Last night my brother texted me saying "Tomorrow is National Peanut Butter Day!" I wrote back "Awesome!!! I should celebrate by eating peanut butter for every meal!" And then I realized that I did that yesterday. And the day before that, and the day before that. Which is probably why my brother notified me of National Peanut Butter Day. I love peanut butter. My family eats a lot of it. A lot, a lot, of it. We've eaten 4 cases of peanut butter since the case lot sale in October! Why so much peanut butter? It's cheap It's nutritious It's convenient At about $1.25 a jar, peanut butter is one of the least expensive forms of protein. Two Tablespoons provide 50% of a toddler's protein needs for the DAY! It's also high in iron and zinc, which are important for a toddler's brain development. The healthy unsaturated fat found in peanut butter will keep you (and your little ones) full. Peanut butter is also the most convenient form of protein for lunches: peanut butter sandwiches stay safe without refrigeration. Besides PBJ, what are my favorite ways to use peanut butter? #1 Peanut Butter Oatmeal: https://www.ddinutrition.com/peanutbutteroatmeal This is our go-to breakfast. My kids eat it almost every day and love it. It has more protein and fat than breakfast cereal, which means it keeps little tummies full for hours. #2 Peanut Butter Pumpkin Muffins: https://www.ddinutrition.com/no-flour-pumpkin-muffins I make these muffins in the BLENDER, they are that easy. Just blend, pour into muffin cups and bake. One muffin has enough protein to meet a child's needs for the day. #3 Peanut Butter Green Smoothie: https://www.ddinutrition.com/green-smoothie I always feel full and refreshed after eating this smoothie each morning. I keep ripe bananas and spinach in my freezer for this smoothie. Those are my top 3 peanut butter recipes! Do you love peanut butter too? Let me know in the comments! Looking for more peanut butter recipes? Try my oatmeal peanut butter cookies or my pumpkin peanut butter curry, both are a great way to celebrate national peanut butter day. Or sign up for February's cooking class, we're making peanut noodles! (signups will go out next week). Happy National Peanut Butter Day! Nicole

"Why is it snowing again?" I thought to myself as I looked at the fat snowflakes floating past my window. The meal plan for the evening had been peanut noodles, but I wasn't in the mood for peanut noodles. I wanted something warm comforting and simple to improve my mood on this cold snowy night. It was the end of the week and all I had in the fridge was wrinkly carrots, limp celery, and Belgian dark chocolate that I was hiding from my kids. I had everything I needed for Veggie Noodle Soup (and everything I needed for a soul-soothing treat after the kids went to bed). This easy, 15-minute recipe is a family favorite. It's my 10-year-old's favorite meal. When she was about 3, we checked out the "Disney Princess Cookbook" from the library. This soup recipe was labeled "Seven Dwarves Soup." Every time she got to pick what we had for dinner, it was "7 Dwarves Soup." After checking the book out about 20 times, we finally purchased it. Now that she's 10, she often cooks Veggie Noodle Soup by herself. It's so easy, you can make it by yourself too. But it's much more fun to cook it with your kids. Here are 3 reasons to give this recipe a try: It's less expensive than buying cans of chicken noodle soup It's healthier than canned soup (more veggies + whole grains, and less salt!) It's fun to cook soup with kids! Here are 4 things little kids can do to help you make this soup: chop celery with a butter knife measure the water put chopped vegetables into the soup watch for the water to boil and add noodles If you let your kids help cook when they are in diapers, they'll be cooking on their own by the time they are 10. Trust me, the effort is worth the reward. Looking for another great recipe to make with your kids? Try this bread recipe to go along with your soup. It's what my baby is helping me cook in the photo above. You can also signup to cook bread and lentil soup with me and my kids at Cooking Club next Tuesday, January 24th at 4pm. Click this link to signup, there are still slots available even though the signup closure date has passed: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRuNWY-zgfZ4P4_S3FS5hbrzd8JfCBTu9p4AQHQrZfwzJwtg/viewform?usp=sf_link Happy Cooking! Nicole

