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Baby Steps to Improve Your Health

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Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian, Erin Good, shares three small actions to take every day to improve your health and fitness levels in BIG ways. 

Baby Step: Planning your meals
Even better: Planning your snacks! Since the pandemic, around 41 percent of consumers under age 35 say they’re snacking more than normal. Bump things up a notch and focus on eating real foods instead of bars or processed foods. Healthy snacks contain carbohydrates and protein such as fresh fruit with nuts or seeds (Erin’s pick: cherries and pistachios), raw veggies and cream cheese, or a hard-boiled egg and whole grain crackers. 

Baby Step: Buying baked chips or crackers
Even better: Substituting those with crunchy nuts, chickpea puffs, green pea crisps or popcorn. Don’t be fooled by veggie-named products! Check the food label and pick a salty snack with at least 2-3 grams of fiber to help you feel full and satisfied longer.

Baby Step: Eating fruits and veggies every day
Even better: Eating a rainbow of colors every day including dark greens (spinach, kale, broccoli), red or yellow (carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peaches, watermelon), white (cauliflower, onions, water chestnuts, bananas, apples), and blue or purple (red cabbage, eggplant, blueberries).

New! Hy-Vee Dietitians Host “From Bump to Babe” Classes
Whether you’re a new mom (or planning on becoming pregnant), these new classes are for you! Providing the right nutrition is the best gift you can give your baby while you anticipate their wonderful arrival.   

For more details and easy registration, simply scan the QR code! 

Prenatal Nutrition Tour: Learn the basics of eating for all stages of pregnancy, including postpartum, as well as the best foods to build a healthy baby. 

Fuel Your Fertility Nutrition Tour: Learn the basics of eating to support your fertility, whether you’re planning for pregnancy or simply want to maintain a healthy cycle. 

Virtual Group BEGIN Class
10-Week Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Management Program
Wednesdays from 4:00 – 4:30 PM, starting August 4

Prioritize your health, gain more energy and boost your confidence alongside a nutrition expert! BEGIN is not a diet. BEGIN is a plan to help with lifelong wellness. Learn the necessary tools to tackle your health. For pricing and registration, visit hy-vee.com/health/begin-program/. 

Follow Erin on Hy-Vee’s Healthy You series on HSTV.com – for weekly meal and snack inspiration.

Erin Good, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Inc., Registered Dietitian
egood@hy-vee.com 

Smart Strategies for Summer

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Warmer weather signals the arrival of summer, and with it comes many reasons to celebrate! But often good weather also brings on some of the most tempting eats and drinks around—ice cream, blended coffee beverages, and potato and pasta salads galore, just to name a few. 

Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian Erin Good shares her top three warm-weather tips to help you make the healthy choice an easy choice this summer. Your taste buds and waistline will thank you!

1. Grill something new and seasonal, like stone fruits. Stone fruits include apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums. Simply cut in half and remove pit; grill on medium heat cut-side down, flip once; and remove from grill after five minutes, or when fruit is softened and just charred. Enjoy for dessert, or add to a green or grain salad! 

2. Hydrate happier at the pool or baseball game. Plan ahead and make your own fruit-infused waters. Your beverage will not only look delicious, but it’ll taste refreshing while keeping you hydrated. Simply combine thinly sliced strawberries and lemon slices with cold water or try cilantro, lime wedges and watermelon cubes in sparkling water served over crushed ice.

Infused detox water with watermelon, mint and blueberry. Ice cold summer cocktail or lemonade in glass mason jar

3. Plan a picnic everyone can enjoy. Swap potatoes with cauliflower and mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to save some serious calories and carbohydrates. Be sure to make extra, as I guarantee this side dish is sure to be popular!

