Artichoke Pesto with Pasta

Image by nyer82 via Flickr

This comes from Lisa at Smart Food and Fit.  Check it out as she often has some wonderful recipes.  This one was inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow.

Posted: 23 Apr 2011 03:56 AM PDT

Ever since I took a sneak peak at Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cook book, My Father’s Daughter, I’ve been craving artichokes. She has a wonderful artichoke pesto recipe, I didn’t get a chance to pick up a copy of her new book at Barnes and Nobles the other day. But I did get a chance to glance at it for a quick second as my one year old was running down the aisle way heading towards the cafe. Since then I’ve been craving artichokes, so this is my version of artichoke pesto it not the same ingredients as Gwyneth’s but but either way my artichoke pesto turned out amazing.

To view some of Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipes from her new cook book, check out her personal website, called  Goop. Her website is awe-inspiring, she shares wonderful information about healthy recipes, personal travels, kid’s stuff, and even shares some great advice. So “get the scoop from goop!”

Artichoke Pesto~inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow

Serves: 8 -16 servings/ Serv. Size ~ 2 Tbsp/ Wt Watcher pts:1 /Points +:2

Calories:63 /Protein: 2/Fat: 5.5g/Carbs: 5g/Fiber: 0.5 g

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Ingredients:

1 – 8 oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts in water

1 cup raw, chopped baby spinach

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup walnut halves

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp lemon zest

Salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper corn to taste

 

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Directions:

1. Add the artichoke hearts with half of the juices from the jar into a food processor, add the remaining ingredients and blend. If it needs to be thinned out more, add more of the remaining juices from the jar. Keep in an airtight container, good for about 2-3 days in the refrigerator or freeze it for up to 2 months.

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Nutritional Analysis for 2 Tbsp artichoke pesto:

Calories: 63/ protein: 2 g/carbohydrates: 2 g/ fiber: 0.5 g/ sugars: 1g/ total fat: 5.5 g/ saturated fat: 1 g/ monounsaturated fat: 2 g/ polyunsaturated fat: 2 g/ cholesterol: 2 mg/ sodium: 78 mg

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calories diet:

vitamin K: 15%/ manganese: 8%/ vitamin A: 5%/vitamin C: 4%/calcium: 4%/ copper: 4%/phosphorus: 3%/ folate: 2%/ iron: 2%/ riboflavin: 2%/ B6: 2%/zinc: 2%/ selenium: 1%/molybdenum: 1%/ niacin: 1%/ biotin: 1%/pantothenic acid: 1%

Artichoke Pesto with Pasta

This was my lunch yesterday! Add about 2  to 3 tablespoons of artichoke pesto to one cup of your favorite pasta (I used Barilla Plus with flax); mix well. Add one cup of sauteed spinach to your pasta dish.  Add more lemon zest, black pepper corn, and Parmesan cheese to taste!

Let’s Get Moving!

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By Michelle Mirizzi, MS, Registered Dietitian

When it comes to physical activity, every little bit counts! LET’S GET MOVING month is designed to get you and your child to become more physically active. Children are less physically fit than they were a generation ago. In fact, inactive children, when compared to active children, weigh more and have higher blood pressure. Most importantly, inactive children are more likely to become inactive adults.

Many parents think of organized sports like soccer or baseball when they think of getting exercise. Unfortunately, practice and games once or twice a week are not enough activity to reach the recommended goal of at least 60 minutes everyday. As parents, we also can’t rely on physical education in schools to provide enough activity for our children. The good news is that there are many ways that we can keep our children active everyday!

The current recommendation for children is to have at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all days of the week. Activity can be accumulated throughout the day. Even blocks of time as short as 15 minutes or more can be accumulated throughout the day to achieve this goal. This sixty minute recommendation can be accomplished very easily by including activity into your daily routine. For example, try taking the stairs instead of an elevator or parking further away and walking to the store. Don’t forget activities like raking leaves, shoveling snow or having your child clean his or her room.

Why is physical activity important for my child?

