March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, so a nod to the folks at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics seems in order. Here’s a reprint of their excellent article for incorporating healthy eating into your lifestyle, no matter how busy you are. For more details on eating right for good health, visit their website at www.eatright.org.

Eating right is essential to keeping your body running at its best. During National Nutrition Month®, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reminds you to build an eating plan with your unique lifestyle and nutritional needs in mind. So whether you're a vegetarian, student, athlete, busy parent or a jet-setting executive, it’s important to "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day."

"There's no one-size-fits-all way to eat that's right for everyone," says registered dietitian and Academy spokesperson Jim White. "In reality if the diet doesn't fit with your lifestyle and unique needs, it won't work in the long-term and can even leave you missing out on the nutrition you need to get you through the day."

"Americans have flexibility in making choices to create a healthy eating pattern that meets nutrient needs and stays within calorie limits."

White offers the following tips to eat right for your lifestyle:

Career. Busy work days and business travel can lead to on-the-fly meals.

• For desktop dining, keep single-serve packages of crackers, fruit, peanut butter, low-sodium soup or canned tuna in your desk.
• Always on the go? Tuck portable, nonperishable foods in a purse, briefcase or backpack for a meal on the run. Try granola bars, peanut butter and crackers, fresh fruit, trail mix or single-serve packages of whole-grain cereal or crackers.

Athletes. Whether you are a competitive athlete or just enjoy working out, what you eat will affect your performance.
• Your body needs fuel to function, so eat a light breakfast or snack before you exercise. Try low-fat yogurt, graham crackers with peanut butter, a banana or cereal with low-fat milk.
• Before, during and after exercise, replace fluids with plenty of water or a sports drink, if you prefer.

Student. The student lifestyle can be fast-paced and low-budget. Students can eat right on a budget with some savvy food shopping tips. Stock smart snacks that combine protein and carbohydrates to fuel you like:

 • Apples with peanut butter, carrots and hummus, hard-boiled eggs and fruit, banana and yogurt, almonds with low-fat cheese or whole-grain cereal. These also double as a quick grab-and-go breakfast to wake up your brain and muscles for the day’s activities. • At the cafeteria, salad bars are a great choice, just go easy on the cheese, bacon, creamy dressings and other high-calorie add-ons. Follow the MyPlate guidelines and make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

Families. Caring for family, whether children, elderly parents or both, can be a handful. However, family meals allow parents to be role models to promote healthy eating. And, just because a meal is made quickly doesn’t mean it can’t be nutritious.

• Keep things simple. Build a collection of recipes for quick and easy family favorites. Choose ingredients that you can use from more than one meal. For example, cook extra grilled chicken for chicken salad or fajitas the next day. • Ask for help. Get the kids involved making a salad, setting the table or other simple tasks.

Vegetarian. A vegetarian diet can include just as many tasty varieties of foods as one including meat.
For example, nutrient-rich beans are recommended for everyone. Enjoy vegetarian chili, a hummus-filled pita sandwich or veggie burger. Many popular items are or can be vegetarian – pasta primavera, veggie pizza and tofu-vegetable stir-fry. "Whatever your lifestyle, set yourself up for success by working with a registered dietitian to develop a personalized eating plan that fits your unique nutritional needs and tastes," says White. As part of this public education campaign, the Academy’s National Nutrition Month website includes a variety of helpful tips, games, promotional tools and nutrition education resources, all designed to spread the message of good nutrition around the "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day" theme.

A New Look for Mrs. E’s

 Things won’t quiet down at Mrs. E’s after the Spring Session ends in May.  The day after commencement, Mrs. E’s will close her doors in anticipation of an extensive renovation—one that allows for better traffic flow, more dining options, and a beautiful new seating area for all her guests.   

The food court area of the existing facility will experience a complete overhaul, with new food selections, including dining concepts:    noodle bar, ethnic favorites, brick oven pizza, classic comfort food, deli selections, grilled items, deserts and more... In selecting the new concepts, special attention was given to ensuring variety and quality for today’s students’ changing palettes. 

The layout of the dining facility will change as well, allowing guests to move through the area more quickly and efficiently.  The popular salad bar will be relocated to further into the food court, allowing students easy access.  Attractive food stations will be easily visible to students as they scan their dining options. 

The seating area of Mrs. E’s will also get a facelift.  The existing half walls will come down and be replaced with railings that give the facility a bright, airy and open feeling.  Community tables will be added that allow for the seating of large groups. New chairs, flooring and lighting will add to our guests’ dining experience.

It’s a lot to do, but the Dining Services Team will work to have it all ready for students upon their return in August.  A brand new dining facility to open up the brand new school year. 

Mrs. E's New Entrance

Late Night Breakfast

   

      Student Union Activities and KU Dining Services hosted another successful Late Night Breakfast on Sunday night. From 10-midnight, Mrs. E's Dining Hall welcomed around 1,400 guests to join in on some pre-finals, holiday fun.





   
      Students gathered to enjoy a breakfast menu, massages and free giveaways.  Serving along side KU Dining Services' staff, a number of staff and faculty from across the university came to serve the late night meal!  Students were even visited by some General Mills childhood favorites.






      What a great study break and and a great kick off to finals week!  If you missed it, check out our Facebook page for pictures from this event!

It's a Wonderful Brunch

      Today at Mrs. E's, Oliver and North College Cafe Dining Halls, KU Dining Services hosted a wonderful brunch themed It's a Wonderful Brunch.  




      



      Staff and students enjoyed Uncle Billy's Banana Nut French Toast, Bedford Falls Bacon Pancakes, Hand Carved Prime Rib, Scones, Muffins, Mary Bailey's Spinach and Gruyere Quiche, Egg Nog and Chocolate Fondue!





