36 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • JANUARY 4, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
3 simple tips to get delicious, balanced
weeknight meals on the table
Weekday schedules get crazy, which is
why the fi rst casualty of all that chaos is
the family dinner.
While most families say eating together
is a high priority, day-to-day reality
is diff erent. According to a 2013 poll
by NPR and the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, only half of children in the
U.S. are in families that dine together. Yet
research cited by the American Academy
of Pediatrics shows that children reap
many benefi ts from regular family meals,
from improved academic performance to
developing a deeper sense of resilience.
But busy families can fi nd time to sit
down together more oft en, says Colleen
Burns, a lifestyle expert and spokeswoman
for Nestle’s Balance Your Plate program.
To be successful, set the intention
with good planning and smart strategies.
What’s more, these meals can also be delicious
and nutritious.
“When you have simple solutions in
your toolbox to get those well-balanced
and tasty meals on the table in the little
time that you have, it lets you establish
and keep an important family ritual,”
says Burns, who is also a busy mom
of six boys. “At the same time, you don’t
get burned out, and that’s key to staying
motivated and inspired.”
To help you get started, Burns shares
her top three simple tips to get delicious
and nutritious meals on the table quickly.
Shop the freezer section: When you’re
in a time pinch, frozen foods have many
off erings that set a good foundation for
any home-cooked meal, Burns says.
Oft entimes, the quality is just as good as
their fresh counterparts, and they eliminate
many steps of prep time, whether
you’re looking at entrees, veggies or
sides. On top of all that, fruits and veggies
are fl ash-frozen, which locks the nutrients
in place.
Don’t sacrifi ce: If you know what to
look for when shopping the grocery aisles,
you can fi nd convenient entrees and sides
without sacrifi cing taste or quality.
Burns recommends Stouff er’s Macaroni
& Cheese as one easy solution that helps
you get a great meal on the table. It has
ingredients that consumers would use in
their own kitchens, such as freshly made
pasta, butter, cheddar cheese and milk.
Burns likes to serve it as a side to marinated
chicken (see recipe below) and roasted
seasonal veggies, because it’s a simple
solution that makes her and her family
feel good about dinner.
Maintain balance: Look to a variety of
entrees and sides to bring a nutritional
balance as well as delicious fl avors to your
dinner menu. Burns recommends opting
for lean proteins like fi sh and chicken
served with fresh or frozen veggies. Check
out her how-to video, https://youtu.be/
fKcY-jiTWJg, to learn more.
Marinated Garlic and Lemon
Roasted Chicken Drumsticks
with Honey Mustard Sauce
10 chicken drumsticks
1 large lemon zested and juiced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 whole cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 pinch each salt and pepper
Minced parsley for garnish
Honey Mustard Sauce:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
In a bowl, mix together lemon juice,
zest, olive oil, chopped garlic, paprika,
oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken
drumsticks and toss to coat evenly. Cover
bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator
for at least 30 minutes. When ready
to cook, let chicken come to room temperature
for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Arrange chicken on oiled foil-lined
sheet pan.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Flip
chicken pieces and cook another 10 minutes
until chicken reaches 165 degrees
and is no longer pink.
Make sauce in a small bowl by whisking
together the mustard and honey.
Add water as needed for a workable
consistency.
With a small pastry brush, brush sauce
over chicken and broil 5 minutes until
bubbly.
Place chicken pieces on a serving platter
and sprinkle minced parsley over all.
Source: Nestle’s Balance Your Plate
Courtesy BPT