Healthy Breakfast of Champions

Saturday was pancake day at the Moody home. It was a tradition that my parents established to keep us from consuming too much sugar. Monday through Friday we ate the healthy, high fiber cereals like oatmeal and cracked wheat. Sometimes we had boiled eggs, toast and orange juice. I can't remember having sausage, bacon and fried eggs. My dad, being a medical doctor, wanted us to avoid saturated fats and foods cooked in butter and eat more "heart healthy" foods.

On Sunday, the day of rest, we loved having cold cereal. Like most children when I went shopping with my mother, I tried to get her to buy sweet cereals like Frosted Flakes or Sugar Pops. She always persuaded me to choose something else because she knew that healthy breakfasts were an important way to start the day. She had us eating cereals like shredded wheat (high fiber) or corn flakes (low sugar). My favorite was Wheaties, the “Breakfast of Champions”. With raisins or sliced bananas and a little bit of sugar, it was a real treat for me.

My parents were definitely right about limiting high fat and high sugar foods for breakfast. Parents need to look at the nutrition content on the side of the box. Each teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories or 4 grams of sugar. Some cereals like Kellogg's Fruit Loops or Apple Jacks have as much as 15 grams of sugar in one serving. Do the math: that's like putting more that three spoonfuls of sugar on your cereal! Instead of buying a pre-sweetened breakfast cereal, a better choice would be to buy a whole grain cereal and add some fruit. Even if you sprinkle a little sugar on top, you'll get a sweet flavor and you'll eat a lot less sugar.

The Atwoods of Salem also carried on the tradition of pancakes on Saturday. I tried to make them more healthy by adding ingredients like applesauce, grated apples and mashed bananas. Back in November when I was searching for ways to use pureed pumpkin, I found a great pancake recipe. If you substitute whole wheat flour instead of white flour and top it with a low sugar fruit syrup, it is delicious and could soon become a family favorite. For those marathon runners who need to carbohydrate load, it can also be a healthy breakfast for champions!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Stir in the dry ingredients just enough to combine. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Spray with a cooking spray. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Apple Syrup

1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups apple juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a saucepan. Add juice and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Serve over apple cinnamon french toast, pancakes or waffles.

A Happy Healthy New Year

What is the number one New Year's resolution? At the top of the list for most people is losing weight. Obesity has become such a problem in this country that over sixty percent of adult Americans are either overweight or obese. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past three decades the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children and for ages 6 to19 years, it has almost tripled!

I became very concerned about health and fitness for children when my three oldest children attended Salem Elementary School. I was teaching aerobics to adults three times a week. Then Rhythmic Aerobics came out with program called “Huff and Puff” aerobics designed especially for children. I volunteered to teach each grade level for 30 minutes once a week. My goal was to teach them ways to get aerobic exercise every day at home by jogging, walking, riding bikes, jumping the rope and other fitness activities. I wanted the children to spend after school hours getting exercise instead of watching TV and playing video games.

Exercise is essential in losing weight but you also need a healthy eating plan. Another statistic that is troubling to me is nearly one-third of children age 4 to19 eat fast food every day. The results are approximately six extra pounds gained per year, per child. This is a bad habit that must be broken. I believe the key to helping them have better nutrition is for parents to make a permanent change in their family's lifestyle. We need to spend more time with our children eating meals together that are well-balanced and include plenty of fruits and vegetables, a wonderful source for fiber.

The most important meal of the day is breakfast, but too often it is a meal that is easy to skip. When you skip breakfast, your metabolic rate slows down and your blood sugar level drops. The result is you feel hungry and have less energy. Often you end up having a high fat, sweet snack to carry you over until lunch. At lunch and dinner you might eat extra servings or bigger portions. Your total calories will be higher than if you would have taken time to eat a good breakfast.

Start the day with a breakfast that includes protien, carbohydrates and fruit. A good choice would be protein fiber cereal like oatmeal, granola or bran flakes with milk or yogurt. Add in fruit like grated apples, bananas or raisins. Your body will feel nourished and satisfied. When children eat a good breakfast they will do better in school, being able to focus and concentrate on learning. Teachers will notice fewer behavioral problems because their nutritional needs are being met. They will have more energy for exercise and fitness activities. It can also help them lose weight because they will be less likely to overeat the rest of the day.