Cauliflower

Cauliflower “Potato” Salad 
Serves: 5

All you need:
1 lb cauliflower florets, chopped into ½ inch pieces, steamed and cooled
6 hard-boiled Hy-Vee large eggs, peeled and sliced 
¼ cup dill pickle, finely chopped (or sub Hy-Vee dill relish)
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup red onion, chopped
½ cup Hy-Vee nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp Hy-Vee Dijon mustard
1 ½ tsp dried dill 
1 Tbsp pickle juice (or sub dill relish liquid)
Paprika for garnish 

All you do:

  1. Add cauliflower and eggs in a large bowl. Add pickle, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and red onion. 
  2. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mustard, dill, pickle juice and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Pour yogurt mixture over the cauliflower; toss gently to coat. Garnish with paprika. Serve chilled.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 113 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 320 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 11 g protein 

Connect virtually with Erin at hy-vee.com/health and follow her on Hy-Vee’s Healthy You series on HSTV.com – for weekly meal and snack inspiration.

Erin Good, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Inc., Registered Dietitian
egood@hy-vee.com 

Miss NiNi’s Desserterie

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Finding a good cup of coffee in the Metro isn’t difficult. Nor is it hard to hunt down tasty desserts. But finding both in one spot, with that certain hard-to-define element that accompanies homemade items, can be a little more challenging. That’s where Miss NiNi’s Desserterie comes in.

Janine Knop, whose longtime nickname gives the store its name, has had a passion for baking her entire life. Raised on a farm in North Dakota, she “would sit on our three-legged, wobbly kitchen stool observing Mom as she made dozens of loaves of bread, pies, cakes and cinnamon rolls.” Knop continued to bake all through school, participating in 4-H for a decade and earning her college degree in home economics education and food and nutrition.

After years of farming near Atlantic, Iowa, with her husband Fred, Knop began to enter her baked creations in food exhibits and competitions at the Iowa State Fair (the largest of their kind in the country). Before long, she wasn’t just participating—she was bringing home numerous championship ribbons. According to Knop, this was when she decided to challenge herself by baking professionally.

Knop’s desserts could soon be found at Friedrich’s Coffee locations around the Des Moines Metro and at Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure, where they have been featured for over 10 years. The menu at Des Moines Golf and Country Club also regularly features Knop’s signature creations. The clamor for the desserts increased with time, and in January of 2017, Miss NiNi’s Desserterie opened for business in the Hawthorne Center on University Avenue.

Miss NiNi’s menu features a diverse array of goodies, many of which were awarded championship ribbons at the state fair. “I create recipes based on unique flavor combinations and design,” says Knop.

It’s difficult to imagine a sweet tooth that couldn’t be satisfied at Miss NiNi’s. If cheesecake isn’t your speed—of which there are 11 varieties on the menu, from Chocolate Raspberry Swirl to Italian Tiramisu—there are also layer cakes, brownies, dessert breads, cookies and coffee cakes available. One highly popular item, the Cupcake-A-Jar, “solves the problem of messy cupcake eating,” according to Knop. Cake and frosting are layered in small glass canning jars, which allows the consumer to eat a few bites now and save the rest for later. The jars are shelf-stable for five to seven days, so you can take your sweet time enjoying them.

In addition to the dessert options, Knop says customers tell them their coffee—made with locally-roasted Zanzibar’s beans and a sophisticated water filtration system—is the best-tasting in town.

With the holiday season just around the corner, seasonal additions have begun to appear in the dessert case at Miss NiNi’s. Among the offerings are pumpkin praline cheesecake, three-layer pumpkin cake with cranberry filling and cinnamon buttercream frosting, decadent flourless chocolate torte with chocolate ganache, and apricot rum cheesecake.

New this year is Miss NiNi’s 8-inch Bundt cake, which comes in pumpkin spice, chocolate chunk, and coconut bliss. One seasonal hit from last year, make-them-yourself Christmas cookie kits, will be offered again this season, along with cookie gift trays, which would undoubtedly go over well at any holiday office party or family gathering.

Knop and her baking team focus on creating beautiful, handcrafted desserts with impeccable homemade flavor and texture—qualities that are often absent in the commercial baking industry, Knop notes. Locally owned and operated, Knop says Miss NiNi’s “would be incomplete without the tremendous support and dedication of my family and talented baking team!”

