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Fueling kids with the nutrition they need

Nutrition to keep kids ready for whatever life throws at them.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Kids have a lot going on, from tests to sports they need to make sure they have the fuel they need to succeed. Chef Jennifer Brower from Chartwells K12 joined us to help break it down.

Curried Chicken ‘Shaker’ Pasta Salad

A crisp and colorful cold entrée salad with whole grain goodness spaghetti, roasted red bell peppers, diced cucumbers, fresh cilantro and whole muscle diced-cooked chicken in a curried yogurt dressing.

Yields: 4

Portion Size: 1 ½ cups mixed items

Preparation Time: 20 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Recipe Cost (approx.): $3.35 

Cost per serving (approx.): $0.84

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp Curry Powder
  • 1 1/3 TBSP Lemon Juice
  • 4 ounces Cooked, diced, chilled Chicken breast
  • 2 cups Whole Grain Spaghetti, cooked & chilled
  • 1 cup Fat Free Yogurt
  • 1 1/3 TBSP Cilantro, fresh, washed, chopped
  • 1 cup Cucumbers, diced
  • 1 cup Red Bell Pepper-Roasted, diced

Directions:

  1. Wash all produce thoroughly under running cold water before cutting/preparing.
  2. Thaw cooked chicken meat under proper refrigeration.
    1. If using leftover chicken, dice & hold cold until ready to mix.
  3. Mix yogurt & curry powder together.
  4. Fold curry yogurt sauce into the diced chicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. Cook spaghetti & cool by running cold water over it.
  6. Place spaghetti into bowl and toss with lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  7. Finely chop the cilantro (set aside).
  8. Medium dice the cucumbers. (Set aside).
  9. Dice Roasted Red Bell Peppers.
    1. **NOTE-Easy to roast your own fresh red bell pepper by washing, then place over a burner flame and severely char/burn each side by turning with metal tongs until entire pepper is completely blackened. Place into a plastic bag or container, seal up and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
    2. Gently remove blackened skin of pepper by gently rubbing with your hands. Turn pepper inside out and remove the stem & seeds and dice.
    3. You can cheat by purchasing canned roasted red bell peppers but they are very costly and not as depth of flavor!
  10. Assemble each salad by placing the ingredients into the ‘shaker cup’ in the following order for 1 serving:
    1. ½ cup spaghetti into cup bottom.
    2. Next add 1/4 cup diced chicken/curry sauce mixture.
    3. Top with 1/4 cup diced roasted red bell peppers.
    4. Top with 1/4 cup diced cucumbers.
    5. Finish with 1 tsp fresh chopped cilantro.
    6. Add lid or dome to shaker cup.
  11. Chill thoroughly and serve cold.

Power-Up Energy Bites

Delicious, energy-packed whole grain bites filled with oats, sunflower seed butter, crushed grahams and dried fruit.

Culinary Note - Prepare a day ahead to allow complete chill to hold their shape. Hold refrigerated for service.

Yields: 10

Portion Size: Tablespoon heaped & balled up

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Total Recipe Cost (approx.): $2.52 

Cost per serving (approx.): $0.25

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Sunbutter Spread
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 cup Annie’s Honey-Bunny Grahams
  • 1/3 cup Honey
  • 1 cup Oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup Dried fruit-diced small (craisens, blueberries, cherries or a blend)

Directions:

  1. In medium bowl, stir together room temperature sun butter, honey and vanilla until well mixed.
  2. Crush grahams fine, or place into a food processor with oats and grind until small uniform pieces.
  3. Stir oats/grahams mixture into the sun butter, honey, vanilla mixture.
  4. Add dried fruit & mix until well blended.
  5. Using a tablespoon and food gloved clean hands, shape mixture into balls or thick cookie round shapes.
  6. Chill thoroughly before eating so they hold together.

Culinary TIP – Enjoy on the go or make in bulk, shape into a large, long log-chill completely then remove & slice into 1” thick slices.

Fun to make ahead, keep in the freezer after shaping to pull out as needed.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Spinach, Black Bean & Egg Burrito

Southwest twist to a healthy, protein packed burrito. Freshly scrambled eggs, seasoned black beans, roasted sweet potato sticks wrapped up into a whole grain flour tortilla.

Yields: 4

Portion Size: 1 burrito 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Recipe Cost (approx.): $3.69

Cost per serving (approx.): $0.92

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/3 cups Scrambled eggs
  • 1 cup Black Beans, canned, rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/8 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 cup Roasted Sweet Potato sticks
  • 1 1/4 tsp Vegetable oil
  • 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Black Pepper-Ground
  • 1 cup Baby Spinach, Fresh
  • 1 cup Mild Salsa
  • 4 each Whole Grain 10” Flour Tortillas

Directions:

  1. Wash all produce thoroughly under running cold water before cutting/preparing.
  2. Combine black beans, oil, pepper & onion powder. Cover & heat until at least 140 degrees. Hold hot until ready to assemble.
  3. Peel sweet potato, cut into thin planks then into 1/4” thick sticks (2-3” long).
  4. Toss Sweet potato sticks into oil, black pepper & sea salt. Roast under broiler until fork tender. Or bake in 425 degree oven for approx. 12 minutes until fork tender.
    1. Remove from oven, cover & hold hot until ready to assemble.
  5. Scramble eggs, cook until thoroughly cooked. Hold hot until ready to assemble.
  6. Gently heat salsa in pan or microwave until at least 140 degrees.
  7. Warm tortillas and layer up in the following manner across the first 1/3 of the tortilla shell:
    1. Tortilla
    2. 1/4 cup beans
    3. 1/4 cup sweet potato sticks
    4. 1/4 cup fresh spinach
    5. 1/3 cup cooked eggs
    6. 1/4 cup warmed salsa
  8. Roll up burrito style tucking ends and rolling tight.
  9. Serve up or hold at 140 degrees until ready to eat.
  10. ENJOY!

Sun Butter & Banana Pinwheels

Protein packed sun butter and sweet banana rolled up in a whole grain flour tortilla, then sliced into easy bites!

Yields: 4

Portion Size: 1 wrap

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: zero

Total Recipe Cost (approx.):  $2.98 

Cost per serving (approx.):  $0.74

Ingredients:

  • 4 each Whole Grain Flour Tortillas
  • 4 each Fresh, Whole Banana-Medium
  • 1 cup Creamy or Crunchy Sun Butter Spread

Directions:

  1. Wash all produce thoroughly under running cold water before cutting/preparing.
  2. Allow tortillas to warm to room temperature (or 75 degrees) to help them roll easily.
  3. Lay out tortillas and spread ¼ cup sun butter spread onto each tortilla-spreading all the way to the edges.
  4. Place a freshly peeled whole banana onto tortilla (near the first 1/3 of the round).
  5. Roll up tortilla lengthwise with banana, keeping it a very tight roll as you go.
  6. Slice tortilla/banana wrap into 1” thick slices.
  7. Enjoy!!!

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