A good resolution for the New Year is to help your family avoid obesity and the health risks that can result such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Here are some ways parents can help:

• Have the whole family change their lifestyle to promote good health habits.
• Eat meals as a family instead of while watching television or at the computer.
• Plan meals that are lower in fat and higher in fiber, including 5 fruits and vegetables a day.
• Teach them to control portions and consume less calories.
• Be aware of what your children are eating at school and between meals.
• Provide healthy snacks for between meals, avoiding soda and junk food.
• Do not use food as a bribe or a reward.
• Start exercising with them daily and have a more active lifestyle.
• Try to limit the time children spend watching TV and playing video games.
• Teach them by example that exercise and healthy eating are important.

Have a happy and healthy New Year!

Low Fat Granola

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups rolled six grain mix*
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
5 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
5 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
dried fruit

Mix together rolled oats, six grain mix, wheat germ, coconut, almonds, brown sugar and salt. In a sauce pan combine oil, water and honey and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Toss both mixtures together and spread on a large sheet cake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir and bake another 15 minutes. Let cool. Add dried fruits like raisins or dates if desired. Store in an airtight container. *Note: you can use rolled wheat instead of six grain mix or all 4 cups oats.

Christmas Traditions That Last

Mike and I were celebrating our first Christmas together. We were so excited because of the happy news that we would be having our first baby in July. All I really wanted for Christmas was yarn to knit a baby afghan. Mike wanted to carry on the tradition of a Christmas tree and presents. We both wanted a memorable Christmas but were discouraged about our money situation. Mike had just been cut from the BYU basketball team. We were devastated to think he might lose his athletic scholarship that paid for his education. I was teaching school to support my husband. It was my first year of teaching so my salary was small. How do you have a Merry Christmas with out money?

We decided we had to have a tree. Some or our friends were buying a permit and cutting their own tree. What a great idea! We could save money and it could be something we do every year as a family tradition. It sounded fun to me, so we headed for the mountains to find the perfect tree.

It turned out to be more like “Mission Impossible” than a fun family outing. After trudging through the deep snow and enduring the frigid cold that we were unprepared for, we found nothing that would fit into our little one bedroom apartment. Every tree that looked nice was way too big. We finally settled on cutting off the top half of tree (the bottom half was buried in the snow). It barely fit into the trunk of our car but I was glad to be heading home after freezing my nose, feet and fingers during our search.

When we arrived home, we found a surprise. We took our tree out of the trunk only to find that most of the needles had fallen off of one side. Whether it was the severe cold or the ride home on the freeway, our tree looked horrible and I wanted to cry. Mike reassured me that we could put it in the corner and nobody would see the ugly side. Once I put things into perspective and realized everything didn’t have to be perfect, I felt a lot better. Our Christmas was definitely one to remember and even a happy memory we can look back on and laugh about.

Cutting down our own tree never became a family tradition, but one tradition that has lasted through the years is Grandma’s Christmas brunch. Mike’s parents, Dick and Darlene Atwood, have lived in Spanish Fork most of their married life. They loved having the family over on Christmas morning. Grandma Darlene planned and prepared a brunch for the whole family. On Christmas Eve she would make delicious breakfast casseroles with the leftover ham from our Christmas Eve dinner. She ordered giant cinnamon rolls from the bakery and made Orange Julius to drink. Christmas morning the whole family looked forward to the delicious food and spending that time together.

Things have changed now that Grandma and Grandpa Atwood are in their 80’s. They have 18 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. Getting everyone together at the same time is hard. Now many family members have their own brunch before coming to visit Grandpa and Grandma, but Christmas Brunch has become a favorite family tradition that has lasted through the years.

Grandma’s Christmas Soufflé
Darlene Atwood

12 slices bread, no crusts
1 cup cooked ham or sausage
1/2 cup chopped green peppers, optional
1 cup grated cheese
4 eggs
3 cups milk
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Butter one side of the bread slices. Put six slices buttered side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with green peppers and cheese. Put six slices with buttered side up on top. Whisk eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until set in the center.

