(Family Features) Heading to the classroom means opening doors to opportunities for educational and social growth, but to keep students at school day after day, it’s important to keep health top of mind. When close proximity to other children exposes them to illnesses like common colds, strong immune systems can be the difference between perfect attendance and a few days of absences.

To help boost your children’s immunity, consider these tips from the experts at Healthy Family Project.

Eat Healthy Foods
Focusing on foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins can help boost immunity by protecting the body from free radicals that cause inflammation and damage cells. For example, vitamin C boosts the function of immune cells and foods high in fiber help keep the digestive system healthy.

Broccoli provides a good source of vitamin C, but if your kids aren’t big fans of the green veggie, turn to these Broccoli Tater Tots for an easy way to sneak some greens onto the family table. Due to their high vitamin C content, mandarins are another perfect addition to family diets. Their small size makes them easy to pack in lunches, toss in a bag or enjoy in a sweet treat like Frozen Creamsicle Yogurt Bites.

Get Plenty of Sleep
The Sleep Foundation recommends 9-11 hours of sleep each night for kids ages 6-13. Proper sleep helps regulate the body’s biological rhythms, helping people stay healthy.  

Exercise Regularly
Whether your children participate in sports or just enjoy playtime, encourage exercise to help boost the immune response, particularly during colder months when they may spend more time indoors.

Reduce Stress
Adults aren’t the only ones who experience stress. Talk to your children about anxiety, stress and mental health, as stress can leave them feeling run down while weakening the immune system, leading to less energy for fighting illnesses.

Drink Water
Hydration plays a major role in keeping immune systems functioning properly by aiding the production of white blood cells, which are important for fighting off infection.

Find more immunity-boosting recipes at HealthyFamilyProject.com.

Frozen Creamsicle Yogurt Bites

Recipe courtesy of Healthy Family Project
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

• 1 mandarin
• vanilla Greek yogurt
• sprinkles

1. Place one piece of parchment paper on baking sheet that fits in freezer.
2. Peel mandarin and separate into individual slices. Place one big scoop yogurt in small bowl.
3. Dip each mandarin slice in yogurt, covering about half of each slice. Place individual mandarin slices on parchment paper. Add sprinkles.
4. Freeze at least 1 hour or overnight if adding to lunchboxes.

Broccoli Tater Tots

Recipe courtesy of Healthy Family Project
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

• 2 russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• cold water
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In large stockpot, cover potatoes with cold water. Cover and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer 3 minutes. Add broccoli; don't stir. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
3. In large bowl, mix egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and garlic powder until just combined.
4. In food processor, pulse potatoes and broccoli 8-10 times until finely grated. Add to breadcrumb mixture and stir to combine.
5. Use tablespoon to scoop potato mixture into 40 mounds. Shape each into oval and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake 10 minutes; flip and bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Source: Healthy Family Project

(Family Features) With all the hustle and bustle of typical mornings, it can be easy to fall into a rut when it comes to serving your family balanced, nutritional breakfasts. However, building the “most important meal of the day” around delicious proteins – like sausage and bacon – can provide a scrumptious start and help reduce hunger and snack cravings.

When you have flavorful, high-quality and easy-to-make ingredients on-hand like those from Farmer John, including pork sausage, sausage links and thick-cut bacon, great-tasting breakfast recipes like Sausage and Egg Breakfast Tacos and Bacon Tater Tot Cast-Iron Casserole can be made at the drop of a hat.

In addition to offering tasty protein options for any meal of the day, Farmer John is also on a mission to give back. As a member of the Southern California community for more than 90 years, it is committed to being a good neighbor, which is why it launched year two of the California Commitment Tour, an initiative to help support California residents and the neighborhoods where they live. By delivering free grab-and-go lunches to local heroes and essential businesses, such as health care facilities, youth empowerment centers, grocery retailers and postal establishments, and donating much-needed protein to local food banks, the tour served as a way to feed, celebrate and support the area.

For more delicious breakfast recipes, visit FarmerJohn.com.

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Tacos

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Chimichurri:

• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 jalapenos, diced small
• 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 lemons, juice only
• 1/2 cup seasoned vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 2 packs Farmer John Classic Pork Sausage, browned
• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup half-and-half
• olive oil
• 12 yellow corn tortillas
• 16 ounces salsa roja (optional)

1. To make chimichurri: In mixing bowl, combine scallions, jalapenos and cilantro with lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes. Set aside until ready to use.
2. In hot skillet, fry sausage until cooked through and golden brown.
3. Scramble eggs; add salt and half-and-half.
4. In hot pan over medium heat, drizzle olive oil. Add enough eggs to cover pan. Let eggs cook, using spatula to move them around until cooked thoroughly and scrambled. Set aside and repeat with remaining eggs.
5. On hot griddle or pan, heat corn tortillas until warm.
6. On separate plates, place two tortillas and divide eggs to fill 12 tacos. Add sausage, chimichurri and salsa, if desired.

