Recipes for healthy eating as students return to class

How students can eat healthy as they return to school

PHOENIX - As students return to school following the summer break, the issue of healthy eating takes on renewed importance, and officials with the Camelback Village Racquet and Health Club shared some healthy recipes for parents, as they get their kids back in class.

Blueberry Peach Baked Oatmeal (Servings: 8)

2 cups old-fashioned oats
¼ cup almond meal/flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup granulated monk fruit or sweetener of choice that measures like sugar.
2 tbsp coconut oil or melted butter
2 cups milk (regular, almond, coconut etc).
¼ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup fresh or frozen peaches, diced

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9x13" glass baking dish and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine oats, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt cinnamon, and granulated sweetener of choice. Set aside.
In a separate, microwave safe bowl, melt coconut oil or butter. Whisk in milk as you slowly pour it into the melted oil/butter.
Add Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until combined.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Gently fold in the blueberries and diced peaches.
Spread evenly into the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until browned on the top and the top springs back when you gently touch it with your finger.
Let cool for 15 minutes.
Serve warm or refrigerated after baking, with a dollop of yogurt, drizzle of nut butter, or toppings of choice.

Banana Walnut Yogurt Parfait (Servings: 1)

6 oz plain Greek yogurt
Natural sweetener of choice to taste: stevia, monk fruit, honey, or maple syrup
⅛ tsp vanilla extract (can sub almond or maple extract)
⅛ tsp cinnamon
1 small banana, sliced
2 tbsp chopped walnuts

Recipe

In a small bowl, mix the plain Greek yogurt with sweetener of choice to taste, extract, and cinnamon.
Take a small glass or mason jar and spoon in half the yogurt, then top with ½ the banana slices, and 1 tbsp chopped walnuts.
Repeat by layering the rest of the yogurt, then banana slices, and walnuts.
Add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Enjoy immediately.

Broccoli Ham & Cheese Egg Bites (Servings: 12 muffins)

1 ½ cup frozen broccoli, defrosted and chopped small
½ cup diced ham
12 eggs
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
½ cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp pepper, or to taste

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Generously coat a muffin tin with cooking spray or olive oil.
Evenly divide the chopped broccoli and ham into the muffin tins. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper until well incorporated.
Pour the egg mixture into the muffin wells, filling each 3/4 full.
Bake until the muffins are lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes.
Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then run a knife around each cup to loosen the muffins before removing them from the pan.
Serve warm or cool completely on a wire rack before refrigerating or freezing.

Hummus Tuna Salad (Servings: 2)

½ cup hummus, flavor of choice
8 ounces of tuna, drained (or shredded chicken)
½ cup red bell peppers, diced
½ cup cucumber, diced

Recipe

Place hummus, drained tuna, and chopped vegetables in a bowl and mix together until well incorporated.
Serve with whole grain crackers, in a whole wheat pita or wrap, on sandwich bread, over greens, or scooped up with sliced veggies.

Pizza Pasta Salad (Servings: 2)

2 cups cooked pasta (whole-wheat, bean-based, or pasta of choice)
2-ounces shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese
1 ½ cups vegetables of choice: halved grape tomatoes, diced bell pepper, steamed broccoli florets, diced mushroom, sliced black olives, etc)
2 ounces protein of choice: diced ham, cooked chicken, nitrate free pepperoni, diced chicken sausage, chickpeas
3-4 tablespoons Italian dressing (to taste)
Salt & black pepper to taste

Recipe

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
Let sit for 30 minutes before eating for the best flavor.
Can be refrigerated for up to 2 day.

Turkey Avocado Ranch Pita Pocket (Servings: 1)

1 whole wheat pita
6 slices no-nitrate turkey breast, deli style
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 lettuce leaf, torn
1 small tomato, sliced
2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp yogurt based ranch dressing

Recipe

Cut the pita in half, and place half the turkey, avocado, vegetables, and cheese inside each of the pita pocket sides.
Drizzle the ranch on top of each pita pocket and enjoy immediately.
If making in advance, wrap in foil or place in a tupperware for up to 1 day until ready to eat.