Fresh Summer Appetizer Ideas

By Laura Maron
Avoid the summer scorch
and make a splash with
these fun recipe ideas for
your next pool party or
picnic.

Fresh Berry and
Watermelon Salad Bowls
On a hot day, this fruity
salad is sure to please.
Start by washing a
watermelon and the
berries of your choice.
Next, turn your
watermelon onto one end
and cut it long-ways into
two halves. Place a wet
washcloth under one of
the watermelon halves
and proceed to use a knife
to create watermelon
pieces that should be
removed and set aside.
Continue until all
watermelon is removed.
Next, gently mix the
berries and watermelon
together in a glass bowl.
Cover all fruit with a light
drizzle of lemon or orange
juice, place all fruit back
into the emptied
watermelon half, garnish
with mint, and ENJOY!



Sandwiches with Kale Chips
Kale chips are great for
potato chip enthusiasts like
me. Be careful they cook
up quickly and require
monitoring but are a
fantastic chip alterative.
Remove the fibrous center
stem from each washed kale
leaf. Please note, kale
centers are perfect for stir-
fries, salads, and more but
not preferred for this recipe
because they take a little
longer to cook than the
leaves. Next, chop the kale
leaves and spread the
greens in a single layer on an
olive oiled cookie sheet or
shallow baking pan. Add
heart healthy olive oil, salt,
pepper, and any spices on
top of greens. Bake kale at
350 until crispy and ENJOY!


Serve these crunchy chips
with fun finger sandwiches
such as Pimento Cheese &
Romaine on pumpernickel,
Classic Turkey BLTs on 100%
whole wheat bread, Deviled
Egg Salad on sourdough, or
Curry Chicken Salad with
avocado & sprouts in mini
pita pockets. Crusts are
optional and the skys the
limit! Also try BBQ Chicken
Sliders on yeast rolls,
Waldorf Tofu Salad on rye,
or Mini Meatloaf Bites with
mashed cauliflower &
cheddar cheese on ciabatta.
Revamp any sandwich into
your next mid-day treat!


Cucumber Cups
These classic flavors are
perfect for an individual
snack bite. Start by slicing
your washed cucumber into
approximately one inch
rings. Next, use a melon-
baller or teaspoon to gently
scoop out most of the
cucumber seeds and inner
pulp. Make sure not to
scoop too deep to ensure
the filling stays secure. Try
not to discard the pulp; it is
refreshing on its own for
snack. From this point, you
can pick your topping. Here
are two ideas 1. Mix
softened low-fat cream
cheese, dried oregano, a
touch of finely chopped
garlic, finely chopped red
onion, and capers or
chopped briny olives
together in a bowl. Once
thoroughly combined, use a
teaspoon to spoon the
flavored mix into each
prepared cucumber space.
Garnish with sweet paprika
and ENJOY!


MSDO Newsletter
MONTCLAIR STATE
DIETETIC ORGANIZATION
Angela Criscuoli, Newsletter Chair


2. Mix plain Greek
yogurt, crumbled feta
cheese, fresh chopped
green dill, black pepper,
a splash of lemon juice,
and a dash of olive oil
together in a bowl. Once
thoroughly combined,
use a teaspoon to spoon
the creamy yogurt dip
into each prepared
cucumber space. Garnish
with grated lemon rind,
black pepper, or olive oil
drizzles and ENJOY!
criscuolia1.
montclair.edu@gmail.com
Hope everyone had a
great summer and I look
forward to seeing you
soon!
In our next issue,
reflections from our past
President!
August , 2014
Vol ume 14, I ssue 8
Monthly Newsletter

www.msdoweb.com
Inside this issue:

Fresh Summer
Appetizer Ideas1

Tea-licious!.............2


Tea is the second most consumed beverage after
water according to Harvards School of Public
Health. The plant, Camellia Sinensis, is infused to
make the common tea beverage we all love. Tea
can also be made from herbs or tisanes, also
commonly known as herbal teas, which do not
contain the Camellia Siensis plant. Region of
growth, harvest time and processing make up the
different tea varieties and availability.
Unsweetened tea provides a calorie free beverage
that is full of antioxidants and flavonoids. Tea
contains caffeine which varies based on brewing
time, type of tea, and amount of water used. It
can also be decaffeinated during processing.
The Linus Paul Institutes micronutrient research
for optimum health has studied the correlation
between tea consumption and its protection
against cardiovascular disease and shown that
daily consumption of tea decreases the risk of
heart attack up to 11%. More studies and
research still need to be conducted, however, one
thing is for certain, adding sugars, flavoring and
other additives can turn a good drink into a bad
one. When choosing tea, read labels to stay clear
from added sugars. The best tea is the one you
brew in your own home. Using mint, cinnamon,
lemon, lime and even fruits can enhance flavors
by using natural ingredients. Whether it is black,
green, white or herbal, stay hydrated this summer
with a cold glass of tea!







Tea-licious!



By Olibel Morles