Summer's freshest ideas to feed your kids well

(ARA) – Summertime brings out the best in family meals -- fresh vegetables and fruit, fresh-air dining and a fresh opportunity for parents to maintain their commitment to feeding their kids well.

According to a recent study by Ohio State University and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, of children ages 2 to 5, less than 22 percent meet recommendations for their daily vegetable intake and for children ages 6 to 11, it’s less than 16 percent.

“With a little creative know-how, it’s easy to create summer meals that are full of veggies, value, variety and versatility,” says Sylvia Klinger, a registered dietitian, mother of two and member of the Ragu nutrition advisory panel.

Klinger offers some tips for adding more of the good stuff to your kids’ diets this summer.

* Eat out … side: Spend less time in the kitchen with quick and easy recipes like Chicken Margherita. Once the meal is ready to go, dine together on the patio, or spread a picnic blanket on your lawn for a special summer celebration.

* Nurture natural nutrition: Use the summer break to teach your kids about satisfying and nutritious meals. Bring them along to the farmers market, or take a special trip to a local farm. Let them select from among the fresh, brightly colored vegetables, then decide as family how to prepare them.

“One of the easiest ways to incorporate veggies into children’s diets is to use a great tasting tomato sauce like Ragu Old World Style pasta sauce, which provides more than a full serving of vegetables in every half-cup of sauce,” says Klinger. “It also contains vitamins A and C, anti-oxidants and lycopene. Add even more vegetables by combining with your farm-fresh suggestions for a delicious veggie pizza.”

* Skip the sweets, but delight in dessert: Keeping dinner healthy doesn’t have to mean sacrificing dessert. Take advantage of the abundance of fruits in the summer to make dessert as healthy as the main course. Slice up a juicy watermelon or freeze fruit juice in a cup with fresh fruit for your own homemade ice pops.

* Switch up summer snacking: Being out of school means kids have more free time to snack. While eating frequent, small meals is a good idea, it’s important to keep kids focused on the good stuff. Get in the habit of switching from junk food to healthy bites by preparing good-for-you snacks in advance.

For nutritious meal inspiration and delicious recipes visit www.Ragu.com.

Try these kid-friendly recipes the whole family is sure to love:

Chicken Margherita

Makes four servings. Prep time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups Ragu Old World Style Margherita Smooth Pasta Sauce
4 slices fresh or packaged mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Season chicken, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken, turning once, about 5 minutes. Add sauce and simmer covered 5 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Top chicken with cheese, then let stand until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Garnish with basil. Serve, if desired, with hot cooked penne pasta topped with additional sauce, heated.

Meatball Hero Sandwiches

Makes four servings. Prep Time: 10 minutes. Cook Time: 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 pound. lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 jar (1 pound,10 ounces.) Ragu Old World Style Sweet Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
4 Italian rolls (about 6 inches long each), halved lengthwise
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions:

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs and egg in medium bowl; shape into 12 meatballs. Bring Pasta Sauce to a boil in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently stir in uncooked meatballs. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until meatballs are done. Serve meatballs and sauce in rolls, topped with cheese.

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Sweeten Summer with Cool, Refreshing Smoothies

(ARA) - Warm summer days call for the perfect frosty refreshment. Try homemade fruit smoothies -- sweetened naturally with pure honey. Creating your own creamy concoctions is easy -- simply blend together your favorite fruits with ice cubes, milk or yogurt and a touch of honey. Honey is the secret ingredient to enhancing the sweet flavors of the fruits.

Blend up your own delicious smoothies with these easy tips:

* Add variety: Experiment with different combinations of fresh fruits. Try melons, berries and tropical fruits such as mangoes, bananas and pineapple.
* Make it thick: Add a few more ice cubes for a creamier mix.
* Keep it cold: Instead of using fresh fruit, use frozen fruit for a colder and thicker beverage. You can buy frozen fruit or freeze your own.
* On the go: Make smoothies ahead of time and store in the freezer.
* Prevent sticky situations: Add honey and any additional liquids to the blender first to prevent it from binding up on the frozen fruit and getting stuck.

Try these simple smoothie recipes from the National Honey Board. For more recipes and additional honey tips and information, visit www.honey.com.

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 large kiwi, peeled
1 container (8 ounces) low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup honey
12 to 15 ice cubes

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Tropical Smoothie
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup honey
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla (Substitute vanilla yogurt for plain yogurt and vanilla, if desired.)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 ice cubes

Directions:
Combine milk, bananas, yogurt, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in blender or food processor; process until thick and creamy. Add ice cubes, one at a time, and blend until smooth.