Customers who visit the desserterie, located at 9500 University Avenue, Suite 1204, in West Des Moines, have the option of enjoying their dessert on-site or taking it to-go. Hours and menu items may be found at missnini.com.

So if you’re in the market for a great cup of joe and a sweet, homemade treat to go with it—and really, who isn’t?—Miss NiNi’s has you covered.

Oven Roasted Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberry-Thyme Sauce

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Let me share with you a few things that I love. I love the holiday season and I really love this turkey tenderloin recipe. It’s wonderful for groups both large and small. What’s more, the same can be done for chicken and/or pork tenderloin or chop. It’s very versatile!  It’s also great for Thanksgiving or any holiday gathering. Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberry-Thyme Sauce

2 Turkey tenderloins, room temp.

1 ½ t Salt

1 ½ t Pepper

1 t Sage

1 ½ t Granulated garlic

¼ c Olive oil

Tumble the above ingredients in a bowl.

Heat a skillet on high and sear four sides of each.

Do not cook through.

Place on parchment-lined sheet pan and place in oven preheated to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, add 2-3 T olive oil to pan and sauté the following:

½ Red onion, julienne

½ c Dried cranberries

1/2 t Dry thyme or 2 t fresh thyme

Add and bring to boil the following:

2 c water

2 t turkey base

Thicken with slurry of:

2 T Red wine vinegar

2 T Cornstarch

Drizzle in while whisking so as not to lump.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve sauce with turkey.

Grilled Side of Fresh Salmon with Mustard Dill Glaze

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Raw salmon fish on the table from above,selective focus

Do you like salmon? It’s incredibly versatile—it can be served as an appetizer, a dinner entrée, in pasta, or on a salad. I’d like to share with you an easy and tasty salmon recipe that’s not only unique, but makes a beautiful presentation for guests.

Grilled Side of Fresh Salmon with Mustard Dill Glaze

2 T Black mustard seeds

½ c Mayonnaise

½ c Whole-grain mustard

2 T Dill, fine chop

1 T Fresh lime juice

1 T Dark brown sugar

1 t Ground black pepper

1-2# Side of salmon, skin on (rub your hand over it to check for pin bones)

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Preheat a gas grill.

Toast mustard seeds in a dry pan over moderate heat until they begin to pop (about two minutes), and transfer to a plate. In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise through pepper. Set aside half in a bowl for service.

Rub olive oil over entire salmon and generously season with salt and pepper. Pan-spray the grill grates. Place salmon, skin side up, on the grill. Turn after two minutes. Gently turn after another two minutes and smear with glaze.

Close the grill lid and cook over moderate heat for eight minutes. Move to the rack with more glaze and close the lid. Continue cooking another five minutes or until done.  

Garnish a platter and place the salmon on the platter. Serve with additional glaze/sauce.

 

Trail Mix

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Colorful candies on wooden background

Not a fan of the pre-mixed trail mixes at the store? Make your own!

Some of my favorite mix-ins are peanut M&M’s, garlic bagel chips, dry roasted peanuts, carmel corn…

Add your own favorites like jelly beans, puppy chow, or whatever you like! The sky’s the limit and it’s just great for road trips and/or movie night.

Feeling adventurous? Try some exploring some ideas to make the perfect mix.

10 Simple Trail Mix Recipes on Craftsy

21 Trail Mix Recipes To Make Yourself on Greatest

10 Salty & Sweet Trail Mix Recipes on Babble

Featured Recipe: White Chili with Chicken and Cannellini Beans

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Beans soup

Who doesn’t love chili? It’s a healthy, hearty, and tasty way to warm up your winter and chase away the cold weather “blahs.” This one’s a little something out of the ordinary. You can add more chilies for extra zip, and it pairs deliciously with all of your favorite chili toppings (and perhaps a local craft beer)! It’s also a great idea for New Year’s Eve!

