3-A-Day™ of Dairy : Morning Buzz

Cheddar N Ham Muffins

3ADay — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:13:41 -0700

Makes 9 servings
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup lowfat sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 3/4 cup reduced fat all-purpose baking mix
* 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 1/4 cup lowfat ham, finely chopped

Mix cheeses, milk and baking mix together; add pepper and ham. Mix well and spoon into lined muffin pans 1/2 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe created by Get 3! subscriber Carolann Kline of Oklahoma
Nutritional Facts per serving for individual food recipe:
Calories: 140
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 470 mg
Calcium: 20% Daily Value
Protein: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g

Escape to Nature’s Sanctuary

3ADay — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:16:27 -0700

Autumn’s golden hues set the tone for an exhilarating outdoor adventure.

Fall foliage is at its peak. Why not treat yourself to a long hike under an autumn canopy of red, orange and gold? Not only will you get a terrific workout; you’ll become more relaxed as the rustling-crunch of each step carries you further from the bustle of daily life and deeper into nature’s sanctuary. So go ahead and take a little time to reconnect with yourself or with your loved ones outdoors.

Take Time for You

It was a long, busy summer. You’ve earned a little time to yourself! Forget that load of laundry; leave your to-do list behind. This day is just for you. Send your husband and kids on a Saturday morning field trip. Set the mood with a Chocolate Comfort Sipper and hop in the tub for a long, luxurious bath. Once you’re refreshed and ready to go, pick a local hiking trail, grab your favorite music mix and hit the road! And please don’t worry what your family will eat for lunch while you’re away. You made a delicious pot of hearty Slow-Cooker Creamy Vegetable Barley Soup the night before.

Reconnect with Your Partner

Nothing rekindles romance like a warm autumn afternoon. Why not pack a basket of your favorite wine and cheeses and toast the day? Ask a friend or family member to take your kids for the day - or better yet, overnight. Before heading out, prepare a romantic pre-hike brunch of Cinnamon Swirl Yogurt French Toast just for two. Then pop online to find the best fall foliage, and you’re on your way! Remember, this outing is as much of an exercise in reconnecting as it is a physical workout. While you’re away, why not treat yourselves to a candlelight dinner at that quaint little inn you’ve always wanted to visit? Since you’re already there, you might as well stay the night and hike the trails again tomorrow!

Apple Picking with Your Family

Looking for a great way to have fun and get exercise as a family? Why not check out the fall foliage at your local apple farm? Not only will you get a fantastic workout from picking apples, climbing in trees and taking hayrides; you’ll also get to bring home all the sweet, delicious fruits of your labor! Those tart, green apples will taste great in a scrumptious Baked Apples with Cinnamon Yogurt Topping dessert. Golden, juicy apples are the perfect ingredient for a quick and easy Apple Yogurt Smoothie snack.

Now that you’ve gotten a taste of the great outdoors, you can’t wait to do it again! As you head for the door you hear the thump, thump, thump of an old familiar friend. Your dog knows you’re setting out for another wilderness adventure. His wagging tail begs “me too!” Why not bring him along? You might be inspired to take an even longer walk than usual. Plus, the added resistance as he pulls you along will help burn more calories and work your muscles. Happy hiking!

Scrambled Egg and Mozzarella Breakfast Pizza

3ADay — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:33:52 -0700

Makes 2 servings
Prep Time: 4 min
Cook Time: 9 min

Ingredients

* 1 whole wheat English muffin
* 2 mushrooms, sliced
* 2 green onions, finely chopped
* 4 tablespoons diced green or red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup egg substitute
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* oregano or Italian seasoning, dash
* 4 teaspoons pizza sauce
* 1/2 cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Split English muffin in half and toast; set aside.

Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green onions and bell pepper. Cook, stirring continuously for 2 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Stir egg substitute, pepper and oregano into vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring continuously until egg substitute is set, about 2 minutes.

Spread 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto each English muffin half. Spoon a quarter of the egg mixture over pizza sauce and top with a quarter of the cheese. Spoon the remaining egg mixture and cheese evenly on top of the muffins. Place the muffins on a baking sheet and bake* for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

*Or, bake in a toaster oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.

Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
Nutritional Facts per serving for individual food recipe:
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg
Sodium: 520 mg
Calcium: 30% Daily Value
Protein: 17 g (7 grams from dairy)
Carbohydrates: 19 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g

Protect Your Heart With Dairy

3ADay — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:31:30 -0700

Chances are your doctor has taken your blood pressure to determine if you’re one of the 65 million American adults who have high blood pressure (HBP). HBP is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder than it normally would. The force needed to pump blood through your body can harm your arteries and organs, especially your heart. The good news is there are ways to help lower your blood pressure without medicine. And eating low-fat dairy foods as part of a balanced, low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one of them!

Add Dairy to Your Diet

Studies have shown that the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan is an effective way to lower your blood pressure. In fact, this low-fat diet, rich in dairy foods, fruits and vegetables, has effects similar to single drug therapy in lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing blood pressure!

Dr. David W. Harsha, PhD, of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University and co-author of the DASH-Sodium study, feels the DASH diet can greatly improve the overall health of America.

“We calculate that if the American population as a whole adopted the DASH diet, it would reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease by about 15 percent, and from stroke by about 27 percent,” he said.

Taking Notice

The overwhelming evidence caught the attention of the American Heart Association (AHA). In 2006, the AHA released new diet and lifestyle recommendations which included the DASH diet guidelines. This update re-enforced their call in 2005 for Americans to eat 2 to 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese or yogurt every day to help meet daily nutrition requirements.

How Does Dairy Do It?

Researchers can’t definitively say why dairy products help drive down blood pressure levels. However, “a trio of minerals – calcium, potassium and magnesium – all found in dairy foods may play an important role in maintaining blood pressure,” according to registered dietitian Connie Diekman, president of the American Dietetic Association and director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

As the evidence builds, it becomes a harder fact to ignore – when consumed as part of the DASH diet, low-fat dairy can help lower your blood pressure and protect your heart. What better reason do you need to make sure you get your 3 servings of dairy a day?

Power Up With Breakfast

3ADay — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:39:31 -0700

Eating breakfast regularly helps build healthy bodies.

Did you know that a smart breakfast that includes foods from all five food groups can supply ¼ of your child’s daily nutrient requirements? No wonder it’s regarded as the most important meal of the day. To help your family get a nutritious start each morning, be sure to offer a variety of colorful fruits, veggies and delicious whole grains at the breakfast table. And don’t forget the dairy! For a winning combination, try incorporating at least three nutrient-rich foods-like yogurt, fruit and granola.

Breakfast Brain Power

Wholesome foods help create healthy minds. That’s why it’s especially important to eat breakfast each morning. Studies show that kids who eat breakfast may have an easier time focusing on learning, thinking clearly and being on their best behavior. They also had better test scores, grades and attendance records, plus fewer visits to the school nurse. It makes sense when you think about it. It’s hard to feel at your best when you’re hungry! You can help your kids work and feel their best by making your breakfast routine as simple as possible. Keep plenty of breakfast foods easily accessible and ready to eat. Bake a batch of Cheddar N Ham Muffins at the start of the week and refrigerate or freeze. They’re quick and easy to reheat. Or keep Homemade Low-fat Granola in a handy single-serving container so it can be mixed with yogurt for a fast, nutritious meal.

Fifteen Minutes that Make a Difference

Sometimes morning brings chaos. We know you’ve got lots to do. Sitting your kids at the breakfast table while you do an extra task or two can help you get things done more quickly. But consider this: eating breakfast as a family can have a beneficial impact on your children’s health and well being. By setting aside just 15 minutes for breakfast together each morning, your kids can learn the importance of making time to eat and to connect with loved ones every day. Plus there’s added benefits for you. Not only will you be proud of yourself for setting a good example for your kids-you just might have extra energy to spare. To make more time for breakfast in the morning, do your best to prepare as a family the night before. Pack school bags and pick the next day’s clothing as part of your kid’s bedtime routine. Have them help set the breakfast table, too! They can put their favorite cereal in plastic sealed containers. When they wake up the next morning, all they have to do is add the cold, delicious milk!

