Resolve to Play in 2017!

Did you know active play is an important part of your child's healthy development? Here are some tips from MyPlate about how to get and stay active in 2017. For more tips, click here. Happy New Year from Richmond City WIC!

Lighten Up Your Thanksgiving Sides

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to celebrate with family over food. Here are two recipes for holiday favorites that are sure to please while cutting back on salt and fat. Happy Thanksgiving from the Richmond City WIC family to yours!





Recipe from Cooking Matters

 

 



Photo from Cooking Matters



Sautéed Greens

Total Time:

Servings: 4, 1/2 cup per serving

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound collard greens*
• 4 medium cloves garlic*
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

*WIC approved items

Directions:

1. Remove hard stems from greens.
2. Stack leaves on top of each other. Roll into a tube shape. Make a few stacks if needed.
3. Use a sharp knife to slice leaf rolls into ¼-inch wide strips.
4. In a large bowl filled with cold water, add cut greens. Allow any dirt to settle to the bottom of the bowl. If greens are very dirty, repeat this step. Lift greens out of bowl. Shake off any excess water.
5. Peel and mince garlic.
6. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil.
7. Add greens. Use caution, as oil might splatter when damp greens are placed in hot pan. If greens can't all fit in the pan at once, cook in two batches.
8. Stir greens until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
9. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic. Cook until greens are soft and excess water is gone, about 5-7 minutes. If garlic starts to brown or burn, reduce heat to medium-low.
10. Season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.



Hit the Trail on National Trail Mix Day!

Trail mix is not only a healthy, easy snack on the go but also a great way to utilize your WIC cereals.

 

Encourage your children to make their own by setting out ingredients in bowl. Adult supervision near the chocolate chip bowl is encouraged! 

After your trail mix is ready, take a walk or explore on of Richmond City's beautiful trails along the James River. For more information, click here. Don't forget to bring water too!


Photo from Cooking Matters

Trail Mix

Total Time: 5 - 10 minutes

Serves: 8, 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)
• ⅓ cup raisins
• 1¼ cup crispy whole wheat cereal squares*
• 1 cup mini pretzels
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips

*WIC approved items

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine peanuts, raisins, cereal, pretzels, and chocolate chips.
2. Place in an air-tight container or zip-top plastic bag. Store in a cool, dry place.

Tips:

• Other great trail mix ingredients include dried cranberries, almonds, toasted coconut and pumpkin seeds. The sky is the limit for which dry ingredients you can mix together.

Back to the Market This Summer!

Summer in Virginia brings a wide variety of delicious, local produce like corn, tomatoes, squash, green beans, eggplant, peaches, berries and okra to supermarkets and farmers markets. These fruits and vegetables may be more affordable as they are grown closer to home and may taste better as they're picked at their ripest.

Photo from http://www.rvacapworks.com/events/

Several farmers markets in Richmond accept SNAP/EBT benefits and offer activities for adults and children like cooking demonstrations, fruit and vegetable tastings and live music.

 Saturdays

• Farmers Market at St. Stephen’s
  8:00 am – Noon
  St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
  6000 Grove Avenue, RVA 23226
  Year Round
• South of the James Market
  8:00 am – Noon (May – October)
  9:00 am – Noon (November – April)
  Forest Hill Park
  New Kent Ave & 42nd Street, RVA 23225
  Year Round

Sundays

• Carytown Farmers Market
  11:00 am - 3:00 pm
  3201 W. Cary Street, RVA 23221
  (Wells Fargo parking lot)
  May - October

 Tuesdays

• Byrd House Market
  3:30 pm - 7:00pm (May – October)
  3:00 pm – Dark (November – April)
  Behind William Byrd Community House
  South Linden Street and Idlewood Avenue, RVA 23220
  Year Round

For more information on farmers market in and around Richmond, visit www.backtothemarket.com.

Kids in the Kitchen!

Picky eating is a common behavior for many preschoolers. One way to encourage your little ones to try new foods is to give them small jobs in the kitchen. They'll feel proud of their accomplishments and will be less likely to reject food they helped make. They can also practice key skills like counting and identifying foods!