• It helps to maintain a healthy body weight
• It improves your child’s physical skills like jumping, throwing, kicking and catching
• It strengthens your child’s muscles and improves coordination
• It can increase your child’s life expectancy
• It can reduce the risk of some cancers and diabetes

Just like choosing healthy foods, children are more likely to want to be active when other family members are active too. Lead by example; show your child that exercise is important by regularly exercising yourself. Here are some activities that the whole family can do:

• Take a family walk after dinner a couple times a week
• Go on a family bike ride through the neighborhood
• Create sidewalk art with chalk and play hopscotch
• Fly a kite on a grassy field at a local school
• Enjoy a playground at a school or a park
• Play Duck, Duck, Goose or London Bridge
• Limit time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching TV, playing on the computer or playing video games to no more than one hour a day.

All children need to be physically active. A child with a chronic health condition or disability should not be excluded from physical activities. Consult your child’s doctor about which activities are safe and if the activities can be adjusted to meet your child’s needs. An overweight or even a less coordinated child may feel uncomfortable in competitive sports, so activities everyone can participate in, regardless of skill, may be best. Some activities that are less dependant on skill level include:

• Walking
• Biking, playing outside
• Flying a kite
• Sledding
• Bowling
• Tag

Another way to increase physical activity with your child is to use it as a fun reward instead of food or money. When your child reaches a certain goal (like doing well in school) celebrate by going miniature golfing, hiking or visiting a swimming park.

Children need physical activity to build strength, coordination and confidence. All of these characteristics lay the groundwork for leading a healthy lifestyle in the future. Studies show that children who are exposed to various sports and exercise tend to stay active throughout their adults lives. Also, children who are more physically active tend to get sick less often than children who are inactive. So remember, when it comes to physical activity, every little bit counts!

Safety Considerations

Safety is always important when it comes to physical activities and your child. Make sure your child wears the proper safety gear. For example, a helmet for bike riding, skateboarding or rolling skating. Study after study will show that helmets save lives! Make sure to put sunscreen on your child when he or she is playing outside; and don’t forget to bring water to drink even if your child is playing in water. Lastly, if your child is in an organized sport, ask the coach what kind of safety equipment your child may need during the season.

Water needs of the Active Child

Now is a good opportunity to teach your child about the importance of drinking water and staying hydrated while exercising. Did you know that our bodies are estimated to be about 60-70% water? Water has several important functions in the body: it helps regulate your body’s temperature, it helps nutrients travel to all your organs and it also protects all of your joints. Water is equally good for your skin and helps your body process food more efficiently.

The current recommendation for children is to drink at least 4 ounces (a half-cup) of water every 20 minutes while exercising. We lose water everyday by sweating, going to the bathroom and even breathing! Explain to your child that water keeps the body hydrated and, if you don’t get enough water, you may start to feel dehydrated. Signs of dehydration can include:

• Feeling tired or confused
• Having a headache
• Having leg or stomach cramps
• Feeling thirsty

This family wellness article is provided by Nourish Interactive, visitwww.nourishinteractive.com for nutrition articles, family wellness tips, free children’s healthy games, and tools.  Available in English and Spanish.

Copyright ©2009 Nourish Interactive – All Rights Reserved.

Family Fitness Sundays

A wonderful active memory - one on one

It’s Sunday morning, your last day on the weekend and all you can think about is all that you still have to do.  Your kids want you to do something with them and you are out of steam.  Make them a deal…they help you get a few of the things done that are weighing heavily on you and then you will have some time to commit to a family activity.

The sun is shining.  It’s a beautiful spring day.  You want to provide healthy meals for your family.  You want to set a great healthy living example for your family.  You want to have fit kids.  And you need to run a house and work full time. You want it all and there don’t seem to be enough hours in a day.

Spend half an hour doing the few things you want to get done and then get the kids to help you make the following recipe for dinner. I would suggest doubling it and freezing one. The second one can be frozen unbaked or baked, just mark it accordingly. It takes about 15 minutes to make it.

Then, since it is Family Fitness Sunday…go to the activity bowl.  Remember the one I suggested in an earlier post.  Pick one and go do it.  Set the casserole in the oven to bake.  If you have a delayed start you can program set it to be done for particular time.

Chinese Rice Bake

Brown 2 lb lean ground beef, then put it in a colander and run hot water over it to rinse off any fat.  Put it in a large mixing bowl.

