Half of all women and nearly a quarter of all men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis or the loss of bone mass later in life.
However, our eating habits and physical activity choices as children have a profound impact on our bone health as adults. It’s not possible to rebuild bone mass through diet and exercise in adulthood, but it is possible to maintain the bone mass you do have to help prevent fractures.
To build strong bones in youth, and maintain bone mass in adulthood, our bodies require vitamins A and D, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and protein along with calcium. Break free from osteoporosis this week with a featured family meal of Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole with Balsamic Vinegar Tomatoes and Warm Fruit Compote Over Vanilla Frozen Yogurt.
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SKILLET TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
Number of servings: 6
Total preparation time: less than 15 minutes
Actual cooking time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces whole-wheat egg noodles
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
12 ounces canned chunk light tuna drained (see note)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see tip)
PREPARATION:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add milk and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Stir in tuna, peas and 1/2 cup Parmesan until evenly incorporated. Then, stir in the noodles (the pan will be very full). Remove from the heat.
4. Sprinkle the casserole with breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
5. Broil until bubbly and lightly browned on top, 3 to 4 minutes.
COOK’S NOTES:
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through step 3, spoon into an 8-inch-square glass baking dish, cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese (step 4) and bake, covered, at 350 F for 50 minutes. Uncover and cook until browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes more.
Note: Chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller skipjack or yellowfin, has less mercury than canned white albacore tuna. The FDA/EPA advises that women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children consume no more than 6 ounces of albacore a week; up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna is considered safe.
Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250 F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs, or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs. We like Ian’s brand labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets.
Reduce the sodium in this dish by adding less salt.
Source: EatingWell
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BALSAMIC VINEGAR TOMATOES
Number of servings: 4
Total preparation time: less than 15 minutes
Actual cooking time: No cooking required
INGREDIENTS:
3 large ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, use enough to slightly cover tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt-free garlic seasoning mix
PREPARATION:
1. Slice tomatoes.
2. Place tomatoes on a plate and cover with balsamic vinegar and oil.
3. Sprinkle garlic seasoning over tomatoes. Enjoy!
Source: Dairy Council of CA
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WARM FRUIT COMPOTE OVER VANILLA FROZEN YOGURT
Number of servings: 6
Total preparation time: less than 15 minutes
Actual cooking time: less than 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup strawberry nectar
2 ripe peaches peeled and sliced or 1 can of peaches packed in water
2 ripe pears, peeled and sliced
1 pint strawberries, cleaned and cut into halves or 1 bag frozen
1/2 pint fresh blueberries or frozen
1/2 pint fresh raspberries or frozen
3 cups low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
1 bunch, fresh mint
PREPARATION:
1. Over a medium high flame, heat the orange juice and nectar in a large sauté pan until bubbly. Add the peaches and pears and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through but not mushy. Add the strawberries, and heat through 1 minute. Then add the blueberries and raspberries. Remove from the heat.
2. Scoop frozen yogurt into decorative soup plates or bowls and top with warm fruit.
3. Garnish with fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Source: Debbie Allen, RD
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"Family Meals Matter" features registered dietitian-approved recipes with foods from all the food groups to reflect Dairy Council of California's nutrition philosophy. For more information, nutrition tools and additional family meal recipes, visit healthyeating.org
