A Grape Sensation

Delicious seasonal dishes for a happy holiday

(Family Features) By incorporating versatile ingredients into your holiday cooking, you can make a vast array of tasty seasonal goodies.

For example, California grapes are abundant throughout the holiday season and add taste and visual appeal to dishes of all kinds, such as Seared Salmon with Spinach and Grapes, Grape Caprese Salad Hors d’ Oeuvres, Grapes in Rosé Wine Sauce and Wild Rice Stuffing with Grapes and Hazelnuts. Plus, they’re an easy, fresh, healthy snack to keep on-hand for hungry guests waiting for the meal. With their natural beauty, grapes can also be used to create tablescapes and centerpieces for festive holiday settings.

5 Tips for Healthier Holidays

With filling meals and tempting desserts at every corner, it can be difficult to keep nutrition in mind during the holidays. However, these simple tricks can help keep you stay on track, while still enjoying the best that the season has to offer.

• Eat a healthy snack, like grapes with hummus and crackers, before parties to avoid arriving hungry.
• Bring fresh fruit to potlucks and holiday parties for a crowd-pleasing, healthy offering.
• Alternate high-calorie beverages with water.
• Create a party platter that assembles an array of healthy nibbles, such as fresh grapes, nuts, sliced veggies with a healthy dip, seasoned popcorn and olives.
• Practice portion control to avoid overindulging despite the bounty of homemade dishes from loved ones.

Find more holiday recipe inspiration at grapesfromcalifornia.com.

Seared Salmon with Spinach and Grapes

Servings: 4

• 1          teaspoon salt
• 1          teaspoon dry mustard
• 1          teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2       teaspoon pepper
• 4          salmon steaks or fillets (6 ounces each)
• 2          teaspoons honey
• 3          teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1          large bunch spinach, washed and stemmed
• 1          clove garlic, minced
• 2          cups red California seedless grapes, halved
• 1/2       cup dry red wine

1. Heat oven to 325° F.
2. In small bowl, combine salt, mustard, thyme and pepper. Drizzle salmon fillets with honey and sprinkle with seasoning. Reserve any remaining seasoning.
3.  
4. In nonstick skillet or saute pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil. Brown both sides of salmon fillets over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side.
5. In baking dish, toss spinach and garlic with remaining olive oil. Place browned salmon on bed of spinach, cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake 8-10 minutes, or until salmon is just cooked through.
6. In skillet used to brown salmon, over medium-high heat saute grapes 1 minute. Add wine, bring to boil and reduce quantity by half. Season sauce to taste with remaining herb mixture.
7. Serve salmon on wilted spinach topped with grape and wine sauce.

Nutritional information per serving: 449 calories; 36 g protein; 20 g carbohydrates; 23 g fat; 45% calories from fat; 4.3 g saturated fat; 9% calories from saturated fat; 100 mg cholesterol; 730 mg sodium; 1,120 mg potassium; 1.6 g fiber.

Grape Caprese Salad Hors d’ Oeuvres

Servings: 24

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• high-quality, aged balsamic vinegar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 24        decorative bamboo skewers
• 24        red seedless California grapes
• 24        fresh basil leaves
• 24        small, fresh mozzarella balls
• sea salt

1. On serving plate or platter, drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar, as desired. Sprinkle with pepper.
2. To assemble skewers: On each skewer, add one red grape, one small basil leaf and one ball fresh mozzarella.
3. Lay skewers on serving platter and sprinkle with dash of sea salt.

Nutritional information per serving: 44 calories; 2.5 g protein; 1 g carbohydrates; 3 g fat; 64% calories from fat; 11 mg cholesterol; 20 mg sodium; .07 g fiber.

Grapes in Rosé Wine Sauce

Servings: 4

• 1 1/2    cups rosé wine
• 1/2       cup sugar
• 1/2       vanilla bean, split
• 1          pinch salt
• 3          cups halved red, green or black California grapes

1. In large skillet, bring wine, sugar, vanilla bean and salt to boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir in grapes and let cool.
2. Serving suggestion: Pour warm grapes over creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.

Nutritional information per serving: 250 calories; 0 g protein; 49 g carbohydrates; 0 g fat (0% calories from fat); 0 g saturated fat (0% calories from saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 55 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.