  • 6 chicken breasts, poached in 8 cups of chicken stock—shred with fingers and add back to retained water
  • 4-5 cans of cannellini beans, undrained
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions, chopped
  • 8-oz can of chopped green chilies
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 c (12 oz) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded and divided
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Cilantro

While the chicken is poaching, sauté onion in olive oil, add chilies through pepper and sauté another 3 minutes. Add this and beans to stock with chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, add 1 cup of cheese, and stir to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with rest of cheese, sour cream and salsa and cilantro.

How to simply poach an egg

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Egg on toast

Poaching eggs may seem daunting but it’s really quick and easy. Follow these simple steps for a tasty treat.

  1. Boil enough water to cover the egg(s).
  2. Turn heat off.
  3. Crack eggs separately into hot water.
  4. Once white is firm remove with a slotted spoon and blot with a paper towel.

Cornbread-Stuffed Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Cider Sage Sauce

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IMG_3669

As a fan of white turkey meat—and cornbread and stuffing—it occurred to me while at New England Culinary Institute to create this Cornbread Stuffed Turkey Breast with Cider Sauce.

I’ve taught this recipe many times over the course of my 13 years of Country Club Market cooking classes, and it’s always been very well-received.

I find this recipe particularly useful for those with 2-4 people to serve, and for those who only like the white meat part of the turkey. Another great thing is that boneless turkey breasts are available year-round. Have you ever wondered why we only eat turkey at Thanksgiving? I have—but this recipe will help you enjoy it any time of the year!

Cornbread-Stuffed Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Cider Sage Sauce

Sauté the following in 2 tbsp butter:

  • 1 med onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • Then, add it to the following:
  • 1 pkg Jiffy corn bread—prepared, crumbled, and dried
  • 1.5 tsp sage
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp pepper
  • 1.5 c chicken stock (or enough to create the right consistency)
  • Spread stuffing on a 3-lb boned and butterflied turkey breast. Roll up, lay skin over, and tie off.

Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika.

Roast at 350 degrees for 1.25 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees.

Let rest 10 min. Slice and serve.

Serve with the following cider sage sauce.

To pan, add:

  • 1 c apple cider or juice
  • ½ c white wine
  • 1 tbsp chicken base
  • 2-3 tsp rough chopped fresh sage
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add 1 tbsp cornstarch to 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Mix and stir into boiling sauce.
  • Bring back to a boil, and season to taste.

Country Club Market can cater your family’s holiday meal, so there’s no need to farm out the different courses, shop, cook, or clean up! Inquire with Chef Terrie, as each event is customized to your taste. Also follow Country Club Market on Facebook for more recipes, holiday decor, cocktails and all things foodie—and jokes, too!

Why Vodka in Sauces?

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Italian pasta

There is one ingredient that, when coming across it in recipes, has made me ask why: vodka, especially when it shows up in sauces. Vodka’s purpose isn’t clear, because A) it’s neutral, B) it’s typically added in such small quantities that it barely provides any alcoholic bite, and C) much of that alcohol is evaporated off by heat, anyway. So what’s the use?

As it turns out, the reasons against adding vodka to sauce actually provide clues as to why it can be a big benefit. This article from Fine Cooking helps explain: alcohol is a great solvent for aromatic compounds. It’s also volatile and evaporates easily, so as its particles drift into the air, they carry those aromas with them. As you chew, that translates into more flavors that reach the back of your mouth, creating a heightened sense of complexity. At high concentrations, alcohol’s sting can overwhelm these flavors, but in small volumes, that sensation is balanced and pleasant.

Additionally, alcohol has a magical emulsifying ability, bonding with both water and fat, encouraging the two to coexist smoothly. In recipes like penne alla vodka, it helps the sauce become a creamier, tomato-ier, more cohesive whole. You could use wine or other alcohols that would impart their own distinctive flavors, but in a rich sauce like that it’s not entirely necessary.

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