What's Cookin? Tuesday: Crunchy Chicken Salad

What’s in a Name?

Pronunciation: grˉap Spanish name: uva

Grapes are the fruit of the vine in the family Vitaceae and of which there are many different species. The word grape was derived from the Old French term grap, meaning bunch or cluster, and is also the term for a long hook used to harvest these clustered fruits. Vitis labrusca is the most common species, known mainly as table grapes, and can be found in North America. In addition to being used for food products and juice, this species is also used in the production of wine. Other species that are used for winemaking include the wild V. riparia, V. rotundifolia, V. aestivalis (or Norton grape) and V. vinifera, the European winemaking grapes. V. vinifera was also the first Old World species to be planted in California in the late 18th century.

For more information, visit:

www.uga.edu/fruit/grape.html

Fruity Facts

• Grapes are actually berries.
• There is an average of 100 grapes in a bunch.
• In the United States today, the annual per capita consumption of grapes is about eight pounds, up from 2.5 pounds in 1970.
• Grapes are about 80 percent water.
• Concord grapes are one of only three fruits native to North America.

Crunchy Chicken Salad

Serving Size: 3/4 cup Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups chunked cooked chicken

1/2 cup celery

1/4 cup green pepper

1/4 onion

1/2 cucumber

1/2 cup grapes

1 small diced apple (leave the peel on)

1/4 cup yogurt, plain

Instructions:

1. Use leftover cooked chicken, or cook enough chicken to make 2 cups of chicken pieces.
2. Chop the celery into small pieces.
3. Chop the green pepper into small pieces.
4. Peel and chop 1/4 of an onion.
5. Peel and chop half of a cucumber.
6.  Chop the apple into pieces. It’s okay to leave the peel on the apple.
7. Cut the grapes in half.
8. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together.

Notes: Serve on lettuce, crackers, or bread.

Cost:

Per Recipe: $ 3.46

Per Serving: $ 0.69

Calories 140, fat 4.5g, sodium 65mg, sugar 7g, protein 17g

What's Cookin? Tuesday - Great Grape Smoothie

Kristen Mowers, CalSERVES Nutrition Coordinator

Reasons to Eat Grapes

One cup of seedless grapes contains:

• Antioxidants called flavonoids and phenols that can help prevent heart disease and some cancers.
• Almost 30 percent of the recommended Daily Value for Vitamin C and also an excellent source of Vitamin K.
• Fiber, iron, calcium and Vitamin A.
• About three-fourths cup water, helping to keep the body hydrated.

Great Grape Smoothie

Makes 32 tastes at ¼ cup each

Ingredients:

4 cups seedless grapes

2 cups each frozen cherries and strawberries

2 cups each orange and banana slices

Blender

Paper cups

Combine all ingredients in blender container (divide recipe in half to fit). Blend until mixture is smooth. Pour into cups. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Tip: For a thicker consistency, freeze grapes before blending ingredients. To freeze grapes, rinse, dry, and spread grapes in a single layer on a cake pan or pie pan. Cover and freeze 11/2 to 2 hours until completely frozen.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories 187, Carbohydrate 48 g, Dietary Fiber 5 g, Protein 2 g, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 4 mg