Family Meals

Kristen Johnson, Meijer Dietitian and Healthy Living Advisor shares healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy!

Family Day: A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children is Monday, September 24th, but instead of celebrating Family Day one day a year, celebrate it year round!

Benefits of family meals:
• The ritual of family meals gives kids a sense of security and belonging.
• You have more control over what goes into your family’s mouths and bodies when you make your own food.
• Teaches kids the importance of eating well-balanced and proper portions of food.
• Family meals also increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while decreasing fried foods, soda and unhealthy fats in the diet.
• Helps kids learn proper table manners.
• Improves kids’ communication skills.
• The family gets to spend quality time together and catch up on the day’s activity.
 

 

Grilled Pork Steaks

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

 

½ cup Meijer Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt

1 tbsp. hot sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

1¼ lb. pork tenderloin

3 tbsp. Meijer Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small clove garlic, finely grated

Freshly ground pepper

 

Directions:

1.            Preheat a grill to medium.  Meanwhile, mix yogurt, hot sauce, 1 tbsp. water and salt and pepper to taste.

2.            Slice the pork almost in half lengthwise, stopping about ½ inch from the bottom, and then open like a book.  Cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy-bottomed skillet until the pork is about 3/8 inch thick. 

3.            Remove the plastic.  Mix 1 tbsp. olive oil, the garlic, ½ tsp. salt, and pepper to taste then rub all over the pork.

4.            Grill the pork, turning once, until just cooked though, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.  Cut pork into 4 pieces and serve with yogurt sauce. 

Serve with:

 

Smashed Pesto Potatoes

Bring 1½ lbs. red skin potatoes to a boil a pot of salted water.  Cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.  Add 3 tbsp. Earth Balance Margarine, ½ cup Meijer Plain Soy Milk, and 3 tbsp. prepared pesto into the pot of hot potatoes and mix well.  Lightly smash with a potato masher.  Top with fresh chives. 

 

Sautéed Carrots

Peel about 2 lbs. carrots and cut them diagonally into ¼ inch slices (about 6 cups).  Place carrots, 1/3 cup water, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper in a large sauté pan and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through.  Add a sprinkle of Meijer Extra Virgin olive Oil and sauté for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter.  Turn off the heat and toss with 1½ tbsp. chopped fresh parsley and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm. 

 

For dessert, Meijer offers a wide variety of homemade baked goods to choose from

www.meijermealbox.com/healthy-living