Add 1 can each of low fat Campbells Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken Soup

Add between 1-2 cups cooked whole grain rice(remember – I suggested you cook a whole bunch at once and freeze it in freezer bags)

Add 1 cup of chopped celery and one cup of frozen peas or corn

Stir in ¼ cup of low sodium Soy Sauce

Mix well and put in casserole dish

Bake for 45 minutes

Serve with a salad and whole grain toast

To top up the veggie content in this or any meal, serve a glass of tomato juice or V8 or some similar juice that you like.

When Sunday evening rolls around you will have ticked a few things off your To Do list, had a healthy meal with your fit family(and frozen one), taken part in a family activity from the activity bowl, and set a healthy lifestyle example for your kids.  Pat yourself on the back.  Well done.

Superkid Smoothie

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About once a week I make this smoothie for my daycare kids.  It took a couple of tries to get the mix and amounts of fruits and veggies right but this one was a hit.  I don’t need to give you a nutritional analysis because I’m sure you can see it is full of healthy ingredients.

SUPERKID SMOOTHIE

(makes 5-6 cups)

Put in your Blender:

6 cups of fresh spinach leaves

½ cup of fresh parsley (not packed)

2 cups fresh pineapple or 1 19 0z can with juice

2 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into quarters

1 apple cut into chunks

1 orange, peeled

Handful of ice cubes

1 cup of apple juice

1 Tablespoon each of chia seeds, oat bran and flax seed (optional)

 

Blend until smooth, adding more juice if needed to make blender run smoothly

Your very own "greens" drink that tastes like a sweet juice

Kids Can Cook

"Grouse Grind Salad"

Every family has its favourite meals…pasta, pizza, a casserole.  I’m going to share with you the recipe for a meal that we have about once a week in our house.  The perk is that most kids, if they are over the age of 4 can probably make it.  All you have to do, as the parent, is provide the cooked meat you want on it if you want meat for the protein.  But you could use canned tuna or salmon, store bought pre-cooked chicken, tofu or cheese.  You don’t have to use meat if you don’t want to.  I use the term “recipe” loosely because there really are no rules…except maybe one, use fresh vegetables and fruits.  We call it the “Grouse Grind Salad” because when I served it to my family members visiting from West Vancouver, BC, they said the restaurant at the top of Grouse Mountain, where the Grouse Grind trail/hiking path ends, provides a very similar meal for their patrons.

Here is the list of ingredients.  Note the substitutions!

Start with a handful of greens…spinach, red leaf lettuce, kale, romaine (no iceberg lettuce)

If you have some red cabbage dice a bit of that up too

I dress my greens and toss them before putting them on my plate

My husband builds his and then tops it with his favourite dressing or yogurt

Add any veggies you like…sliced carrots, celery, tomatoes, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli (I pour boiling water over my broccoli pieces and then chill them)

Top with raisins, cranberries, any pepita, sunflower or other seeds or nuts you like

Top again with orange sections, pineapple, strawberries, diced apple, whatever you have…or not

At any point you can add some protein…cooked meat, cheese, fish, tofu

If you want a grain with it you could have a whole grain slice of bread or a roll.

Ta da…dinner is done, and you could do it as a family or a team.

A four year old could do most of this and would likely love to do it…and then would eat it. If you teach them about nutrition in childhood and aren’t afraid to let them create healthy meals like this with you then you will be providing great nutrition education for your kids and will be well on your way to developing a family book of healthy, good meals.  Note, this is a very filling meal…if you fill a dinner plate you will have trouble eating it all so I suggest you use a salad plate or bowl.

Ready, Set, Walk

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GAMES PEOPLE PLAY (when you’re one)

Sometime around 12-16 months, maybe a little sooner or later, your child will most likely begin to show signs they are interested in walking.  When they are first learning to pull themselves up onto two feet there is a new activity you can play with them that will help to build their confidence.

