Strawberry-Arugula Salad with Fruity Jam Dressing

I'm a huge fan of food related shows and competitions on TV. I used to watch a ton of cooking shows before, but with the kiddo taking over the TV and the busy work-life schedule, I don't get to watch my favorite cooking shows anymore. But any chance I get, Food Network & Cooking Channel are the channels I spend most time watching. 

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CheeseCake Frozen Yogurt

For the last day of the marathon under the "Calcium Rich dishes" theme I made this decadent cheese cake flavored frozen yogurt. Yogurt and milk are great sources of Calcium. 

Here's the Calcium content of the ingredients used: Greek Yogurt (1 cup - 25% DV), 2% Milk (1 cup - 297mg), Mascarpone cheese (1 oz. - 3% DV).

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Spinach, Black Beans & Cheese Enchiladas

Today's Calcium-rich dish is a very creamy, filling and delicious Mexican dish: Spinach, Black bean & cheese filled tortillas baked with creamy enchilada sauce and more cheese until gooey. This is a great make ahead dish -- make the filling, roll it up in the tortillas, pour in the sauce - freeze at this stage and when ready, bake until cheese melts and everything is heated through.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's site. Original recipe had a no-cook filling, but I cooked them briefly.

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Brown Rice - Vegetable Bowl with Tahini Dressing

We start the 4th and last week of Blogging marathon for this month today. My theme for this week is "Calcium Rich Foods". Here's some information to know about Calcium intake.

Calcium is the most vital mineral for strong bones. It is also essential for blood clotting, muscle contraction, and nerve function. If we don't take in enough calcium, our body uses the calcium reserves in our bones to supply the muscles, heart and nerves. So it's important that we take the required daily dosage of calcium -- milk and other dairy provide over 50% of dietary calcium, it is also found in beans and legumes, some green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, and nuts and fruit.

Vitamin D is vital for proper absorption of calcium and produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight. About 15-20 minutes of sunlight a day on the face and arms during the summer months enables the body to store enough vitamin D to last the rest of the year. 

High intake of protein and sodium (salt) increases the excretion of calcium in the urine. Also high intakes of caffeine can reduce the absorption of calcium. 

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