Think whole foods at lunchtime

Food writer, chef and cooking school instructor, Deb Rankine, encourages parents to think whole foods — opting for an apple that’s fibre rich inside of apple juice.

To make foods interesting, she suggests using mini cookie cutters to turn carrot slices into fun shapes, such as stars or dinosaurs, or using a baller scoop for melon.

“For most kids, whole grains are a tough sell,” Ms. Rankine said, who is also winner of the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s 2008 Durham Chef Challenge.

She suggested disguising them as chips instead, by baking whole wheat tortillas brushed with barbecue sauce, then adding a low-fat herb dip.

Parents can excite kids about packing a healthy lunch by getting them involved, starting with the trip to the supermarket.

“Allow your child to pick which fruits and vegetables they’d like to eat at lunchtime,” she said.  “Shop the perimeter of the supermarket only, bypassing the cookies and snacks aisles altogether.”

Instead of trying to plan lunches for the whole week, provide kids with healthy options so they can choose which ones they want to eat, she said. Doing so will help ensure their lunches don’t return home at the end of the day or get pitched or traded at school, she added.
She encourages parents to know what to look for on nutritional labels as well.

 “When a manufacture reduces or removes “the bad stuff’ they oftentimes compensate by adding more sodium or sugar to the mix,” she said.

Below are two healthy recipes included in  Rankine’s new cookbook, The Fridge Whisperer: 50 Fast & Fabulous Family Faves, scheduled to hit bookstores this month.

Ultra-Lite Veggie Dip (Makes 2 cups)
Suggested uses: topping for a baked potato, binder for devilled eggs or macaroni salad, or a dip.
1 cup non-fat sour cream
1 cup low- or non-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons “no salt” or “low salt” dried vegetable seasoning of your choice (available in the spice isle)

Combine all ingredients and refrigerated for two hours to allow vegetable seasoning to rehydrate and flavours to meld. Before serving, stir the dip well to evenly distribute the flavours.

Low Fat Seasoned Tortilla Wedges (Makes 48)
6 whole wheat tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray or, alternatively, brush on extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon “no salt” dried vegetable seasoning “dust”

Preheat oven 375F. Set out two rimmed baking sheet. Lightly coat top of tortillas with vegetable spray or, alternatively, brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Grind vegetable seasoning in a mortar and pestle or mound on a cutting board and grind down with the edge of a sharp knife held parallel to the cutting board to create vegetable seasoning “dust.” Lightly sprinkle vegetable dust over tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until wedges are crisp and golden.