Soon after your child learns to stand while holding on to something they are going to want to get from point A to point B while standing.  To assist with this here is what you do.  Allow your little boy or girl to stand up holding on to a small chair or some similar sturdy toy.  You can hold it still for them while they get up on their feet and balanced.  When they are steady gently pull the chair or whatever you are using toward you being careful to control the speed at which it moves.  The child will soon take steps forward just to keep up.  If they don’t do it the first time don’t force it.  Try it gently a few times a day and it will happen fairly soon.  When they are slowly managing to walk toward you in this manner you will notice they are soon pushing the item.  When that is happening consistently you can stop them from moving forward and gently push back so they learn about positioning their feet to keep their balance.

We spend the first two years of a child’s life wishing they would hurry up and walk and talk and the next 16 years asking them to sit down and be quiet!

Related Articles

• Baby’s First Steps and Walk: How to “Teach” a Baby to Walk (brighthub.com)

Springtime Sundays

Image by Erwin Bolwidt (El Rabbit) via Flickr

Springtime Sundays

Spring Break is over.  The new season is well on its way and you are intent on making a commitment to live a healthy life and set an example for your children.  Perhaps you are a new parent and you have the unique opportunity of setting the style in which you want your family to grow.  This is when you can set patterns and behaviours and introduce your family to activities they can do together.

I recommend you start with Sunday afternoons.  Set aside one hour.  Put on your rubber boots and find a trail to hike on if the ground is still wet.  Or lace up walking or running shoes, put the baby in the stroller and head off on a path.  Or put your child in a bike carrier and head out for a ride around your neighbourhood or on a bike path.  This is how you expose your child to an active lifestyle.  Make it part of yours.

Invite other families who live near you to join you.  Kids will learn that the Sunday afternoons can be a whole lot of active fun if you set the standard.  They will come to want and expect this time together.

Years ago family routinely gathered for Sunday dinner, and that can still be a great tradition, but make the pre-event to the family meal a fun and active time together.

You can easily include the whole family by doing the food prep, setting the table, making a salad and putting the main part of the meal in the oven or slow cooker.  Then head outside for your planned activity.

Some families like to create an “activity bowl”. Have everyone write down (you can do it for little ones) fun activities they enjoy on a piece of paper.  Fold up each suggestion and put it in a bowl.  Every Sunday a different person gets to pick the activity.  Don’t put that suggestion back in the container.  Whenever someone thinks of a new idea they can add it to the bowl or hat or whatever you are using.  Everyone takes part…that is how you set the example and keep yourself active as well.

You will find that by the time summer roles around, a habit has been formed and the tradition is set.

Create great memories for your family starting with Spring Sundays.

Spring into Fitness When The Birds Are Back

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Although Old Man Winter may still have one more storm coming our way, which is more than likely, spring seems to be well on its way here in central Ontario.  The sure sign is the sight and sound of the Canada Geese returning. This is the time of year when both winter and spring do a little dance with each other, and us, and seem to play an ongoing game of tag or hide and seek.

Spring brings people out of hibernation naturally. It is seemingly instinctual.  People are  walking, spring paddlers will soon be itching to get on the moving water.  Parents and strollers will soon be out walking again. The kids’ bikes are on the move again.

School yards will soon dry up and the skipping ropes and dodgeballs will appear, not to mention the hopscotch pros. Skateboarders and rollerbladers will be waiting for the roads to be swept clean of winter sand and debris.   Off road riders will be waiting for the trails to dry up a bit.
Ideally, as a parent, you will take an active part in your child’s fitness. Get on the swing or the slide with them, run the bases at the diamond, climb the apple tree in the park, do a few laps around the pond at the park, whatever it takes to be active with your child.  Don’t be the parent that just sits on the sideline watching.

Why not be a memorable catalyst instead? Be that parent all your kids’ friends remember as the one who did stuff with them.  Give them ideas…believe me, your ideas will spark a brainstorm.

Seize the day.  Make a memory with and for your child.  You won’t be forgotten.  You will be the “parent who was always there for all of them.”  I would sure strive to be regarded that way.

They will always think of you as the “cool parent”. The other parents might be home having a drink or watching the news.  Get out there and supervise the neighbourhood hide and seek game after dinner…or better yet take part…no homesticking allowed!  Make the memories you had or wished you had as a kid yourself.