Wild Rice Stuffing with Grapes and Hazelnuts

Servings: 12

• 2          cans (28 fluid ounces total) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1          cup wild rice
• 4          slices bacon, diced
• 1          tablespoon butter, unsalted
• 1          large onion, diced
• 2          stalks celery, diced
• 1 1/2    cups button mushrooms, sliced
• 2          cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1          teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1/4       teaspoon salt
• 1/4       teaspoon black pepper, ground
• 1/4       cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1          cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2          cups California seedless grapes, picked from stem and rinsed

1. In heavy saucepan, bring chicken broth to boil. Add wild rice and stir. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Let simmer 1 hour until rice is tender and has popped open.
2. In frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon until almost crisp, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add butter to bacon pan then add onions, celery, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent.
4. Remove from heat and fold in parsley, hazelnuts and grapes.
5. Add rice with any remaining liquid to frying pan and toss well to combine.

Nutritional information per serving: 166 calories; 5.4 g protein; 21 g carbohydrates; 8 g fat; 40% calories from fat; 1.4 g saturated fat; 8% calories from saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 126 mg sodium; 2.6 g fiber.

SOURCE:
California Table Grape Commission

Back-to-School Seafood Favorites

(Family Features) With a new school year beginning, it’s important for parents to be prepared and help their children start forming good habits. For example, most children function better on a routine. They wake up every day at a certain time, they practice the same sports and eat nutritious, fresh foods that fuel their bodies.

One healthy option for kids is seafood. When kids eat at least two servings of seafood each week, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, they can receive big benefits. Fish and shellfish supply nutrients such as vitamins B and D, choline and essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are all needed for strong bones, brain development, healthy immune systems and cardiovascular systems.

In fact, research published in “Acta Paediatrica” shows an association between kids who eat fish at least once a week and better grades.

With a new routine in place, it can sometimes be hard for parents to keep up, but with fast-cooking seafood like thin fish fillets and shrimp, a healthy dinner can be ready in minutes. However, since some kids can be picky eaters, consider these tips from Joe Urban, director of food and nutrition services for Greenville County Schools, to add seafood to your family’s table.

• Start creating meals featuring seafood early in their lives, as children who are exposed to seafood at an early age may develop a fondness for the cuisine.
• Introduce them to mild varieties such as cod, pollock and haddock, then have them try other species as they become accustomed to the taste.
• Seafood can be substituted in nearly any dish that normally calls for chicken, beef, pork or other proteins. Serving seafood in familiar dishes like tacos, enchiladas, soups, salads, burgers and baked dishes can be a beneficial way for kids to eat more seafood.
• Canned seafoods like tuna and salmon make for quick, budget-friendly options when time is short, plus they can be mixed in with a variety of recipes.

For more seafood recipes and meal inspiration, visit seafoodnutrition.org or follow #Seafood2xWk on social media.

Hearty Salmon Skewers over Brown Rice

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1          pound salmon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• paprika, to taste
• 8          skewers
• 1/4       cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1          cup pineapple, cubed
• 1/2       cup canola oil
• 1          lemon
• 2          cups cooked brown rice

1. Coat salmon with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and paprika, to taste. Slide piece of salmon onto skewer, followed by tomato and then pineapple. Repeat three times on each skewer, or until skewer is full.
2. In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 cup canola oil 1 minute.
3. Place skewers in pan and turn every 2 minutes per side. Squeeze lemon on skewers while cooking.
4. To serve, place 1/2 cup rice on each plate and two skewers on top. Squeeze hint of lemon over each serving, if desired.

SOURCE:
Seafood Nutrition Partnership

A Simple, Family-Friendly Menu

(Family Features) For many households, there are some requirements when you make time to prepare a family meal. Each component must be something you can prepare quickly around extra-curricular activities and homework, and it must feature foods that even the pickiest of eaters will happily devour.

These simple recipes can help you focus that precious time on catching up around the table together. Find more family-friendly recipes at Culinary.net.

A Sweet Dinner Idea
Chicken is a favorite for all ages, and this recipe gives crunchy chicken a sweet twist that’s sure to earn clean plates. Baked, not fried, these tenders are a healthier take on traditional dippers. The tangy barbecue sauce and sweet honey mixed right into the breading makes them tasty on their own, but even better dipped in a sweet honey barbecue sauce that complements those flavors. Look for more sweet meal ideas at honey.com.

Honey Barbecue Baked Chicken Tenders

Recipe courtesy of The National Honey Board
Servings: 4

• 2/3       cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 1/2    cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2       teaspoon salt
• 1/2       teaspoon pepper
• 1/2       cup barbecue sauce
• 1/3       cup milk
• 2          eggs, beaten
• 1/4       cup honey
• 2          pounds skinless, boneless chicken tenders
• nonstick cooking spray
• Honey Barbecue Dipping Sauce:
• 1/4       cup barbecue sauce
• 2          tablespoons honey

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  
3. In large bowl, mix flour and panko with salt and pepper. In another large bowl, whip together barbecue sauce, milk, eggs and honey. Dip tenders in wet mixture then generously roll chicken tenders in panko mix. Spray tenders with nonstick cooking spray.
4. To make Honey Barbecue Dipping Sauce: Combine barbecue sauce and honey, stirring together until fully mixed.
5. Place chicken strips on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Flip tenders and bake until cooked through and outsides are crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve with Honey Barbecue Dipping Sauce.

Create Lifelong Memories in the Kitchen

Give your family an opportunity to spend quality time together in the kitchen by engaging little ones. Simply involve them in the process to teach them some lifelong kitchen skills while having fun.

Turn cooking time into family time with these tips from Uncle Ben’s “Ben’s Beginners” campaign.

1. Have Kids Set the Table. Convince your kids to help set the table by putting out utensils, plates and napkins. It’s a simple task to get children of any age involved in family routines.
2. Let Them Stir. Give those fidgety fingers something to do by letting kids stir ingredients.
3. Get Clean. Use this time to teach food safety as your children help you scrub produce. As a bonus, it also helps reinforce washing hands.
4. Count on the Counter. Put your kids to the test to help count and measure ingredients as you add them to the recipe.
5. Rock ’n’ Roll. Blast some fun tunes. This can help hold kids’ attention while working.
6. Share the Joy. Make every moment sharable by staging the final product for a quick photo shoot.
7. Have Fun. Dress for the occasion with matching aprons and chefs’ hats. Tweak recipes to embrace your family’s interests and make dinner something to smile about.

For more tips and tricks on getting kids in the kitchen, and for recipes the entire family can cook together, visit beginners.unclebens.com.

Easy Rice

Prep time: 30-45 minutes
Servings: 6

• 1          box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice, Original Recipe
• 2 1/4    cups water
• 2          tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2          cups chopped leeks (white parts only)
• 1/2       cup orange juice
• 1          tablespoon lemon juice
• 1          tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1          large clove garlic, passed through press
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1/8       teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In 2-quart saucepan, add rice and spice packet, water and 1/2 tablespoon butter. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 25 minutes.
2. In large skillet, melt remaining butter. Add leeks and cook over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Add orange juice, lemon juice, sage and garlic. Cook over high heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cooked rice to skillet and stir 1 minute until rice is hot. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and cinnamon.

Delicious Dessert in Minutes

These no-bake frozen cupcakes are the perfect size for a light and refreshing after-school or evening dessert. Creamy and tart, they’re just the right blend of flavor for a treat the whole family can enjoy. Even better, the prep time is minimal so you can whip up a batch after bedtime and have them ready to enjoy the next day. Or ask your little ones for help with making the cakes for a fun activity together. Find more desserts you can share together at nestleusa.com.

Frozen Lemonade Cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of Nestlé Kitchens
Servings: 18

• 1          frozen pound cake (10 3/4 ounces), reduced-fat or fat-free
• 1          can (14 ounces) Nestlé La Lechera Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk or Nestlé Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1          container (6 ounces) frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate, partially thawed
• 1          tub (12 ounces) frozen light whipped topping, thawed
• grated lemon peel (optional)

1. Prepare 18 muffin cups with 18 liners.
2. Cut pound cake into 18 slices. Using 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter or appropriate size to fit into paper liners, cut slices into rounds; discard cake scraps or save for another use. Place cake rounds into paper liners.
3. In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and lemonade concentrate; stir well. Stir large spoonful of whipped topping into mixture. Fold in remaining whipped topping. Spoon evenly into liners.
4. Freeze 2 hours. Cover; freeze several hours, or overnight, before serving. Garnish with lemon peel, if desired.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images (Honey Barbecue Baked Chicken Tenders and Easy Rice)

SOURCE:
Culinary.net