May is Family Wellness Month!
Research shows family meal time can lead to positive outcomes like an increase in nourishing food options like fruits and vegetables, better family relationships, and improved academics in children. In addition to work and school schedules, it can be hard to always have family mealtime.
Here are some easy and effective steps to helping make family dinner time happen!
1. Have a week’s worth of menus in mind.
Choose options that are easy and popular with each family member. Once you have a meal in mind, like spaghetti, tacos, or turkey burgers, all you have to do is add in some colorful options like fruits or vegetables to make the meal complete.
2. Keep quick-to-fix foods stocked in the kitchen.
Keep things on hand that are easy to make like rice, pasta, beans, and frozen or canned fruits and vegetables will help with the side dish. All you have to worry about is the main dish when it’s time to make dinner.
3. Bulk prepare main ingredients.
Have items that are freezer-friendly and can be batch cooked to save time in the kitchen. Cook a double or triple batch of lentils or beans, or whole grains like rice and quinoa.
4. Have the family involved from start to finish.
Get the whole family involved, even very young children, to have a helping hand during meal preparation. Assign age-appropriate tasks like choosing the dessert, mixing pre-cut vegetables, or setting down the silverware on the table. Little tasks go a long way!
Information gathered & adapted from:
https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/cooking-tips-and-trends/delicious-family-dinners-for-weeknightshttps://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0518p34.shtml
Zucchini Turkey Burgers
Servings: 4 burgers
Ingredients
2 cups zucchini, grated
3 green onions, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
1. Cut and mix together the zucchini and green onion.
2. Add the fresh cilantro, minced garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne together with the oil. Stir well to combine.
3. Add the turkey and mix gently until combined. Be careful not to over mix.
4. Form patties of your desired size.
5. Cook about 5 minutes on each side in a hot skillet with the olive oil.
6. Serve on a bun with your favorite condiments and enjoy!
Serving Size: 1 burger
Nutrition Information per Serving: 12.2 grams total fat, 3.0 gram of saturated fat, 9.2 grams carbohydrate, 1.6 gram fiber, 24.4 grams protein, 86.6 milligrams sodium, 82.4 milligrams potassium, 2.4 grams sugar
Recipe adapted from:
https://cookeatshare.com/recipes/zucchini-turkey-burgers-727537
