

How to Pack the Perfect Picnic!

Picnics are a great way to spend time together with your family and friends! However, traditional picnic fare of fried chicken, potato salad, chips, and dips are not conducive to a healthy eating plan.  You can still enjoy a picnic with some healthy modifications.  Here are some suggestions:

• Fresh, Crisp Produce:  Go raw!  Summer picnics occur at the height of the fresh produce season.  The more colorful produce you add to your menu, the healthier the meal.  Get your picnics off to a "fruitful" start by packing your cooler with a wide variety of colorful fruits.  If they are in season, there is nothing quite like a juicy watermelon to finish a meal.  Sliced apples, berries, and dried fruit like raisins and dried apricots are perfect travel snacks, without the mess of fruits you have to peel.  Pack a nutritional punch by filling your cooler with colorful vegetables, which will provide your family picnic with antioxidants and vital vitamins and minerals.  Try baby carrots, slices of celery, cucumbers, peppers, cerry tomatoes, and broccoli- all perfect for dipping! Pack low-fat or fat-free dressings for a fun and nutritious snack.
• Hearty Whole Grains: Refined breads, rolls, and starchy pasta salads can pile on lots of calories and little fiber.  Chose whole grain products like 100% whole wheat rolls or whole wheat pita bread for an added boost of fiber and nutritional value without sacrificing taste.  Bring along whole wheat tortillas--kids love the fun shape of a rolled up sandwich.  Turkey and veggies, and reduced fat peanut better and jelly are all great options for fillings.  Another kid tip-- use a potato chip bag clip to keep the healthy fillings from falling out!
• Chips and Dip: Greasy fried potato chips with onion dip is loaded with saturated and trans fats.  Instead, help your heart and cholesterol by switching to baked chips, like Stacy's Pita Chips or Tostidos Scoops, and pair them with a nutritious dip, such as hummus, salsa, fat-free bean dip or low-fat yogurt with herbs and spices.  Your kids will love all the dipping!
• Protein: There are so many delicious ways to pack healthy protein into your picnic basket.  Take slices of lean chicken and turkey and sop them on a salad or sandwich for a delicious healthy meal.  Try to avoid prepackaged deli meats, as the sodium content is usually high.  Nuts can also boost your protein and fiber intake when sprinkled onto salads.  But note to self:  watch your portions because although they are high in healthy fat, the calories can quickly add up.
• The Best Beverages: It's so easy to become dehydrated without even knowing it, especially when you are outdoors playing in the sun, hiking, or tanning.  Kids are especially prone to losing fluids, and often don't want to interrupt their fun to drink.  Beat the heat with plenty of ice water, sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea, and an assortment of low-calorie beverages.  You can freeze water bottles the night before and use as cold packs to keep food and drinks cold.
• Different Salads: Resist the temptation to load your picnic basket with high-calorie salads that are mixed with mayonnaise.  Mayonnaise-based salads are providing you with artery-clogging fats.  Instead, opt for low-fat or fat-free mayo and split it with non-fat yogurts, which will save you loads of calories and fat, and give you an added perk of protein.
• After Lunch, Get Up and Move:  Whether you're soaking up the sun on the beach or enjoying the relaxing air in the park, there are so many activities to do to get your heart pumping!  Searching for sea shells, pitching tents, climbing, and hiking are all fantastic nature filled activities, providing good exercise without feeling like a workout.  Depending on what location you pick, there are many fun, vigorous activities you can find.

Recipe of the Week: Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Seared Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 large grapefruit
• 2 large bunces arugula, stems removed (10 cups)
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 3 (5-oz) wild salmon fillets (skin on)
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings (serving size = 2 1/2 cups salad and 3 oz salmon)

Preparation
1. Peel and segment grapefruit with a sharp knife on a cutting board; reserve juice in a bowl. Toss grapefruit segments and juices with arugula and avocado; divide salad among 4 serving plates.  In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper over both sides of salmon.  Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Add fish (skin side down) to skillet, and cook until skin is golden and fish releases easily from the pan (about 4 minutes).  Using a spatula, gently flip fish and cook about 3 minutes more.  Break Each fillet into four pieces; top salads with 3 pieces fish.  Drizzle salads with reserved dressing; sprinkle with walnuts.

Nutritional Information:
Calories per serving: 360
Fat per serving: 23.9 g
Saturated Fat per Serving: 3.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat per serving: 11.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat per serving: 7.3 g
Protein per serving: 25 g
Fiber per serving: 5 g
Iron per serving: 2 mg
Sodium per serving: 309 mg
Calcium per serving: 148 mg

Source: Health Magazine

First Ever Phifer Family Fun Day on April 12th!

Spring Break is here! Do you have an activity planned that the whole family can enjoy? Phifer is here to help! On Thursday, April 12, PWC will be offering its first ever Family Fun Day! This two part event features activities the whole family can enjoy.

From 11 am - 1 pm, drop off your children for field day activities including swimming, dodge ball, relays, and much more. Then, come back later from 5 pm - 7 pm to participate in activities for the entire family! These activities include pool basketball, scooter soccer, wallyball, and more.  The cost to participate is $5 per person, but the entire family can participate for just $15! Sign up by Wednesday, April 11 at the front desk and join the fun!