IN THIS ISSUE

Breakfast Banana Split

2

What Can You Do With ….?

3

Roasted Beets 3

Upcoming Events 4

Preparation Tip 4

Probiotics and prebiotics are wellness buzzwords but what do they really mean?

Probiotics— Probiotics are “good” bacteria that we consume in food. Eating probiotics has been associated with improved gut health, including reducing the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Top sources of probiotics include yogurt, Kefir, kombucha, Sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, and miso paste.

Prebiotics— Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. Essentially, they are lunch for probiotics.

Great sources of probiotic fibers include bananas, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, artichokes, soybeans, and whole-wheat foods.

Products that combine the two are called synbiotics. To make your own synbiotic meal, see page 2 for a recipe that combines yogurt and bananas. Other ideas include a tempeh, asparagus, and garlic stir-fry or sauerkraut and sausage on a whole wheat bun.

Both probiotics and prebiotics can be purchased as dietary supplements but these aren’t well regulated so try getting them from your food first.

Celebrate National Picnic Month by gathering friends, getting outside, and eating nutrient dense summer foods. Here are some healthy, yummy, and transportable picnic foods: • Cut fruit — watermelon wedges, orange sections, or apple slices • Veggie sticks — cut cucumbers, carrots, peppers, or celery into

sticks and bring a dip or salad dressing with you • Ants on a log — cut celery into 4-5 inch long pieces, fill with peanut

butter, and top with a few ants (aka raisins) • Pre-made wraps —fill up a whole wheat wrap with low-sodium deli

meat or beans or hummus, add cheese and veggies, and you’ve got a healthy and plate-free meal

FOOD SAFETY TIP

Perishable foods

shouldn’t sit

outside for more

than two hours.

Only one hour if

it’s over 90°F. If

they have sat out

for longer, you

should throw them

away.

A Publication of The Greater Boston Food Bank’s Nutrition Department JULY 2017 / VOL.6, ISSUE 11

This inventive take on a dessert favorite is a great way to get your children to eat a hearty breakfast and an easy way to work both pro– and prebiotics into your morning. Feel free to switch up the fruit topping—berries might be a nice substitute for the pineapple. Ingredients 1 small banana 1/2 cup crunchy granola 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt 2 tablespoons pineapple tidbits Directions 1. Peel banana and cut lengthwise. Place in a dish. 2. Sprinkle granola over bananas, reserving a small

amount. 3. Spoon yogurt on top of banana then top with pine-

apple. 4. Sprinkle with remaining granola.

Yield: 1 serving Recipe found on ClicknCook.org, adapted from Kansas State University Research & Extension Family Nutrition Program

July 2017 / Vol.6, Issue 11 Page 2

LOOKING FOR RECIPE INSPIRATION? Check out Click ‘N Cook®, our online recipe database at GBFB.org/clickncook

Nutritious Bytes

Ingredients 12 beets 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme) 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar (or balsamic) Juice of 1 large orange Directions 1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2) Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one with a vegetable peeler. 3) Cut the beets in 1 1/2-inch chunks. (Small beets can be halved, medium ones cut in quarters, and

large beets cut in eighths). 4) Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. 5) Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice, until the beets are tender. 6) Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the vinegar and orange juice. Sprinkle with salt

and pepper and serve warm.

Choosing: Choose firm, smooth beets which have a rich, dark color.

Storing: Store beets in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.

Preparing: Remove greens, leaving 1 inch of stem. Scrub well.

Cooking: Beets may be roasted, boiled or eaten raw. Use care when removing the skin of cooked beets because the red juice can stain towels, counters and sinks. Use salt to remove juice stains from hands.

Uses: Add cooked sliced beets to salads.

Tips: Beets come in more varieties than just deep red. Try out Golden beets (yellow) or Chioggia (red and white bullseye) to switch things up or get picky eaters to try beets. Also, don’t throw out the beet greens!*

Nutrition: Beets contain fiber which helps to keep you regular. Beets are a good source of manganese and folate.

*Turn to page four to learn how to use beet greens.

July 2017 / Vol.6, Issue 11 Page 3

Nutritious Bytes

Yield: 6 servings Recipe adapted from Ina Garten (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-beets-recipe-1925366)

National Blueberry Month

http://www.nabcblues.org/

National Ice Cream Month

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Ice_Cream_Month

Independence Day

July 4

National Lasagna Day

July 29

70 South Bay Avenue Boston, MA 02118 Phone: 617-427-5200 E-mail: nutrition@gbfb.org www.gbfb.org

Everyone has a role in ending hunger in our community. SM

JOIN US ON

Beet greens don’t need to be an afterthought. After washing thoroughly, here are a few ways you can use them:

1. Chop and add to soups.

2. Sautee with garlic, olive oil, and onion.

3. Drizzle leaves with olive oil and bake in the oven until crispy.

4. Use raw in salads—take note: beet greens are pretty bitter so you may want to start with just a few leaves at a time mixed into other greens. If you’re not a fan of bit-ter greens, it’s probably best to stick to eating them cooked.

5. Add to stir-fries.