Sausage Soufflé

12 slices bread, no crusts
2 cups eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. ground mustard
2 cups grated cheese
1 lb sausage, browned
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, sautéed in butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup milk

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Arrange two layers of bread in the pan. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk and mustard. Pour over the bread. Sprinkle with cheese, meat, mushrooms and green onions. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake covered for 30 minutes then uncover and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until the center is set.

Christmas Cinnamon Wreaths
Marilyn Atwood

2 cups boiling water
½ cup sugar
½ cup oil
1 Tbsp. salt
Cold water and instant powdered milk
2 Tbsp. instant yeast
3 eggs, beaten
Flour

Combine boiling water, sugar, oil and salt in a bread mixer or large bowl. Dissolve powdered milk (enough to make a quart of milk) in enough cold water to make 2 cups of liquid; add to hot water mixture. Add enough flour to make a batter consistency. Sprinkle in the yeast, mixing well. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Add eggs and gradually enough flour to make a nice soft dough but not too sticky. If using a bread mixer, the dough will start to clean the sides of the bowl. Knead with a bread mixer for 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes. Let it rise until double in bulk. Punch down and divide into four balls of dough. Roll each into a rectangle about 9”x18”and spread with 2 tablespoons soft butter and a mixture of ¼ cup white sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll sugar mixture into dough with a rolling pin. Roll up as you would for cinnamon rolls and seal the edge by pinching it together. Put the seam down and shape into a wreath on a greased pizza pan. Use clean scissors, cut 1 inch slices to within 1/2 inch of the center. Turn each slice in the same direction. Let it rise until double. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until bread is light brown. Frost each wreath with frosting made with 2 tablespoons soft butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 or 3 tablespoons milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Sprinkle with red and green crystal decors and add red and green cherries if desired.

Orange Julius
6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
8 to 10 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients, except ice, in a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, adding ice cubes one at a time until smooth. Serve immediately. For Peach or Strawberry Julius, substitute 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit slices for the orange juice concentrate. With strawberries you can decrease the sugar to 2 tablespoons.

Beat the Holiday Blues

Written December 2006

“Tis the Season to be Jolly?” For some, the busy Christmas season is just the opposite. The holidays can bring a great deal of stress and feelings of being overwhelmed or depressed to many. According to a 2003 survey released by the National Women’s Health Resource Center, two thirds of the survey respondents report they have suffered from depression during the holidays. The survey also found that the terms “stress and anxiety” were the first things that came to mind when thinking about the holiday season and not giving gifts, family or holiday cheer.

So what can be done to beat the holiday blues? I’m not an authority on the subject, in fact my degree in Elementary Education didn’t give me very much help. It has been 34 years of marriage and raising my large family of eight children (and now 11 grandchildren) that has helped me learn a few things through experience. The following suggestions are things that have helped me through the years to have a Merry Christmas and keep my sanity too.

SIMPLIFY: It’s easy in our desire to have a perfect Christmas to plan too many things into the schedule. Make a list of things you want to do: parties and activities you want to attend and gifts you want to give, then be realistic. Decide what you really want to do and what is most important for you and your family, then let the rest wait until another year. Sometimes even old traditions can cause us too much stress and need to be changed or replace with new traditions. Once you have put your plans and goals in writing or on your calendar, be flexible. Be prepared to change your plans later on if you need to.

EAT HEALTHY: Sometimes when life gets hectic, we forget to take care of our physical needs. Good nutrition is so important! Don’t skip meals because you are on the go and think you are too busy. Eat a good breakfast and have plenty of healthy snacks available to munch on like fruits and veggies. Sometimes in moments of stress we turn to junk food or sweets to give us an energy boost. You will really feel blue in January if you have added extra pounds because of your poor eating habits in December.

TAKE TIME TO EXERCISE: No matter how busy you are, plan time to exercise. Skipping your regular aerobic workouts may be eliminating the very thing that will help you survive. As an aerobics instructor for more than 22 years, I had to show up for class, even during December. I found that exercise actually became a stress release for me. After working out, I had a happier disposition, better attitude and actually more energy to accomplish the tasks that needed to be done.

