Recipe: Avocado Tortilla Soup
I like any recipe that calls for handfuls of tortilla chips. Handfuls. My big downfall when dining out at a Mexican restaurant is that I actually grab handfuls of chips from the bottomless tortilla basket on the table. But now I have something to satiate my craving and help me with portion control.
Our friends at Harvest Market have figured out how to keep warm, full and healthy during the really cold months. This Avocado Tortilla Soup can be made vegetarian-style or not, whichever broth you prefer. Now you can go out for great Mexican food without going out at all.
Avocado Tortilla Soup
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
5 Roma tomatoes
1/3 bunch cilantro
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon Harvest Market bulk Taco Seasoning Mix or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans
1/2 cup cooked, canned or frozen corn, thawed
2 handfuls tortilla chips
Take all ingredients listed above and place in a blender (use a Vitamix to blend and heat all at once). Otherwise, after ingredients are well-blended put in a pot on the stove to heat up to desired temperature.
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Top Three Things School Nurses Want Us to Know
Lately the only way to get people to click on anything on the Internet is to list fun facts in a concise format that scream “it’s worth your time.” You know the headlines I am referring to—“Top Five Reasons You Lie About Loving Kale!” or “Top Three Ways To Tell If You Are Addicted to Other Peoples’ Pinterest Folders”— they seem like must-reads, no?
As a blogger for Get Healthy, Delaware!, I could not pass up a chance to do a “Top Three” and write about something the other health blogs don’t cover because they are too busy trying to get you to drink something the color of Kermit the Frog.
What are the top three things our school nurses want us to know? What would they tell us if they could? I sat down with Jennifer Conway, registered nurse, a school nurse at Sanford School in Hockessin. I asked to her to select just three items she wishes every parent would keep in mind, especially as we head further into the winter season.
1) Children need sleep. I know the empowering moment of victory parents have when they say, “the children are asleep,” but how many hours are they actually sleeping? It turns out sleep sets the tone for what happens when the children are awake.
“Children under 12 need 10-11 hours of sleep,” says Conway. “By making sure they get enough sleep, it helps them with focus during the school day and gets their patterns on track, which affects their appetite and healthy eating habits.”
2) Don’t skip the protein. Not everyone is hungry in the morning and eating breakfast can be a challenge to enforce. Conway recommends offering small amounts of protein in addition to the quick carbohydrate bars because the protein will help those carbs last longer through the morning. Children may see grownups with giant mugs of coffee, but it’s not good for them to find their energy in sugary or caffeinated drinks.
3) Wash those hands. “Everyone is always asking if a bug is going around,” says Conway. “The answer is always yes. Germs are always out there. Our best protection is teaching children about hand washing and how to properly cover up when they cough or sneeze into a tissue.”
I think every parent knows this list can go on and on. Now I want to know the top three ways school nurses keep from getting sick themselves. They must get plenty of sleep, wash their hands a lot and eat protein. I can’t be sure. I’ll have to look on Pinterest.
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Vegan Recipe: Tostaditos with Black Beans and Soyrizo
Mexican food isn’t just about cheese and beef. This healthy alternative, from Chef Gretchen Hanson of Hobos Restaurant + Bar in Rehoboth Beach, is authentic and delicious. Enjoy. (more)
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Health Events
Saturday, Feb. 22
Second annual Heart of Good Health: A Healthy Community Event
Location Laurel High School, 1133 S. Central Ave., Laurel
Time 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More info. 536-5386
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Christiana Care’s Health Insurance Enrollment Blitz
Location Wilmington Hospital campus, lobby, 501 W. 14th St., Wilmington
Time 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
More info. 320-6586
Sunday, March 2
JCC Snowball 5-Miler
Location Siegel Jewish Community Center, 101 Garden of Eden Road, Wilmington
Time 11 a.m.
More info. Debra Steinberg, debrasteinberg@siegeljcc.org