       While visiting each of the locations, we couldn't help but taste some of the delicious food! No surprise, but KU Dining Services really outdid themselves.  It's a Wonderful Brunch was a huge success and we can't wait to see what Mrs. E's has in store for Late Night Breakfast this Sunday night at 10pm!


      If you didn't get a chance to attend this event, check out some pictures on our Facebook page!

Sharing Holiday Secrets

Sheryl Kidwell, Assistant Director of Residential Dining at KU Dining Services, has shared her one of her favorite holiday dessert recipes, Pumpkin Bars. Sheryl was extremely excited when asked to share this recipe. These pumpkin bars are served at the Residence Halls on campus and are among the favorites with the students. 

     

 Below, you can find the recipe for this delectable holiday dessert:

            Ingredients:
                  1C          Sugar Granulated

                  ½ C        Oil

                  2            Egg

                  1C          Pumpkin Canned

Combine Sugar, Oil, Eggs and Pumpkin until smooth.

                  1 tsp.      Salt Iodized

                  1¼C       Flour All-Purpose

                  ¾ C        Baking Powder Dbl Action

                  ½ tsp.     Baking Soda

                  ½ tsp.     Spice Cinnamon Ground

Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Bake at 325 F for 25 minutes.

                  2 oz.       Cheese Cream Loaf

                  2 T          Margarine Whipped

                  1 ½ C     Sugar Powder 6x Cane

                  2¾ tsp.   Evaporated Milk

Combine frosting ingredients and whip until smooth. Take frosting and spread. Portions yield 3” squares.

Stay tuned for more KU Dining holiday recipes through the rest of the semester!  Try them out, snap a picture, tag KUDining Services on Facebook and let us know what you think!

Prepare for Thanksgiving Dessert: Pecan Pie with Cream Cheese Crust

      Janna Traver, Executive Chef of KU Dining Services is providing us with one of her specialty Thanksgiving desserts!  Traver's Pecan Pie recipe is modified from The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum and is described as her "favorite pecan pie" (It is actually a tart so the crust to filling ratio is higher, and a bit less guilt ridden).  This pie has a pretty good story to it and we felt like there was no one that could tell it better than Traver herself.  Keep reading to find out!

     Pecan pie became my responsibility when I was an undergrad at KU. My Great Aunt had always made perfect pecan pies, but she passed away without sharing the recipe. After many years, post culinary school, I ran across Beranbaum’s book and bought it specifically for the crust listed below. I have altered the original to yield a bit more crust and to allow for a decorative crust.  I have never replicated Aunt Jeannette’s pie but this one has become a favorite at Thanksgiving.

            -Janna Traver, Executive Chef of KU Dining

Ingredients for Crust:

9Tbsp       butter, salted, chilled

1½C          all-purpose flour

¼tsp         baking powder

3oz           Philly cream cheese, chilled

3-4Tbsp    ice water

2tsp          cider vinegar

Instructions:

*Chill all ingredients and equipment for 30 minutes prior to assembly. This helps create a flaky crust as you don’t want the butter to completely blend (or cream) into the flour mixture.

In a Food processor- Place dry ingredients into food processor bowl with metal blade attachment. Dice the cream cheese into 6-7 pcs, place in bowl with dry ingredients.

Pulse mixture 3-4 times until mixture looks like coarse sand

Cube the butter into 1 tbsp chunks, add to bowl

Pulse mixture 2-3 times to break the butter into pieces the size of peas Remove lid and drizzle in cider vinegar (malt or white will also work)

For the ice water, place 4 tbsp of water in a glass with a few pieces of ice

Replace the lid and run the processor while drizzling in the ice water, be careful not to add any ice cubes. The flour will start to form a ball. Stop the processor even if you have not used all the water. (The amount of water will vary depending on humidity levels, product freshness among other factors)

Turn dough onto a lightly floured board or clean table top. Working quickly, use the palms of your hands to form the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. 

Chill dough for a minimum of 2 hours prior to working.

Ingredients for Pecan Pie filling:

1½C          Rough chopped pecans (best if chopped by hand the commercial 

                 product is diced to finely)

4 each      egg yolks

1/3C         dark corn syrup

½C           dark brown sugar

4Tbs        salted butter

1/4C         heavy cream

2tsp         vanilla extract

1Tbs        bourbon* (optional, if using bourbon cut back 1 Tbsp cream)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350

Roll out dough to ½ cm and place in 91/2 inch fluted tart pan, trim off 

excess. (Save excess dough for decorations later)

“Blind bake” crust, place foil or parchment paper over pie crust and fill with 

rice or beans, bake crust at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

While crust is baking, make filling.

In a medium sauce pan combine eggs, syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 7-10 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken slightly. Do not bring to a boil or your eggs will scrambled eggs in sugar, yuck! At this point you can strain your mixture, but it is not mandatory. Add in vanilla (bourbon) and the nuts. Pour mixture into cooked crust.

Roll our reserved dough and cut into leaf shapes, or any shape desired and place around outer edge of tart. Keep shapes smaller than a silver dollar or they may sink into the tart. Lightly brush the leaves with heavy cream. This will make them shinny when baked.

Bake pie on middle oven shelf for 20 minutes or until the filling puffs slightly and bubbles form around the edge. Cool pie for at least 1 hour or overnight in a cool spot, not the refrigerator or the pie will become soggy. I serve this with fresh whipped cream flavored with maple syrup and vanilla.

      Stay tuned for more KU Dining holiday recipes through the rest of the semester! Try them out, snap a picture, tag KU Dining Services on Facebook and let us know what you think!