REMEMBER THE THREE D’S: As a mother and homemaker, if you have feelings of depression, do the things that are absolutely necessary and let the rest go until you feel better. I think the three essential homemaking tasks can be summarized into the three D’s: Dinner, Dishes and Dirty laundry. Get up early enough to get at least one load of laundry done. Plan and start preparing dinner in the morning so you will have a nutritious meal for your family and won’t have to resort to fast food too often. Even if your day is busy, try to load the dishwasher or soak your dishes so they can be washed later. If the day is too hectic to accomplish these things, don’t feel guilty to use the system of “selected neglect”: decide what has to be done today, and neglect the other less important things.

SPREAD SOME HOLIDAY CHEER: A top priority during the holidays should be to do kind deeds and bring some happiness to someone else in need. I love to sing and especially love Christmas music. A family tradition I enjoyed as a child was Christmas caroling to the elderly or widows in our neighborhood. I have carried this on with my own family and have found it brings the true spirit of Christmas into our own lives as well as those we sing to.

Remember the real reason for the season and rise above the blues to share your smile and Christmas spirit with everyone you can.

Music Brings the Christmas Spirit

The "Encore! Chamber Muscians" presented their annual Christmas concert on Wednesday, December 10th. This year it was held in the Salem Community Center and was free to the public. These very talented young people shared their love for the holidays by performing familiar classical pieces along with some favorite Christmas music. Seeing the lighted trees on the pond added to the enjoyment of those who attended this special event.

The Jr. Orchestra, under the direction of Denise Jamsa, is made up of 22 children ranging in age from 7 to 12. All of these children are taking private lessons from teachers in the area who help them prepare for the recitals and concerts they give. One of those teachers, Andrea Bailey, is assisting Denise in directing the children. They started the concert with a fun number called "Grandfather's Clock". They also performed "The First Noel" and "Themes from the Nutcracker".

Picture above, left to right: Tiffany Nelson, Bethany Graham, Aidan Compas, Ethan Compas, Andrew Hale, Johnathan Tanner, Madeline Stone, Adrene Harding, Jaantje Bowman, Legend Carter, Sven Jamsa. Second row: Denise Jamsa, Andrea Bailey, Anna Tanner, Joshua Hatton, David Finley, Callie Peterson, Elisabeth Oldham, Darby Thomas, Rachel Christensen, Amber Bailey, Bethany Davis, Rebecca Thompson and Isaac Oldham.

Marcel Bowman, assisted by his wife Monika, is the conductor for the Intermediate Orchestra made up of 11 students, most are Junior High school age. They played selections by Mouret, Bela Bartok and the first movement of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusic.

Pictured above, front row: Benjamin Hale, Jonathan Hale, Jacob Searcy. Back row: Marcel Bowman, Maren Williams, Jocelyn Baker, Ambrynn Bowman, Taylor Stilson, Ben Hatch. (June Curtis, Savannah Stone and Jared Buhler, not pictured)

The Honors Quintet, an advanced group, is made up of high school and college students. They performed two movements from Quintet in C Major, Op. 37 by Boccherini. These are serious musicians who are also involved in other orchestras and continued study of music. What a gift to our community it is to have all of these young muscians share their outstanding talents for us to enjoy. Those who attended this concert felt the spirit of Christmas that music can bring at this special time of the year.

Pictured above: (left to right) Monika Bowman, Marcel Bowman, Kalee Young, Michael Sly, Katie Cloud and Laura Hatch.

Pumpkins Not Just for Carving

My garden was great this year and now I have pumpkins galore! I planted pumpkins for my grandchildren to have them for jack-o-lanterns, but when I harvested my many pumpkins, they were small and round and no one wanted them for Halloween.

Not wanting them to go to waste, I turned to the Internet for recipes. I searched “utah pumpkin recipes” on Google and came up with “Pumpkins: Not Just for Halloween Anymore”. Karen Kolp had written a fun article and had shared some recipes that included Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Roasted Sugar Pumpkins with Butter and Brown Sugar.

