Sneaky Nutrition - Milk
…desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. 1 Peter 2:2
Serve up the calcium to your family! Serve up the healthy bones and teeth! But that’s not all. Did you know that this wonderful mineral helps our hearts to beat regularly and the old muscles to contract like they should? I could go on and on talking about our old friend calcium. It’s one of God’s most important provisions nutrient-wise. Our kids need it and we need it. I know it’s available from many sources, but as far as I’m concerned, milk is the most convenient and most popular way to get it. So, this is a plug for milk.
I know I’m not a cow, but at this stage in my life and I suppose since I was weaned (not too terribly long ago), it’s been cow’s milk for me. As far as I know, there is an abundant supply of calcium in it—and protein and other good stuff. Okay, some folks are big on goat, soy, rice, sheep and other milks, and other people have various intolerances. I know about these things. That’s not my point here. I’m here today to talk about the fact that I don’t like to drink milk, but I do like to eat it. I have a daughter who has the same problem. I thought it might be nice to discuss some of the ways we can get more of this precious white beverage into our systems to deliver calcium (and much more) to our teeth, bones, muscles, nerves, arteries, and other bodily mechanisms that need it:
1. In recipes, I’m a big proponent of evaporated skimmed milk. You’re supposed to dilute it with an equal amount of water, but I often don’t. Use it full strength in some recipes and get a double portion of the nutrients without added fat. You might want to find instances when you can do this. Add it to coffee or tea instead of regular milk.
2. Add non-fat dry milk to some of your muffins and other breads, even when you put in the regular liquid form listed in the ingredients. Usually a fourth of a cup doesn’t affect matters too much. Live dangerously and try it! Adjust next time if need be and I take no responsibility if your muffins fall!
3. Have macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and creamed vegetables a lot. Use the canned skim whenever you can. I know it’s less flavorful with the non-fat version, but it’s worth adjusting yours and your children’s taste buds to the lighter versions.
4. Have hot cereals often. They’re quite good with the fat free variety poured straight out of the can.
5. Remember to have “Skinny Pancakes” when you can. Lots of calcium and protein there.
6. Here is my favorite rice pudding recipe. I keep changing it over time, but this is the way I make it now. It’s nice to have it cooking in the oven on a cold, rainy or snowy day. It takes long and smells good. Cook until the liquid is absorbed; it bakes into a golden brown color. Sometimes I have it for breakfast, and I usually pour more canned milk on it when I eat it!
3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
Serve up the calcium to your family! Serve up the healthy bones and teeth! But that’s not all. Did you know that this wonderful mineral helps our hearts to beat regularly and the old muscles to contract like they should? I could go on and on talking about our old friend calcium. It’s one of God’s most important provisions nutrient-wise. Our kids need it and we need it. I know it’s available from many sources, but as far as I’m concerned, milk is the most convenient and most popular way to get it. So, this is a plug for milk.
I know I’m not a cow, but at this stage in my life and I suppose since I was weaned (not too terribly long ago), it’s been cow’s milk for me. As far as I know, there is an abundant supply of calcium in it—and protein and other good stuff. Okay, some folks are big on goat, soy, rice, sheep and other milks, and other people have various intolerances. I know about these things. That’s not my point here. I’m here today to talk about the fact that I don’t like to drink milk, but I do like to eat it. I have a daughter who has the same problem. I thought it might be nice to discuss some of the ways we can get more of this precious white beverage into our systems to deliver calcium (and much more) to our teeth, bones, muscles, nerves, arteries, and other bodily mechanisms that need it:
1. In recipes, I’m a big proponent of evaporated skimmed milk. You’re supposed to dilute it with an equal amount of water, but I often don’t. Use it full strength in some recipes and get a double portion of the nutrients without added fat. You might want to find instances when you can do this. Add it to coffee or tea instead of regular milk.
2. Add non-fat dry milk to some of your muffins and other breads, even when you put in the regular liquid form listed in the ingredients. Usually a fourth of a cup doesn’t affect matters too much. Live dangerously and try it! Adjust next time if need be and I take no responsibility if your muffins fall!
3. Have macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and creamed vegetables a lot. Use the canned skim whenever you can. I know it’s less flavorful with the non-fat version, but it’s worth adjusting yours and your children’s taste buds to the lighter versions.
4. Have hot cereals often. They’re quite good with the fat free variety poured straight out of the can.
5. Remember to have “Skinny Pancakes” when you can. Lots of calcium and protein there.
6. Here is my favorite rice pudding recipe. I keep changing it over time, but this is the way I make it now. It’s nice to have it cooking in the oven on a cold, rainy or snowy day. It takes long and smells good. Cook until the liquid is absorbed; it bakes into a golden brown color. Sometimes I have it for breakfast, and I usually pour more canned milk on it when I eat it!
3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 cup water
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup uncooked regular rice (not converted)
Mix all ingredients and bake in slow oven (300 deg.) for about 3-1/2 hours.
Note: Sometimes I use brown rice and cook in crockpot for 8-10 hours.
If you and/or your children enjoy a tall glass of milk, that’s all the better. Hopefully, you have three or four a day like they say you should. But if you’re like me and some others who don’t like to drink it, maybe you can sneak it in by trying some of these other ways.
As I final word, I hope the Bible verse at the top will be a reminder to all of us to get in that needed milk of the Word on a daily basis. That’s even more important!
If you and/or your children enjoy a tall glass of milk, that’s all the better. Hopefully, you have three or four a day like they say you should. But if you’re like me and some others who don’t like to drink it, maybe you can sneak it in by trying some of these other ways.
As I final word, I hope the Bible verse at the top will be a reminder to all of us to get in that needed milk of the Word on a daily basis. That’s even more important!
4 comments:
Thank you Nanna as I am the troublesome daughter that just can't down a glass of milk! I'll remember all of your suggestions. And thank you for the recipe. I don't know why, but I am still laughing because you said "I know I'm not a cow ..." For some reason that tickled my funny bone.
Thank you for all the excellent ideas! I'm not a big fan of drinking milk by the glass, either, but I do use it lots in cooking. We are into organic milk these days.
The rice pudding recipe looks great-- I've always wondered if rice pudding could be made with brown rice! I'll have to try it very soon!
Can't do it-lactose intolerant and as far as we can tell, my oldest and middle one have allergies.
So it's soy soy soy enriched rice dream soy soy
Hope you're doing well!
btw, we will be cheating on Friday and having a pizza.
Great reminders if I should have a little one that doesn't like to "drink" it!! In fact, I do have a son that doesn't like to! I buy the calcium filled orange juice! I grew up on a dairy farm, and so I enjoy milk. I usually have to have some chocolate somen' somen' with it though!! Oh like a brownie or candy bar!!
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