Just give it your best shot.  I’ll be out on treasure hunts with my daycare children, watching the sap drip into the buckets our neighbour tapped into the maple trees around here.  We’ll be at the park doing helicopter spins on the swings, climbing the crab apple tree, picking up winter debree in the park.  Don’t wait for someone else to show you up as a lackadaisical parent.  Be proud of the active role you take in your child’s life.

As Nike would say….”Just Do It”.  You will be proud of the parent you are, I promise.

The Sweetness of Spring

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The light is changing, the days are longer, the animals are chasing each other all over the woods, the birdsong is noticeable again, the snow is melting and the sap is running.  Spring will soon be here.  So if you have been hibernating all winter because you don’t like the cold, get out now with your kids.  Just a simple walk around the block, or to the park, or the corner store will make you feel great.  Soak up the sun and fill your lungs.  Share the joy with your child.  Teach them to appreciate and honour the changing seasons.  Make a family plan to visit a local sugar bush one Saturday or Sunday afternoon when they are making maple syrup.

Encourage your children to pick an activity they would enjoy.  Give them some choices because they may not have any idea what is available.  What they really want is to be with you.  Just make memories of activities you have enjoyed together.  Get out there, and don’t forget your camera.  You will look back and be proud of yourself. worth it. You are worth it and your children definitely are.

Wet Winter Wonderland = More Work = Better Fitness

I have the good fortune to be a private daycare provider in one of the greatest places to live in Canada…Muskoka.  I operate this business from our waterfront home so I have the wonderful opportunity of watching children develop in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments, including all 4 glorious seasons.

Today is a grey winter day trying to become spring, the kind dreaded by parents and caregivers. The school buses were cancelled, likely due to the condition of the rural roads. My commitment to fitness means I take the kids outside in most kinds of weather and today was no exception. I have to admit it was made simpler today by the fact that I have a 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy who are capable of completely dressing themselves in their snowsuits.  That left me with just one 14-month-old to pour into a snowsuit, boots, hat and mitts.   Then I get all my snow gear on, step outside onto the porch where all three kids are waiting. That was the warm-up. My darling little girl, whom I sometimes call “my runner” because she blindly takes off, has only strayed 10 feet off the porch.  My 3-year-old charge just could not stay away from the water pouring out of a downspout where it is pooling in a mixture of slush and glare ice, which he of course slips on falling on his back in the ever-deepening pool of water under and around the downspout. There he lies as I am saying “Hurry up, get up. You’re wearing a snowsuit, not a rain suit.”  At the same instant I see my toddler, the little darling, and he has decided to play in the cold ash bucket which I left on the porch this morning figuring I would take it to the compost when we went out.   So I pick up the baby in one arm, mindful of keeping the now ash covered blue mittens away from me (fat chance) and step off the covered porch so I can plunge his mittens into a snow bank to clean them off.  That works. Then I notice it is raining lightly…oh well, here now, might as well make the most of it. We have all decided to head to the “snow castle” at the  park.  This is left after our local winter carnival and we have played there most days since it ended.  By the time we make the 10 minute walk there, me dragging the toboggan over piles of wet snow, slush and clear pavement (lovely noise) the two oldest are quite wet since they seem utterly incapable of avoiding every deep puddle they  find.  That was the high cardio part of the workout.  They struggle  to the top of the castle, slipping and sliding because the weather conditions have altered the beautifully crafted staircases to slip’n’slides. Great fitness activity for the kids, recovery part for me. The apparent mission of the two oldest is to get as wet as possible. Then we walk home, me dragging the toboggan again with the mostly dry baby in it.   On the inside I’m a little “moist” from the general exertion. Those other two however are soaked as they shuffle their feet through wet snow and puddles all the way home.  By the time we all gather on the porch at the front door (thank goodness they can’t quite open it on their own) the older two have removed their boots, one of which also pulled off a sock, and are standing at the door in sock (one bare) feet, asking me to hurry as I carry the baby up the stairs to the front door.  Did I mention there are 20 stairs?  Guess what…I did laundry!  Go figure.

Believe it or not, we had tons of fun.  All but the baby took part in a great fitness activity…the baby works every waking moment because he just started walking.