A new feature we'd like to highlight each month: tasty, nutritious recipes that only have five ingredients* or less! These recipes are great for families and need fewer items stocked in the kitchen.

So many of our favorite recipes here at Illinois Nutrition Education Programs are few in ingredients and big on flavor! Our Stuffed Potatoes recipe definitely falls into this category. It has been a favorite around the office! While the recipe calls for diced ham, you can choose another cooked meat (ground beef, chopped turkey, etc.) or your favorite vegetable instead -- depending on what's available in your fridge. Let us know what you added to your potatoes on our Facebook page!

Our Salmon Melt recipe is perfect for those busy nights where you only have a few minutes to get dinner on the table. And with only five ingredients (not including pepper), you can be sure that it's affordable, too.

To many kids, cauliflower looks like 'white broccoli' when it shows up at the dinner table. While both of these vegetables are in the same family of plants, cauliflower can truly shine on its own. Plus, cauliflower can be found in purple and orange, too! Cauliflower is also having a trendy moment, and is used in many recipes in place of potatoes or other starchier items (think mashed 'potatoes', cauliflower crust for pizza, and more).

Though zucchini is officially classified as a summer squash, it is easy to find at the store all year long. Zucchini is a versatile vegetable and tastes great sautéed, baked into a casserole, added to soups, dipped raw into dip or added to top of a salad. And the extra bonus: zucchini's flowers (aka squash blossoms) are also edible! Our recipe below is a fun way to feature this vegetable and is a great one to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Zucchini Nutrition: Zucchini is fat and sodium (salt) free, low in calories, and high in vitamin C.

There are two types of grains in our diet: whole grains and refined grains. A whole grain contains the entire grain kernel and contains a much richer flavor and nutrition. Refined grains have outer layers of the grain removed during processing. Many of us eat plenty of grains (think pasta, bread, cereal, crackers, and tortillas) but are low in intake of whole grains. A great goal is to consume at least half of your grains from whole grain sources, and it can be easy to do! Whole Grain Needs:

This winter, make your plates green with nutrition from two powerhouse vegetables – kale and collard greens. Both of these greens are members of the cabbage family and are a great addition to your meal as a side dish or as an addition to your favorite soup recipe. Our Greens recipe below is a great side to go along with baked chicken or roasted turkey.

Strawberries! Blueberries! Blackberries! (and more) Berries may be available in many stores all year long, but are seasonal to Illinois in the summer months. What does that mean for you? Foods that are in-season may cost less and taste better! On Let's Eat For Health, Illinois!, we've got many berry recipes that taste great for you to try this summer. One of our favorites is the Melon Berry Banana Fruit Salad. Try it and then tell us what you think on our Facebook page!

Have you tried a tomato yet this summer? A tomato always seems to taste better when in-season and grown close to home. We all know that tomatoes are used to make salsa, though many of us may only have tried fresh salsa when we go out to eat at restaurants. Next time, ditch the bottled variety at home, too – you can easily make your own! Selecting Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes with bright, shiny skin (while red is the most common, tomatoes do also come in other colors, such as purple or yellow). Avoid tomatoes that have cuts or bruises.  

Cool off in the heat of summer with our July featured recipe, Kiwi Strawberry Parfait! You can make the recipe your own with different fruit and yogurt flavors, too. Kiwi Strawberry Parfait Serves: 2 Ingredients: 2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced 1 cup fresh (or thawed from frozen) strawberries, sliced 1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup corn or bran flakes cereal   Preparation: