Not all nachos are cheesy, greasy, and full of junk. Try making nachos with apple slices instead to get a serving of fruit, fiber and natural sugar. The result are these Nutty Apple Nachos. They are a perfect party dessert that is healthy too!
These Nutty Apple Nachos are the perfect combination of nutritious and indulgent. We chose walnuts to crumble on top of our nachos base because they are high in magnesium, protein and good fats. Walnuts also help to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Next, we add all natural peanut butter for more protein, and a drizzle of melted dark chocolate so the nachos feel a little more like dessert. Look for dark chocolate that is 70% or more cacao. A higher cacao concentration means more fiber, iron, potassium and zinc. Who knew that a little bit of chocolate could be good for the body?
Try these Nutty Apple Nachos and you will not be disappointed. They are the perfect combination of sweet and salty. They are also full of nutrition!
Have you ever eaten hummus? Hummus is a traditional dish from the Middle East/North Africa that is made with chickpeas. It’s the perfect creamy dip for crackers and vegetables. In fact, over 15 million Americans say that they eat hummus, so you are in good company if you have tried hummus before. If not, you can definitely find this tasty snack in your local grocery store and in restaurants. Hummus can be purchased in those places, but it can also be made at home. We love this recipe for Homemade Edamame Hummus.
If you’ve had hummus on your radar for quite some time, you’ve probably begun to see all the different variations at your grocery store. There’s hummus made with black beans, white beans, and… edamame! Edamame is a type of fresh bean that is also an April Foods of the Month. It’s also a perfect base for this Homemade Edamame Hummus recipe.
Boil the edamame in water for 4 to 5 minutes, or microwave in a microwave safe dish for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a food processor, blend together the edamame, tahini/peanut butter, water, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and cumin until smooth. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix until combined.
Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the parsley and drizzle with remaining oil and garnish with extra parsley and full edamame beans.
Serve with carrots, celery, cucumbers, olive and crackers.
This quick and easy Chickpea Celery Dip recipe is a delicious plant-based snack. Enjoy this dip, which only takes a few minutes to eat, after school or after lunch. Usually, we think of celery as something that you use for dipping, but in this recipe, the celery is in the dip! Celery is also a stem vegetable, which is a March Foods of the Month.
We love that this Chickpea Celery Dip recipe is full of nutritious ingredients like chickpeas, celery, herbs and Greek yogurt. Chickpeas are packed with fiber, protein, and other important nutrients like magnesium, and iron. Celery is naturally very low in calories and provides some fiber too. Impress your friends with this dip recipes. It’s a fun way to put a stem vegetable in a dip. Serve with whole grain crackers, pretzels or pita chips.
Baked Parmesan Asparagus with Breadcrumbs: A nutritious side dish…
Asparagus is a type of stem vegetable, which is a Foods of the Month in March. Stem vegetables are vegetables that are the stem of a plant, rather than the root or the leaves. Other stem vegetables include celery, rhubarb and fennel. Asparagus can be eaten in a variety of ways, but we love this recipe for Baked Parmesan Asparagus with Breadcrumbs. The cheese and the whole wheat breadcrumbs make it extra tasty!
Stem vegetables like asparagus are perfect for springtime meals, since this is when they are in season. Take advantage of asparagus in these months by making this recipe. By itself, asparagus is a healthy choice. One cup of cooked asparagus has only 27 calories, and provides a good source of iron, Vitamin A and fiber. It’s also a naturally fat free food (like most vegetables), so you can feel good about eating this Baked Parmesan Asparagus with Breadcrumbs recipe. Add some good fats from the extra virgin olive oil and some whole grains from the breadcrumbs and we give asparagus even more of a nutritional boost! We suggest serving this dish with fish, another March Foods of the Month, or chicken for a healthy and complete dinner.
For those of you who are in a time crunch when it’s dinnertime, we have the perfect recipe for you! This Easy Baked Salmon and Veggies recipe only takes about 5 minutes to prepare, and bakes in the oven for another 25 minutes. It’s a wholesome meal that you can have on the table in exactly 30 minutes.
This dish is totally packed with nutrition too. The salmon is full of omega 3 fatty acids which help brain development and keep your skin healthy. Pick two types of vegetables – we chose broccoli and cherry tomatoes but you can use whatever you have on hand. The vegetables ensure that you are getting a healthy dose of Vitamins and minerals to keep your bodies running smoothly. Also, don’t forget the serving of protein that comes along with the salmon. It’s really a filling and delicious meal!
For those of you who want to add a bit more bulk to this meal, know that you can serve it over pasta or whole grain brown rice as well. Simply prepare the pasta or rice while the the salmon and vegetables bake in the oven. It will make the protein and vegetables last a bit longer and will help you feel fuller longer by adding more fiber to this perfect meal.
1 package precut broccoli, or 1 large head broccoli, chopped into pieces
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
The juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Arrange the salmon in the center of a baking dish and add the sun-dried tomatoes on top. Add the cherry tomatoes on one side and the broccoli on the other.
Drizzle the fish and the vegetables with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. The vegetables should look blistered and the fish should have some white fat coming out of it to indicate that it's fully cooked.
Juice the lemon over the dish and serve plain or on top of pasta or brown rice.
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