ChooseMyPlate.gov suggests having kids between 2 and 5 years old help with these tasks:

• At 2 years:
• Wipe tables
• Hand items to adult to put away (e.g. groceries)
• Place things in trash
• Tear lettuce or greens
• Rinse vegetables or fruits
• Snap green beans
• At 3 years:
  All that a 2-year-old can do plus:
• Add ingredients
• Talk about cooking
• Scoop or mash potatoes
• Squeeze citrus fruits
• Stir pancake batter
• Name and count foods
• Help assemble a pizza
• At 4 years:
  All that a 3-year-old can do plus:
• Peel eggs and some fruits, like oranges and bananas
• Set the table
• Crack eggs
• Help measure dry ingredients
• Help make sandwiches and tossed salads
• At 5 years:
  All that a 4-year-old can do plus:
• Measure liquids
• Cut soft fruits with a plastic knife
• Use an egg beater

Here's an easy recipe for pizza to get your little one cooking. Enjoy!

Photo by Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters

The Works Pizza

Recipe by: Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters

Serves: 8, 1 slice per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion*
• 1 medium green bell pepper*
• 1 medium red bell pepper*
• 8 ounces button mushrooms*
• 2 medium tomatoes*
• 1 (6-ounce) block mozzarella cheese
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 frozen or refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough, defrosted
• Non-stick cooking spray
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, no salt added

*WIC approved items

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Rinse and peel onion. Rinse peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes.* Dice onion, peppers, and tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Slice mushrooms ¼-inch thick.
3. Grate cheese.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Transfer vegetables to a colander. Stir in tomatoes. Let sit 3–5 minutes to drain excess liquid.
6. While veggies are draining, shape dough into a 12-inch pizza round. Use your fingers to stretch and spread the dough.*
7. Coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pizza dough in center of sheet.
8. Mix dried basil and dried oregano into tomato sauce. If using dried parsley, add now. Spread a layer of sauce across dough.*
9. Sprinkle cheese evenly across dough.*
10. Bake pizza until cheese is melted and crust is browned on the sides and bottom, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
11. Add vegetable mixture.* Return to oven and bake until pizza is cooked through, 5–10 minutes more. Remove from oven.
12. Let rest for 2 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 pieces.

*Kids can help with this step!

Summer Fun (and Exercise Too!)

By: Stephanie Pittrell

Here's a tip for some summer exercise to make summer a little more fun: Richmond City Parks and Recreation offers free movies in the Park on Fridays during the Summer. They are offered at various locations in the city; so there should be one near you!

 

Why not arrive around 7:00 PM to walk around the park with your family and watch the sunset or play catch with your kids before the festivities begin?

• 6/21 8:30 PM: Madagascar, 600 S. Boulevard, RVA 23221
• 6/28 8:30 PM: Rise of the Guardians, 1450 Maury St, RVA 23234
• 7/5 8:30 PM: Paranorman, 4835 Old Warwick Rd, RVA 23234
• 7/12 8:30 PM:  Hotel Transylvania, 1921 Princess Anne Ave, RVA 23223
• 7/19 8:30 PM: The Amazing Spiderman, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd, RVA 23227
• 7/26 8:30 PM: Brave, 414 N. Thompson St, RVA 23221
• 8/2 8:30 PM: Cirque du Soleil, 200 W. Clay St & Leigh St, RVA 23219
• 8/9 8:30 PM:  Jack the Giant Slayer, 2803 Dupont Cir, RVA 23222
• 8/16 8:30 PM:  Oz the Great and Powerful, 41st St & Forest Hill Ave, RVA 23225

Don’t forget to bring you blanket and refreshments to enjoy the night air!

Strawberries!!

You have probably seen strawberries at the supermarket and at the local farmer's market. Strawberries are in season right now which makes them affordable, widely available at most supermarkets AND sweet and juicy. Strawberries are full of Vitamin C, B Vitamins and many minerals.  They are an excellent snack and most children love their sweet taste especially when they are in season and nice and ripe.  You can add strawberries to a salad to give it a sweet taste or put it in a smoothie. Also for a fun family activity you could go to one of the pick your own strawberries in the area.  

• Ashland Berry Farm
  12607 Old Ridge Road, Beaverdam, VA 23015
  Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM daily
• Chesterfield Berry Farm
  20401 Skinquarter Road, Moseley, VA 23120
  Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM daily
• Dodd's Acres Farm
  4077 Market Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23111
  Hours: Monday through Friday 8 AM - 6 PM; Saturday 8 AM - 4 PM
• The Berry Patch
  3622 Darbytown Court, Richmond, VA 23231
  Hours: 8 AM - 8 PM daily
• Historic 17th Street Farmers' Market
  17th and Main Street, Richmond, VA 23223
  Hours: Saturdays 8:30 AM - 4 PM