A Meal Plan for Busy Mornings

We all have those days when there isn’t a moment to spare. Moms especially have a tendency to feel guilty when things just don’t go as planned. Remember to be patient with yourself- it happens to the best of us! On busy mornings, preparation is the key. Make a plan to have plenty of portable string cheese and yogurt snacks on hand at all times. They’re ready to go in a snap and can be eaten anywhere. Another great way to be pro-active: pre-pack snack-size containers of your kids’ favorite cereal and keep plenty of travel-sized milk handy.

Breakfast is a cause we can all believe in. Many states offer Breakfast in the Classroom and Grab ‘n’ Go programs to help students stay on track. Be sure to check out the breakfast initiatives in your school district.

Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Shake

3ADay — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:17:53 -0700

Makes 1 servings
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 5 min

Ingredients

* 1 cup fat free or lowfat milk
* 1/2 cup frozen banana slices
* 1 tbsp. peanut butter
* 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* sweet cocoa powder (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder, if desired.

Nutritional Facts per serving for individual food recipe:
Calories: 270
Total Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 220 mg
Calcium: 35% Daily Value
Protein: 15 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g

Power Your Pregnancy with Calcium!

3ADay — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:01:24 -0700

Keep mom and baby growing strong with a balanced diet and a variety of nutrient-rich foods like milk, cheese and yogurt.

You’re pregnant. Congratulations! A lot of amazing changes will happen to you and your baby in the coming the months. Calcium plays a major role in this process. Now it’s more important than ever to get your 3-A-Day of Dairy. Let’s take a look at why calcium is so important for you and baby at this exciting time.

The Dairy Beginning

Weeks 1-4 - You’ve started taking prenatal yoga to prepare for the big event. As you enjoy inner stillness it may not feel like much is happening in your body. But there’s a whole lot going on! That's why it’s important to get plenty of calcium as soon as you know you’re pregnant. For women age 19 and older, that means at least 1,000 mg daily. You can get that amount, for example, by eating 1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt, an 8 ounce glass of milk, and a 1.5 ounce slice of Cheddar cheese over the course of a day. Moms-to-be age 18 and under can get the recommended 1,300 mg of calcium by having an extra cup of plain low-fat yogurt.

A Strong Foundation

Week 5 - Your baby’s heart is now beating strong as you do low impact aerobics to help stay heart healthy. Why not treat yourself to a Banana Fudge Smoothie after class? During the next month your baby’s growing fast -be sure to keep the calcium coming! It will provide the strong foundation for your baby's cartilage, bones and teeth. Keep in mind: the dairy you eat today is helping build your baby’s strong body and beautiful smile. And your servings of dairy is helping protect your teeth, too!

Time for Rapid Growth

Week 10 - The most critical phase of your baby’s development is now complete. Still, it’s important to continue exercising and eating lots of calcium-rich food during the next ten weeks of rapid growth. Why not enjoy a Cheesy Stuffed Potato after swimming gentle laps at the pool?

When you think about the fact that many women are not meeting their calcium intake recommendation to begin with, it’s easy to see why three daily servings of dairy is so important!

The Final Stretch

Week 24 - Did you know that your body absorbs more calcium from foods during the last two trimesters of pregnancy and while you are breast feeding than it does when you’re not pregnant? Milk, cheese, and yogurt are your best sources for high-calcium meals. So be sure to check the 3-A-Day Recipe Pantry for lots of healthy recipe and snack ideas that also taste great, like Crustless Spinach Quiche and Baked Pears with Vanilla Yogurt and Granola .

Happy Birthday, Baby!

The big day is here. Congratulations, mom-all your hard work has finally paid off! Even though your baby is no longer growing inside of you, you still need to take care of yourself which includes eating a healthy balanced diet. And don't forget to eat your 3 servings of dairy a day. If you are breastfeeding keep in mind that you have a higher need for some vitamins and minerals. Check out the MyPyramid Plan for Moms for a personalized plan that meets most of these increased needs.