Honey Breakfast Drink
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup low-fat dry milk
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 large banana, peeled and sliced
4 to 5 ice cubes

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and mix well.

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Summer Family Fun with Blueberries

(ARA) – Summer brings warm weather, a break from school and endless hours spent outdoors with friends and family. Summer is also a time for good eating, with farmer’s markets and roadside stands brimming over with the fruits and berries of the season. Locally grown blueberries are available in most areas of the country and from all reports, this year’s supply is excellent.

Blueberries are the perfect grab ‘n’ go snack for active families, combining the best that nature has to offer: good nutrition and luscious flavor. A cup of blueberries has just 80 calories and is an excellent source of vitamin C, a good source of fiber and manganese, an essential mineral our bodies need every day. Blueberries also contain antioxidants that may contribute to good health. But there’s no need to clue the kids into the nutrition benefits of blueberries when they’re so much fun to eat.

A great summer family activity is blueberry picking at a local farm. Look for nearby pick-your-own farms or, if the drive is a bit longer, make a day trip out of it. Kids of all ages can get in on the action since blueberries grow on bushes within arm’s reach.

Once you get your berries home -- whether from the farm or the supermarket -- refrigerate in a covered container or the plastic packs they came in. A quick rinse just before using and they’re ready for action. They never need to be peeled, pitted, stemmed or chopped.

A breakfast featuring fresh blueberry pancakes is certain to be a hit. Use your favorite pancake recipe or a prepared batter and simply drop a few blueberries onto the pancakes as they cook in the pan, before flipping them over.

For a lazy summer afternoon refresher, make a tall pitcher of “Pink-and-Blueberry Lemonade.” The pink color of the lemonade happens completely naturally with the addition of a few blueberries to the fresh lemon juice and sugar. This lemonade treat can be even more fun with long spoons to pull out and eat the blueberries that float in the glass. If you don’t have fresh blueberries on hand, this special lemonade works just as well with frozen blueberries.

And throughout the year, you can surprise the kids with blueberry ice cubes to add to lemonade, apple juice or fruit punch. Just drop blueberries into an ice cube tray, cover with water or juice and freeze.

You can find more blueberry recipes and information, including a list of u-pick farms, at www.blueberrycouncil.org.

Pink and Blueberry Lemonade

1/3 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
1/2 cup lemon juice

In 1-quart glass measuring cup, combine sugar, 2 tablespoons of the blueberries and 1/2 cup water. Microwave on high until hot, about 1 minute; stir until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice and enough water to make 1 quart; chill. Fill tall glasses with ice cubes, add chilled blueberry mixture and remaining berries, dividing equally. Garnish with lemon slices if desired.

Yield: 1 quart or 4 (8-ounce) servings

Per serving: 94 calories, 25 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, 20 mg vitamin C

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Fresh Blueberries for Luscious Salads

CC Note: We bit into this salad recipe and will be doing it again and again. We give it 4 chocolate covered strawberries in our rating system of new dishes.

(ARA) - Blueberries are most abundant and least expensive in the summer, making it an ideal time to get your fill of these little blue gems. Stock the fridge and freezer with blueberries to make meals, snacks and desserts that are easy on the cook. Blueberries never need to be peeled, pitted, stemmed or chopped –just a quick rinse and they’re ready to eat or add to recipes.

Try these ideas for making quick, delicious salads that are enjoyable any time:

* Toss blueberries, chopped pineapple, jalapeno pepper and cilantro with lime juice and serve beside grilled chicken breasts.

* Stir blueberries into your favorite tuna salad and scoop onto baby spinach.

* Whirl vinaigrette salad dressing and blueberries in the blender until smooth and toss with green salads.

Blueberries are not only convenient, they also provide nutrients our bodies need every day. You can find more blueberry recipes and information at www.blueberrycouncil.org.

“Blueberry-Mango Colada Salad” is cool and fresh, boasting bright colors and sweet fruit flavors. With just three ingredients, this delicious salad is a snap to make. Spoon it into stemmed glasses and enjoy as a light fruit dessert. Another option is to serve with meat sizzling from the grill or with simple chicken sandwiches.

Blueberry-Mango Colada Salad

2 cups fresh blueberries
2 mangos, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1-3/4 cups)
1/4 cup frozen pina colada mix, thawed

In a large bowl, toss blueberries, mangos and pina colada mix. Into four martini glasses or dessert dishes, spoon fruit mixture, dividing evenly. Garnish with blueberries, mango slices and thin lime slices threaded onto long toothpicks, if desired.

YIELD: 4 portions

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