With Easter approaching this weekend you may be thinking about how different celebrating a holiday is going to be during a pandemic. We might be used to attending a large Easter service, making a big dinner or visiting our family and friends. Even though we may not be able to continue our holiday traditions this year, we can still observe Easter safely from home.
Here are some ideas for celebrating a safe and healthy Easter from home:
Prepare a Healthy and Balanced Easter Meal
Did you know that you can keep your plate balanced while enjoying your favorite foods and recipes? The Plate Method is one of the easiest and most effective methods for eating healthy balanced meals. Prepare non-starchy vegetables for ½ of the Easter meal. Some of our favorite non-starchy vegetable recipes include Seasoned Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower, and Kale with a Kick. Next prepare lean protein for ¼ of the Easter meal. Try the Herb Encrusted Mustard Salmon or Balsamic Pork Tenderloin recipes. Then prepare a starch for ¼ of the Easter meal. We love Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash and Mashed Sweet Potatoes as starch options. Finally add in a little bit of plant based fat such as olive oil, nuts or avocado. Don’t forget to follow this method when building your plate too!
Utilize the Virtual Platform to Stay Connected
Services, social gatherings and traditional indulgences during the Easter holiday are being handled differently this year. But we can adapt and utilize the virtual platform to stay connected and find a sense of normalcy. Attend an online Easter service or listen to a recorded Easter podcast. Virtual Easter services will be live streamed by most worship centers across the country. Video call your family and friends that you would normally visit or spend Easter time with. Schedule an Easter meal time and enjoy it together with your loved ones on a virtual communication platform like Zoom.
Enjoy a Fun Easter Activity
Did you know that you can dye Easter eggs at home using vegetables and spices? Vegetables such as purple cabbage, beets and onions or spices like tea and turmeric can be used to dye eggs naturally. This is a fun activity to do with kids! Here’s how you make naturally dyed Easter eggs:
Ingredients
Per cup of water use the following:
- 1 cup chopped purple cabbage (turns white eggs blue and brown eggs green)
- 1 cup red onion skins (turns eggs lavender or red)
- 1 cup yellow onion skins (turns white eggs orange and brown eggs rust colored)
- 1 cup shredded beets (turns white eggs pink and brown eggs maroon)
- 2 tablespoons ground turmeric (turns eggs yellow)
- 1 bag Red Zinger tea (turns eggs purple)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar to every cup of strained dye liquid
Directions
- Pour water into a saucepan
- Add in the dye material (purple cabbage, onion skins, etc.) and bring the water to a boil
- Turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 15 to 30 minutes (the dye is ready when it reaches a color a few shades darker than you want for your eggs)
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the dye cool to room temperature
- Pour the cooled dye through strainer to remove material
- Stir vinegar into the dye (use 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of strained liquid)
- Pour the dye over eggs
- Put the eggs submerged in dye into the refrigerator and chill until the desired color is reached
- Dry off the dyed eggs (optional: rub olive oil into dyed eggs and polish with a paper towel)
- Store the eggs in the refrigerator until it is time to eat (or hide) them
Stay Healthy,
Ashley Osterman
Director of Nutrition Education
Healthy Steps Nutrition
www.growyournutritionbusiness.com