Bacon Tater Tot Cast-Iron Casserole

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6

• 16 ounces Farmer John Classic Bacon, diced
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen tater tots
• 3 cups cheddar jack cheese, shredded
• 1 jar (12 ounces) hot or regular tomato salsa
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. In cast-iron pan over medium heat, cook bacon 5-8 minutes. Place on plate lined with paper towels. Reserve grease.
3. Scramble eggs with milk, salt and reserved bacon drippings until thoroughly mixed.
4. Layer 1/3 of tater tots on bottom of cast-iron pan; add 1/3 of cooked bacon, 1 cup cheese and 4 ounces salsa; repeat twice to use remaining bacon, cheese and salsa. Pour scrambled eggs on top.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes. Halfway through cooking, add scallions and rotate pan.
6. Let cool 5 minutes.

Source: Farmer John

Focus on quality ingredients for a simply delicious meal

(Family Features) Hosting an elegant Easter brunch is easy when you build a menu around exceptional ingredients. Your dishes don’t have to be overly complicated; simple dishes are perfect for the occasion when you let stand-out flavors steal the show.

Brunch calls for a combination of light and savory fare, and an ingredient like Jarlsberg Brand Cheese lets you go either way. Best known for its classic wedge, this nutty, mild cheese is also available sliced and shredded – perfect for adding a distinctive taste to nearly any indulgent dish you can imagine.

Quiche is a brunch staple, and no variation of this classic is complete without cheese – in this case, a rich, creamy layering of Jarlsberg’s unmistakable flavor does the trick.

For a lighter bite, try these Cheesy, Crispy Smashed Potatoes from Chef George Duran, host of TLC’s “Ultimate Cake Off” and Food Network’s “Ham on the Street.” You could go a more decadent route with Duran’s Brown Sugar Ham and Cheese Sticky Buns, or even appeal to kids of all ages with his Spicy Tater Tot Breakfast Muffins.

Explore more recipes for a simply elegant Easter brunch at jarlsberg.com.

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Quiche

Recipe courtesy of Jarlsberg Cheese
Servings: 6

Pie Dough:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup white flour
• 2 tablespoons water

Filling:

• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1 red onion, cut into rings
• butter
• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 cup olives
• 1 cup shredded Jarlsberg Cheese

1. To make pie dough: Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Mix butter and flour in food processor or by hand until mixture has granular consistency. Add water and knead into dough. Let chill 30 minutes. Roll dough and fit into 10-inch pie pan. With fork, make holes in dough and bake 15 minutes.
3. To make filling: Heat oven to 350° F.
4. In frying pan, fry onion and spinach with butter then scoop mixture into quiche base. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper, and pour over spinach and onion. Top with olives, sundried tomatoes and cheese.
5. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Cheesy, Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Chef George Duran
Servings: 4

• 25 red bliss or fingerling potatoes, bite-size
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated Jarlsberg Cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley

1. Heat oven to 450° F and cook potatoes by steaming, boiling or microwaving. Set aside.
2. In small saute pan or saucepan, add olive oil and garlic. Cook on medium-low heat until garlic browns and turns crispy, about 5 minutes. Strain garlic, reserving olive oil and crispy garlic.
3. Once potatoes cool, use back of pan to gently smash them down to about 1/2-inch thickness. Drizzle olive oil throughout roasting pan then add smashed potatoes. Drizzle reserved garlic olive oil on top of each potato and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and evenly divide cheese and parsley on top of each potato. Cook another 10 minutes until cheese begins to brown. Top each potato with reserved crispy garlic and allow to cool before serving.

Spicy Tater Tot Breakfast Muffins

Recipe courtesy of Chef George Duran
Servings: 12

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 36 frozen tater tots
• 2 cups grated Jarlsberg Cheese, divided
• 8 large eggs
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and veins removed and finely chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• finely chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. Place three tater tots into each muffin cup and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and use small spoon or fork to gently press down on tater tots to form base and sides of each muffin.
3. Sprinkle 2 cups Jarlsberg cheese equally over tater tots and bake 10 minutes.
4. Beat eggs in large bowl and add jalapeno, red pepper, heavy cream, salt and pepper.
5. Remove tater tots from oven and pour egg mixture into cups. Top evenly with remaining grated cheese and bake 10 minutes.
6. Remove each muffin and allow to cool 5 minutes on cooling rack before garnishing with parsley and serving.

Tip: For a non-spicy alternative, replace jalapeno with same amount of green bell peppers.

Brown Sugar Ham and Cheese Sticky Buns

Recipe courtesy of Chef George Duran
Servings: 12

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll dough
• flour, for dusting
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
• 12 slices thin-cut ham
• 12 slices Jarlsberg Cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg Cheese
• chives or green onions, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Spray nonstick spray in 8-by-8-inch pan or similar.
2. Unroll dough on floured surface and gently stretch until dough is about 8 by 12 inches. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar over dough then evenly space six slices of ham and six slices of cheese on top. Starting on short side, begin rolling dough jelly roll style. Cut into six pieces. Repeat with second piece of dough.
3. Place all 12 buns inside pan. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake 20-25 minutes until buns are fully cooked and browned. Garnish with chives or green onions and serve.

Source: Jarlsberg Cheese

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