Fast, Healthy Ideas For Teenagers
Michaela Robbins
spazim_me@hotmail.com

    Teenagers have become lazier as time has gone by, we are always rushing places, or just sitting on the couch doing nothing, so when we are hungry instead of grabbing a nutritious snack we take the easy way out and grab a bag of chips or a tray of cookies. So here are some easy, quick ideas to get a yummy snack on the go.

1. The simplest snack is pb&J sandwich
2. Gorp (or in English terms-fruit and nuts)
This Fruit and Nuts mix will satisfy cravings for salty and sweet at the same time
3. Cinnamon Oranges
Sprinkle sliced oranges with cinnamon to get that delicious sweet taste!
4. Turkey Roll-ups
Take pretzel sticks and wrap them up in turkey to satisfy those salty cravings
5. Celery and Cream Cheese
6. Crackers and Cheese

Breakfast Done The Right Way
Sierra Stark
Foods Editor
sierrastark@hotmail.com
    I am sure you have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  According to Shereen Jegtvig, a certified nutrition specialist,  "Your body (or maybe your brain) expects to be refueled a few times each day, so when you skip meals you may feel so hungry that when lunch time comes, you over-eat or maybe you choose foods that are not the healthiest choices." 
    I am sure most of us don't have time for a fancy meal in the morning because we are running to school hoping that we don't have to park in BFE.  Which is why I made a list of healthy, but easy-to-prepare meals that will give you plenty of energy to get you through your day.
1. Fruit and Cheese
A balanced, easy-to-assemble make-ahead morning meal: Grab an apple, wrap 1 to 2 ounces of Cheddar in plastic, and toss ¼ cup of fiber- and protein-rich walnuts into a resealable plastic bag.

2. Peanut Butter Waffle
Instead of dousing a whole-grain or bran toaster waffle in syrup, cut the sugar and boost the protein and fiber by spreading it with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. You can also sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of raisins, sesame seeds, or extra peanuts for even more fiber, which helps deliver the meal's nutrients slowly and steadily.

3. Energy Bars
To substitute for a meal, an energy bar should have at least 3 to 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein. Odwalla, Kashi GoLean, and TruSoy are all good options. Because cereal bars rarely have more than 2 grams of protein, you might be better off adding a stick of Go-Gurt! and a handful of peanuts.

4. Huevos Rancheros
One of the most portable proteins is a hard-cooked egg, but it has no fiber or carbohydrates. So slice it, then roll it in an 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla with a piece of Canadian bacon or lean ham and, if you like, a ½-ounce slice of cheese. Add a tablespoon of salsa for a shot of flavor and a smidgen of vitamin C.

5. Egg McMuffin
    If you must eat fast food in the morning, get an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's. At 300 calories, it's not an outrageous meal. Plus it has a good amount of lean protein from the egg and the Canadian bacon. To trim empty calories, remove the top half of the muffin. For additional fiber, add a fresh orange.
realsimple.com

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise and scraped)
1 egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Pulse the walnuts, sugar and butter in a food processor.
2. Press the walnut mixture onto the bottom of the spring form pans.
3. Bake the walnut crust in a 350F preheated oven until golden brown on the edges, about 8-12 minutes.
4. Mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla bean seeds.
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
6. Pour the mixture into the spring form pans.
7. Bake in a preheated 325F oven until it is set, about 45-60 minutes.

Note: This recipe makes enough for 2 4 inch spring form pans. Triple the recipe for an 8 inch spring form pan and quadruple the recipe for a 10 inch spring form pan.

Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberries (mashed)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
1. Mix the raspberries, sugar, cornstarch and water in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens.

_     Spring will be here soon and, in my opinion, there is nothing better than saying goodbye to winter.  Here are three recipes that will put you in the mood for spring.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Potato Salad
Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 6 Israeli-style pickles, chopped
• 1/2 cup spicy mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

1. Finely chop the hard-cooked eggs and the pickles.
2. When they're cool enough to handle, cube the potatoes and transfer them to a 9x13-inch dish. Stir in the chopped eggs, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and the peas and carrots and mix gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or refrigerate the salad before serving.

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium firm bananas. sliced
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. On a greased 14-in. pizza pan, press cookie dough into a 12-in. circle. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over crust. Toss bananas with lemon juice. Arrange the pineapple, strawberries, bananas, kiwi and oranges over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine marmalade and water; drizzle over fruit.

Posted 2/5/12