On extension.usu.edu I learned that pumpkins are loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene and has Vitamin A that is vital for eye health and promotes healthy skin and strong bones. Antioxidants are beneficial for heart health and may reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Pumpkins are also low in fat and sodium and are an excellent source of fiber and a good source of potassium and vitamin C. They had some great healthy recipes that included Pumpkin Sauce for Pasta and Easy Pumpkin Soup.

When I found out all the health benefits, I was so excited to test some of these new pumpkin recipes. I looked at my empty seed packet and found I had planted Sugar Pumpkins: a variety that is sweet, with dark orange-colored flesh and perfect for pies, soups, muffins and breads. I also found that you can bake, steam or boil pumpkin and once it is tender, you can puree the pumpkin and use it in your favorite recipes that call for canned pumpkin.

Cook fresh pumpkin like any other squash. To bake, cut in half, clean out the seeds and place cut side up on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 to 400 degrees until a fork can be easily inserted. It takes about 50 to 60 minutes this way. You can also cut into smaller chunks, add a little water and cover with foil. Baking time may be a little shorter this way. To steam or boil, cut the pumpkin into chunks and cook covered for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Take off the peel and puree the pumpkin in a blender or food processor. In making pies, cookies or other baked items, put the eggs in the blender first, mash and measure the pumpkin and blend both together until smooth.

For the past week, I have been busy cooking and baking. So far have made Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Cookies. One of my favorite recipes made with my home grown pumpkin puree is my mother's recipe for Pumpkin Nut Bars. My mother, Virginia Moody, had a huge collection of recipes and was more that happy to let me bake as long as I cleaned up my mess. She was a wonderful cook and her tiny little kitchen decorated in yellow and blue is where I got my love for baking. Many of the recipes that I got from her have now become my family's favorites.

Pumpkin Nut Bars
Virginia Moody

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cups pumpkin puree

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in pumpkin and dry ingredients alternately, mixing well. Spread in a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan (or spray with a non stick cooking spray.) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with Orange Frosting: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons soft butter, 1 tablespoon grated orange rind (optional) and 2 tablespoons orange juice or enough to make the desired consistency for spreading.

Marilyn's Soft Sugar Cookies

Valentine’s Day in my youth was something to look forward to. We decorated shoe boxes with a slit in the top to collect valentines from all of our classmates. Some had candy or gum inside the envelope, but better than candy, gum or even chocolate (in my opinion) was the soft sugar cookies that somebody’s mom would make. (Usually the room mother.)

When I married and started having my own children, decorated sugar cookies became a special holiday tradition. It wasn’t just for Valentine’s Day, but Halloween and Christmas too. For many years, I spent the time to decorate each cookie with piped on frosting. As the years went by and I had eight children in thirteen years, I found that sprinkling on colored decors was a faster, easier way to decorate. Besides, the children ate the cookies faster than I could decorate them.

I have tried many recipes through the years, but this one is my family’s favorite. You can substitute sour cream for the buttermilk if you want, but I really do prefer the taste and softness that comes when using buttermilk.
Soft Sugar Cookies

5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt together. Sift several times if necessary until thoroughly mixed together and then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in remaining flour by hand if mixer cannot handle the stiff dough. Dough will be sticky, but adding too much flour will make the cookies hard. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. This will make the dough easier to handle. Roll out about 1/4” thick on a well floured board. Use only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. Cut into desired shapes. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cookies are light golden on the bottom and the edges are just starting to turn brown. Do not bake too long or the cookies will be hard instead of soft. Cool on a wire rack. Frost with Butter Cream Frosting and decorate as desired. If using a pastry bag and tips to decorate, use Decorating Frosting. Yield: 4 to 5 dozen cookies, depending on the size.

Butter Cream Frosting

½ cup soft butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
4 to 5 Tbsp. milk or cream
food coloring (opt.)

Beat butter until soft. If butter is too hard, microwave for 10 seconds but do not melt. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk to make the desired consistency. Add food coloring if desired.

Decorating Frosting

1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 ½ tsp. white vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp. milk
food coloring (opt.)

Beat butter, shortening and vanilla until fluffy. Add powdered sugar alternately with the milk. Add food coloring if desired. Place in a pastry bag with decorating tips and decorate. If using this frosting to frost cookies, you may want to thin frosting with milk to make it easier to spread or use Butter Cream Frosting.