The following post is adapted from a recent post written by Meals Matter Mom and Registered Dietitian Trina Robertson for www.MomItForward.com.  

With ingredients like feta cheese, olive oil, spinach, cucumber, lemon, rosemary and even honey, Greek cuisine is loaded with flavor and nutrition. From Avgolemono Chicken Soup to Zucchini-Potato Latkes with Tzatziki, this week it’s all Greek to me!

Transform your dining table into a Traverna this week with a family meal of Greek Omelets, Cucumber Yogurt Soup and Honey Poached Pears. It would be a tragedy not to try Grilled Rosemary Chicken and Red Peppers with Cucumber Relish and Grecian Marinated Chickpeas this week, too. Register at www.MealsMatter.org to add these and other recipes to your personalized family meal plan and shopping list.

“Family Meals Matter” features registered dietitian-approved recipes from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at the free family-nutrition and meal-planning website, www.MealsMatter.org, maintained by registered dietitian moms with Dairy Council of California. Healthy Eating Made Easier™

Photo Caption:  Greek Omelet by EatingWell. Photo by Ken Burris.

Planning and preparing meals are practiced skills that are honed and improved over time. Even the most experienced cooks can tell you that not every dinner is perfect and not every recipe hits a home run. At some point or another, most cooks will be forced to come up with Plan B at a moment’s notice.

Whether a new recipe did not turn out as planned or scheduling conflicts cut preparation and meal time in half, having a series of go-to recipes for simple suppers and keeping some essential ingredients on hand are the secrets to handling mealtime mishaps with grace.

Whether it’s planned or at the spur of the moment, serve your family a well-balanced but simple supper of Skillet Gnocci with Chard and White Beans, Mixed Green Salad with Dandelion Greens and Apple Dippers for dessert. Keep meals simple all week long with recipes like Ziti Alfredo with Vegetables, Low-Fat Cha Cha Chalupas, Basil Green Beans and Peanut Butter Pork Skewers. Register at www.MealsMatter.org to add these and other recipes to your personalized family meal plan and shopping list.

“Family Meals Matter” features registered dietitian-approved recipes from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at the free family-nutrition and meal-planning website, www.MealsMatter.org, maintained by registered dietitian moms with Dairy Council of California. Healthy Eating Made Easier™

Photo Caption:  Skillet Gnocci with Chard and White Beans, EatingWell. Photo by Ken Burris.

Love is in the air this week and we’re celebrating with family meals! Eating together at home improves nutrition and brings you closer together as a family when you turn off electronics and tune in to each other. This week, we’ve compiled red or chocolate themed recipes keeping in the spirit of Valentine’s Day to help you fall in love with family meals.

Count on Cupid for a family meal of Tuscan Tomato Turkey Burgers, Orzo with Spinach and Tomatoes and Strawberry Banana Blasts for dessert. Keep love in the air and family meals on the menu all week long with Citrus-Ginger Roasted Beets, Easy Skillet Sausage and Penne Supper, Cocoa Crusted Pork Tenderloin and Roasted Bananas with Chocolate Yogurt Cream. Register at http://www.mealsmatter.org/ to add these and other recipes to your personalized family meal plan and shopping list.

“Family Meals Matter” features registered dietitian-approved recipes from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at the free family-nutrition and meal-planning website, http://www.mealsmatter.org/, maintained by registered dietitian moms with Dairy Council of California. Healthy Eating Made Easier™

Photo Caption:  Tuscan Tomato Turkey Burgers, Tomato Products Wellness Council.

If you are anything like me, you probably already know from personal experience that to find true love, you have to learn from a couple less-than-the-best relationships along the way. It’s really no different with food. Trust me, you don’t want to learn the hard way that building your diet around some foods could leave you feeling the same way that commitment-phobic boyfriend did. So I’ve compiled a list of five types of relationships you may have experienced before and how they relate to the foods you may be eating today.

• The Commitment-Phobe: You know that person you dated thinking the relationship would last forever, but then they bolted when anything about commitment came up? Well, foods that are high in added sugars and low in fiber are like this too. They make you feel really good at first, but then they don’t commit- and you soon find yourself hungry again. The offenders are things like candy, cookies, and other snack foods. While it’s ok to flirt with these foods occasionally, develop a lasting snack relationship with foods that have staying power such as low-fat yogurt, nuts, veggies and hummus, or low-fat cheese. 
• The Bad Boy: He may seem exciting and look cute at first, but when you really get to know him, you may find yourself regretting you ever knew him at all. Packaged snacks and fast food can be like this if eaten frequently. You drive by or see them in the grocery store and they look so good, but a closer look at the nutrition facts panel shows what’s really inside-  is more calories, fat and sodium than you need and a lack of needed nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamins, and fiber. Sometimes the Bad Boy is just what you need and want and that’s okay, you just don’t want him to hang around all the time!
• The Love-You-and-Leave-You Type:  In this relationship, you are the center of the other person’s world, but then they do something to hurt you and leave you to pick up the pieces. Fried or greasy foods in large amounts may also leave you not feeling so well, often leading to indigestion. Instead, opt for a meal that will love you for the long-term like a piece of grilled fish, steamed veggies and whole grain brown rice with a glass of milk.
• The Cheater: Our least favorite of all, this relationship involves someone who lives to lie and deceive us. Sadly enough, there are foods like that too. Protein shakes, weight loss bars, and other “specialty foods” promising to build muscle or help us lose weight, but really contain untested ingredients and high amounts of fat or calories. Want foods that will help sculpt lean muscle and help you lose weight? Stick to “tell-it-like-it-is” foods, like those listed in the “True Love” section below.
• True Love: Once you find your true love, you stick with him because he commits to you, he’s good both inside and out, he loves you for the long-term, and he’s always honest and faithful. Well, nutrient-rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy foods will treat you like that too. They have staying power and won’t leave you hungry or tired; they taste good and are also full of important nutrients. These true love foods will leave you feeling good, help you build a healthy body long into the future, and they are honest about the good nutrition they provide.

Winter weather does not have to mean an end to fresh produce. While the variety is not quite as bountiful as in spring or summer, some foods do reach peak ripeness during winter months. 

When combined with fall foods that store well, like apples, pears and potatoes, it’s easy to eat in season this week with wonderful, winterful recipes. Need fresh produce storage tips? Visit the produce storage page on www.MealsMatter.org at http://ht.ly/8TTFY

Feed your family a wonderful, winterful meal of Root Vegetable Gratin, Sunday Roast Chicken with Giblet Gravy and Cinnamon-Stewed Apples. Explore other winter produce all week long with Polenta with Winter Squash, Gorgonzola and Walnuts, Roasted Pears with Cheddar Crumble, Lower Fat Parsnip and Potato Casserole and Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Zest. Register at www.MealsMatter.org to add these and other recipes to your personalized family meal plan and shopping list.

“Family Meals Matter” features registered dietitian-approved recipes from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at the free family-nutrition and meal-planning website, www.MealsMatter.org, maintained by registered dietitian moms with Dairy Council of California. Healthy Eating Made Easier™

Photo Caption:  Root Vegetable Gratin, EatingWell.