Creamy Banana Walnut Oatmeal

3ADay — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:33:49 -0700

Makes 1 servings
Prep Time: 3 min
Cook Time: 3 min

Ingredients

* 1 cup fat free skim or 1% lowfat milk
* 2 packets instant oatmeal
* 1/2 ripe banana, mashed
* 1/2 tablespoon chopped walnuts

In a small bowl, combine milk and packets of oatmeal; Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes until steaming hot, but not boiling. Stir until creamy. Stir in mashed banana. Garnish with walnuts and serve.

Wake up to this tasty, satisfying bowl of oatmeal that is made with milk instead of water. Try using your favorite flavored oatmeal to add an extra kick.

This recipe is owned by 3-A-Day of Dairy and/or one of our partners. As a courtesy, we ask that you please contact us at 3aday@rosedmi.com if you would like to use this recipe in print.
Nutritional Facts per serving for individual food recipe:
Calories: 370
Fat: 2.5 g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholestero: l5 mg
Sodium1: 10 mg
Calcium: 25% Daily Value
Protein: 17 g
Carbohydrates: 61 g

Add a Little Yoga to Your Diet

3ADay — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:31:08 -0700

Yoga -it’s no longer just for patchouli-scented spiritual folks and those highly in tune with Eastern practices. Chances are, you have already tried it or even have friends who don't stop talking about how much they love it. Last week, I attended a class at my macho, testosterone-filled, weight lifters gym that had more men than women trying to stretch their taut hamstrings into a downward-facing dog.

In typical, entrepreneurial American fashion, we have taken the popularity of yoga and run with it, ensuring there is truly something for everyone. Yoga studios have popped up everywhere offering specialty classes like pre-natal yoga, rock n’ roll yoga and kids yoga. There’s even doga… yoga with your dog. (Who wouldn’t want an enlightened canine counterpart?)

About five years ago, I began practicing yoga when my employer offered a free weekly class at the office. The instructor was friendly and encouraging and I was intrigued to learn what yoga was about. At first, my athletic competitiveness drew me to conquer the headstands, backbends and other physical feats. (Eventually, I did gain the flexibility and strength to stand on my head for minutes at a time.) However, as I was busy showing off upside-down headstands the real benefits of yoga were sneaking up on me.

Yoga uses movement, breath, posture and meditation to help one find harmony between the mind and body and learn to establish a healthy and balanced approach to life. Without realizing it, I found myself using yoga breathing to battle stresses at work and fight off moments of creeping anxiety. Like many in our culture, I led an overly busy life and my control freak tendencies often had me stressed about managing it all. By focusing on the present, taking deep breaths and turning my attention inward, I learned to calm myself down and put my anxieties in perspective.

Over time, my yoga practice has become a quieter one, sometimes performing simple, rhythmic poses before bed or even just focusing inward and practicing slow breathing while waiting in a long line. But I still sling my mat over my shoulder and head to the gym for an athletic yoga class now and then because I love a good sweat. Still, the other benefits of yoga can be achieved almost anywhere: while stranded in airports, fighting tourist traffic on Michigan Avenue in Chicago or even recently during the birth of my daughter (I thanked my lucky stars for the lessons of inner peace, endurance and stress management that yoga has taught me).

About the Author:

Caroline Lubbers writes the food-focused blog,
Whipped. She manages her strategic consulting business, Goldfish Marketing Communications and is a new mom.

Pumpkin Yogurt Cheesecake Shake

3ADay — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:20:22 -0700

Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients

* 1 can (14 ounces) pumpkin, chilled
* 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
* 1 container (6 ounces) lowfat vanilla yogurt
* 2 cups lowfat milk
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
* 6 teaspoons graham cracker crumbs, optional

Place all ingredients (except graham cracker crumbs) in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and top each serving with a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, if desired.

Yield: 1/6 of the shake, per serving

Recipe created by 3-A-Day™ of Dairy
Nutritional Facts per serving for individual food recipe:
Calories: 150
Total Fat: 3.5 g
Saturated: Fat: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 135 mg
Calcium: 20% Daily Value
Protein: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g