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Growing Together:
Food, Family and Friends
This month we explore ways to "lighten" holiday foods, a colorful salad recipe and ways to connect with each other in the winter.
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Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist
Susan Quamme Wehlander, M.Ed., Family Science Specialist (retired)
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EAT
Sometimes holidays lead to overindulging in tasty, but high-calorie, foods. Consider these tips to make seasonal favorites healthier.
- As you plan menus for the holidays, be sure to fit in all the food groups. Include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy in your menus. Make a charcuterie board that includes all the food groups.
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Bake more healthfully. When making your favorite muffins or fruit breads, try using some unsweetened applesauce in place of the fat. You’ll add fiber, and you won’t miss the fat and extra calories.
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To decrease sugar, you can reduce sugar by one-quarter to one-third in baked goods and desserts. This works best with quick breads, cookies, pie fillings, custards, puddings and fruit crisps. Increase the amount of cinnamon or vanilla in a recipe to enhance the impression of sweetness.
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To see more suggestions, check out “Now You’re Cookin’: Recipe Makeovers!”
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Have you tried quinoa? This delicious grain pairs nicely with vegetables and fruit in this colorful salad. View a video of this recipe here.
Apple Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Salad
1 cup uncooked quinoa
½ cup diced celery
2 green onions, sliced
1 large apple, diced
⅓ cup toasted pecans, chopped
⅓ cup dried cranberries
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the quinoa according to package directions and set aside. Once the quinoa has cooled, add the remaining salad ingredients. Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl or jar with a lid. Whisk or shake until combined. Pour vinaigrette over salad, and stir until combined.
Makes seven (½-cup) servings. Each serving has 160 calories, 7 grams (g) fat, 4 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber and 45 milligrams sodium.
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Connect
Winter Fun: Making the Most of the Season
Does winter at your house sometimes mean too much screen time? You’re not alone! While cozy nights with hot chocolate, blankets and a favorite movie definitely have their place, winter is also a great time to get creative, get moving, and enjoy the beauty of the season.
Spending time outdoors in the winter has many benefits:
- Cold-weather play can help strengthen the immune system.
- Even with North Dakota’s short winter days, sunlight provides vitamin D — important for overall health.
- After sledding, skiing or skating, the whole family will sleep better.
- Building snow forts and snowmen encourages problem-solving, creativity and teamwork.
Make a family “bucket list” of activities you’d like to try.
Outdoor Adventures
- Host a snowman contest — biggest, silliest or most creative!
- Fill spray bottles with water and food coloring to “paint” the snow.
- Learn to ice skate, ski or snowboard together.
- Freeze colored water in containers or ice trays to create snow sculptures or even a colorful fort.
Indoor Fun (when it’s too cold to go out)
- Try a new family card game like Go Fish, rummy or spoons.
- Make a bird feeder by covering apples in peanut butter and birdseed, then hang them near a window.
- Order a custom family puzzle — it’s extra fun searching for Uncle Bob’s head to put on his wild Hawaiian shirt!
With a little planning, winter can be more than just a season to “get through.” It can be a time to play, connect and make memories your family will look forward to year after year.
So, grab those mittens, bundle up and get ready to enjoy all that winter has to offer — you might just find yourself wishing for more snow!
| | Savor the Season (without breaking the bank) | | |
Save costs by giving creative, low-cost gifts if funding is a little short. Have a potluck instead of hosting.
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Shop at thrift stores for low-cost mugs that could hold a home-made cocoa mix, or make a baking or beverage mix in a container.
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Consider drawing names instead of trying to buy a gift for each family member or friend.
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Print a favorite picture and frame it, or paint a frame available from a craft store!
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Give gifts of time, such as doing outdoor or indoor work.
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See “quick mixes” from NDSU Extension for ideas for food gifts.
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