It’s the second week of January. I can only see three colors out my window: whitish-grey, brownish grey-and grey-grey. The blue sky has been hidden behind a curtain of clouds for weeks and I’m missing the sun. Unlike the snowman in this photo (which will melt if the sun ever comes out), my body is literally craving sunshine. I'm craving the sun's warmth, light and it's vitamin-D-creating powers. Yes, I'm a dietitian, so I think about these things regularly. Human skin creates vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. When we have limited sun exposure (during a winter inversion), we must rely on food for vitamin D. Unfortunately, there isn’t much vitamin D in the typical American diet. How do you know if you getting enough vitamin D in the winter? Keep reading to find out. In this article: What is vitamin D and why do we need it? Where does vitamin D come from? How much vitamin D does my family need? How do I know if my family is getting enough vitamin D? How do I choose a dietary supplement if I need one? What is vitamin D and why do we need it? The simple answer: Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps build bones. Children and adults who don’t get enough vitamin D are at risk for weak bones. Vitamin D might also help prevent cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases and depression. Getting enough Vitamin D improves your overall well-being. Click here to learn more. Where does vitamin D come from? The Sun: During the summer, exposure to 5-30 minutes of sunlight on your hands, face, arms and legs will meet vitamin D needs. During the winter: It’s too cold to expose your arms and legs outside + Because of Utah’s latitude, winter sunlight isn’t “strong” enough to make vitamin D Food: Vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish (trout, salmon, cod liver oil), egg yolks and UV-light-exposed-mushrooms. Vitamin D is added to fortified foods: Milk (dairy and non-dairy), orange juice, and cereal. See the infographic at the bottom of this blog post for more info. How much vitamin D does my family need? The recommended amount of vitamin D depends on your age. Infants age 0-12 months: 10 mcg (400IU) kids + adults 1-70 years: 15 mcg (600 IU) Pregnant/nursing women:15 mcg (600 IU) Older adult at 70+ years: 20 mcg (800 IU) Vitamin D is labeled in units called micrograms (mcg) and International Units (IU) You'll usually see mcg on food labels. You’ll usually see IU on supplement labels (confusing!) How do I know if my family getting enough vitamin D? It's tricky to know if you are getting enough vitamin D. Here are 3 things to consider: 1. How much vitamin D are you getting from the sun? Winter sunlight isn't "strong" enough to make vitamin D Wearing sunscreen stops your skin from making vitamin D (but it's still important for preventing skin cancer!) Darker pigmented skin makes less vitamin D. Clouds and pollution block the sun's rays that make vitamin D. Summary: Being outside for 5-30 minutes in the summer will give you enough vitamin D. Your skin probably doesn't make enough vitamin D during a Utah winter. 2. How much vitamin D are you getting from food? 1 cup fortified milk = about 3 mcg 3 ounces fatty fish = 14.5 mcg 1 can tuna = 2.25 mcg 1 Egg yolk = 1 mcg People age 1-70 need 15 mcg/day 3 oz = the size of a deck of cards Check food labels to see how much you get from fortified foods you regularly eat Summary: If you don't eat fish 2 times/week or drink 4-5 cups of fortified milk/day, you don't get enough vitamin D from food. Check labels of foods you commonly eat to see how much you are getting. 3. How much vitamin D is your infant getting? Breast milk is usually low in vitamin D. Exclusively breastfed infants need to take 400 IU of vitamin D from birth until 12 months. Don't give an infant anything but formula or breastmilk in their bottle until 12 months. Exclusively formula-fed babies get all the vitamin D they need from infant formula. Summary: If your breastfed child age 0-1 year is not taking a vitamin D supplement, check with your pediatrician about starting one. Infant formula provides all of your child’s vitamin D needs. How do I choose a Vitamin D supplement if I need one? Here are 2 things to look for in a Vitamin D supplement 1. USP Mark Supplements are not regulated like drugs. To make sure a supplement is safe and effective, I look for the USP mark on a supplement label before I buy it. Here is an online list of USP-certified supplements: https://www.quality-supplements.org/verified-products/verified-products-listings#list1 image from USP.org 2. Take an amount less than 1,000 IU Taking too much vitamin D is dangerous and can cause high calcium levels in the blood. High calcium levels can cause nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, kidney stones, and other problems. Do not take more than this amount of Vitamin D Children age 0-7 months: 1,000 IU Children age 7-12 months: 1,500 IU Children age 1-3 years: 2,500 IU Children age 4-8 years: 3,000 IU Children AND adults age 9+ years: 4,000 IU Remember that you only need to take this amount Infants age 0-12 months: 10 mcg (400IU) kids + adults 1-70 years: 15 mcg (600 IU) Pregnant/nursing women: 15 mcg (600 IU) Older adult at 70+ years: 20 mcg (800 IU) It is common for Vitamin D supplements to contain 2,000 IU of vitamin D. Don't take that much if you drink milk and eat fish. Look for a supplement with 600 IU. If you can’t find one, take a higher dose less often, or buy a gummy supplement and only eat part of it each day. Summary: Find a vitamin D supplement with USP on the label and aim to take only 600 IU or 15mcg per day. Take less if you drink fortified milk and eat fatty fish. Final Review: Vitamin D is important for bone health and general wellness. You probably get enough during the summer from sun exposure (but you should definitely wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer) If you don't eat fish twice a week or drink 4 cups of milk/day (dairy or non-dairy), you probably don't get enough vitamin D during the winter. If your infant is breastfed, check with your doctor about vitamin D drop supplements. To get enough vitamin D during the winter: drink more milk, eat fatty fish 2 times/week (salmon is a good choice) or choose a USP approved supplement that is between 400 IU and 1,000 IU. Have questions? Email Nicole: nicolebuhlerRD@gmail.com References: NIH Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Professionals: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/ Harvard School of Public; The Nutrition Source; Vitamin D: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/ American Academy of Pediatrics; healthychildren.org; Vitamin D and Iron Supplements for Babies: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Vitamin-Iron-Supplements.aspx PS: My mealplan for the week Monday: whole wheat spaghetti, jarred red sauce, garlic bread, canned peaches, canned green beans Tuesday: skillet pizza topped with cheese, spinach and bell peppers, canned applesauce Wednesday: soft lentil tacos with whole wheat tortillas, orange slices, canned corn + black beans Thursday: Peanut noodles with tofu (recipe coming soon to the website), sliced bell peppers and spinach, orange slices Friday: veggie noodle soup + grapefruit slices Wondering how I get enough vitamin D? I eat oatmeal cooked in 1 cup of milk for breakfast every morning, I have a green smoothie made with milk for my morning snack, I eat tuna fish for lunch 2-3 days per week I drink warm vanilla milk for an afternoon snack every day I try to eat salmon once per week I eat 1/2 of a nature-made gummy supplement every other day (1/2 gummy = 500mg)

One Pot Pasta Print in English One pot pasta Recipe from America's Test Kitchen for kids ​ 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 onion, peeled and chopped fine 1 teaspoon salt 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes, opened 1/4 teaspoon sugar 3+3/4 cups penne pasta 3 cups water 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (optional, use 1 teaspoon dry instead) Grated parmesan cheese ​ 1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat for 1 minute (oil should be hot but not smoking). Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often with wooden spoon, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. ​ 2. Stir in tomatoes and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes ​ 3. Carefully stir in pasta and water. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, 16 to 18 minutes. 4. Turn off heat. Drizzle pasta with extra oil and sprinkle basil over top. Use ladle to divide pasta and sauce among individual bowls. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

3o Minute Peanut Butter Noodles Print in English Print in Spanish This easy recipe comes together with pantry staples in 30 minutes. I keep ginger and limes in the freezer at all times so that I always have them for this recipe. If you don't like tofu, use chicken. You can use fresh vegetables instead of the frozen package of stir fry veggies. Frozen veggies are easier and last for months in the freezer. ​ Serves: 2 adults and 4 kids Time: about 30 minutes Ingredients: Peanut Sauce: ½ cup peanut butter ½ cup water 1 or 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 1 or 2 tablespoons brown sugar Juice of 1 lime Optional: grated fresh ginger (about 1 or 2 teaspoons) Optional: grated fresh garlic (about 1-2 cloves) ​ Noodles: 8 oz (½ of a 16 oz box) whole wheat spaghetti noodles 1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables 1 container extra-firm tofu Directions: 1. Cook the noodles in boiling water according to package directions (about 7 minutes). During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the frozen vegetables to the pot. Cook until the veggies are warm and drain them with the noodles. ​ 2. While the noodles are cooking , prepare the tofu and peanut sauce. 3. For the tofu: Cut the tofu brick into 4 equal slices, the slices should be a similar shape to a slice of bread. Brown the tofu slices. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil. When oil is hot, add tofu and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until brown. After browning, transfer slices to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized squares. Tofu is safe to eat raw if you don’t want to cook it. Simply cut it into squares and set aside until the noodles are done. ​ 4. For the peanut sauce: While tofu and noodles are cooking, combine peanut sauce ingredients in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl (½ cup peanut butter, ½ cup water, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 minced clove garlic). It is okay to leave out the lime, ginger and garlic if you don’t have any, but it will taste much better with all of the ingredients. Microwave peanut sauce ingredients for 1 minute. Stir until combined. If the sauce is difficult to stir, microwave for another 30 seconds until the peanut butter is melted and it is easy to stir. 5. Once everything is done, pour peanut sauce on top of the cooked noodles and vegetables. Stir so that the sauce covers everything and top with the tofu. *notes* This sauce is also excellent on top of cooked rice instead of noodles! You can use browned chicken instead of tofu.

how to feed your child Discover Cooking Club February's Class on Tuesday 2/28/23: 30 Minute Peanut Noodles ​ March's class on Tuesday 3/28/23: Green Smoothies + healthy snack cookies ​ Click this link to signup for February's class . A zoom link will be emailed to you. Family Advocates will deliver ingredients to each family before class. Blog Nicole Buhler 6 days ago 2 min It's National Peanut Butter Day: Here are 3 Recipes to Celebrate Last night my brother texted me saying "Tomorrow is National Peanut Butter Day!" I wrote back "Awesome!!! I should celebrate by eating... 27 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked Nicole Buhler Jan 16 2 min Try this easy homemade soup recipe with your kids when it's cold outside "Why is it snowing again?" I thought to myself as I looked at the fat snowflakes floating past my window. The meal plan for the evening... 11 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked click here to subscribe to blog