by Angela Hinkle | Oct 27, 2017
Peanut Butter Challenge Champion
Picture credit: Angela Hinkle
So you say you never win anything? Taking the Peanut Butter Challenge is a competition you’re guaranteed to win.
You can help feed the hungry in Florida’s Panhandle this year by donating peanut butter during the annual Peanut Butter Challenge, coordinated by UF/IFAS Extension. Thanks to a partnership between UF/IFAS Extension and the Florida Peanut Producers Association, food pantries from Pensacola to Monticello will receive thousands of jars of donated peanut butter this December.
From October 1 through November 22, you can donate unopened jars of peanut butter at your UF/IFAS Extension county office. Since 2012, UF/IFAS Extension faculty and volunteers have collected jars of peanut butter from residents, volunteer groups, and businesses in 16 northwest Florida counties. Last year, UF/IFAS Extension county offices received 3,236 jars of peanut butter! In addition to these donations, the Florida Peanut Produces Association also contributes, supplying more than 3,000 jars each year to the Challenge.
We hope to surpass last year’s total! This year, citizens throughout the Florida Panhandle counties are asked to help by donating peanut butter and becoming Peanut Butter Challenge Champions.
“The Peanut Butter Challenge not only raises awareness about the important contribution of North Florida’s peanut growers to the state peanut industry, but also helps provide a healthy, locally produced product to food-insecure families in northwest Florida,” said Libbie Johnson, Agricultural Agent in Escambia County.
Why peanut butter? Peanut butter is the most requested item at food pantries. See https://youtu.be/fPFvSgzmM3Y to learn more. A serving of peanut butter is loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and “good” fats. Peanut butter is a shelf-stable item – meaning it does not have to be heated or refrigerated. And people really like the taste.
How do you become a Peanut Butter Challenge Champion? Look for peanut butter BOGOs and other discounted sales at your local stores. Keep a jar for yourself and give the other unopened jar(s) to the Peanut Butter Challenge.
Voila! Everyone’s a winner! And you may proudly say, “I am a Peanut Butter Challenge Champion!”
by Angela Hinkle | Oct 27, 2017
Favorite Fall Things
Photo Credit: Angela Hinkle
Fall is my favorite time of year. Let me share with you a few of my favorite Fall things to help explain why.
- Walking my dog in the heat of a summer morning is like trudging through a bowl of warm chowder. But with the cooler autumn mornings arriving, we become invigorated and feel like taking longer walks to add steps to the pedometer on my hip. Let’s hear it for more physical activity! For walking tips, check out cdc walking counts.
- Just think about all of those yummy, nutrient-dense foods available this time of year – peanuts, sweet potatoes, and squashes and gourds in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. See Florida Panhandle Produce in Season for seasonal produce in the Florida Panhandle.
- Okay, so leaves don’t really change color a whole lot when fall weather hits the panhandle of Florida. But I have this great tree outside my office window. My horticulture agent says it’s a Bald Cypress. This time of year, I get to see it change leaf colors from green, to golden yellow, to burnt orange. Simply beautiful. Look around your neighborhood to see what bounty of colors you can find.
- Though you will not find me wearing any shade of orange or deep yellow (those are definitely not in my color palette), I do cherish all the oranges, deep reds, purples, and yellows found in the flowers, pumpkins, scarecrows, and decorative corn stalks. Perk up your area with some fall color. Dollar stores have lots to pick and choose from.
- I’ve had my DNA tested. I am, in fact, 41% Sicilian. My holidays can therefore start with Columbus Day, work their way through the fun of Halloween, the respectful honors of Veteran’s Day, and through Thanksgiving with a myriad of Fall Harvest Celebrations sprinkled in between.
To get you in the Fall mood, try this simmering potpourri recipe. Let me know if you like it and be sure to share with family and friends some of your favorite fall things.
Favorite Fall Stovetop Potpourri
Add any or all of the following ingredients to a small pot: ground cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, orange peelings, ground ginger, whole cloves, ground cloves, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add enough water to fill pot to rim. Then put the pot on the stove top at lowest setting. Add more water as necessary. Enjoy!
by Angela Hinkle | Aug 24, 2017
What’s worse than wearing wet socks? Okay – wet, dirty socks. Or wet, dirty socks with holes. Ooh, ooh, the worst – cold, wet, dirty socks with holes.
If your feet are in clean, dry socks with no need of mending, think for a moment about those not so lucky.
Homeless shelters are continuously in need of new socks. If you’re homeless, you walk – a lot. Many homeless walk several miles every day for food, shelter, and other essentials. Getting the assistance you need is easier when your feet are healthy and don’t have blisters. People are often more motivated to seek employment and keep it when they feel confident in the way they look. Wearing socks and shoes with holes decreases their sense of self-worth. A clean set of socks is often the first step in restoring their feeling of dignity.
Wet socks breed bacteria, which can cause infection. And since more than a million Americans have diabetes, wearing cold, wet, holey, dirty socks puts them at greater risk of skin injuries and infections. According to WebMD, diabetics should never walk barefoot and should wear comfortable socks and shoes that fit well and protect the feet. For more foot care tips, see Tips on Good Foot Care.
If you like keeping things local, know that cotton is considered a power crop in the panhandle of Florida. It’s rotated in alternate years with peanuts to avoid pests, diseases, and weeds. Some socks are 100% cotton; many are a blend of cotton mixed with other fibers.
So, help the local economy in the Florida Panhandle and help someone by giving them socks. Buy new socks with cotton. Keep a pair for yourself and donate some to a homeless shelter near you. (Waterfront Mission is a great place to start – Waterfront Mission Donations.) You’ll feel better and so will they.
by Angela Hinkle | Apr 2, 2017
Wedding showers, baby showers, graduation parties – let’s face it, about half the celebration is based on the food that is served. Trays and plates of tasty morsels include a variety of colors, textures, sizes, and tastes. Why not include some healthy, whole grain options to join in on the fun?
Whole grain foods contain the whole edible part of the plant – the bran, endosperm, and germ. Consuming whole grains offers many health benefits like reducing risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Look for 100% whole grain on a package or “whole” as the first item in the ingredient list. Think of whole grain party foods as an extra “present” to give new moms, graduates, and engaged couples a healthy boost.
Try serving whole grain crackers topped with your favorite cheese and herb, whole grain pancakes or French toast with fruit, oatmeal cookies, ham and grainy mustard on mini whole grain rolls, finger sandwiches on whole grain bread cut into festive shapes, or popcorn (a whole grain) with a dash of chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Click kingarthurflour for even more whole grain party ideas.
Here’s a light spring side salad with a whole grain sure to please guests at your next shower.
Spring Grain Salad
1 Cup cooked brown or wild rice or whole grain barley, bulgur, couscous, or other grain
6 Cups spinach or kale, stems removed
1/4 Teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 Cup fresh mint leaves
1/3 Cup lemon juice
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 Chopped cucumber (preferably seedless)
3/4 Cup mozzarella cheese, small dice (optional)
- In a food processor, combine the spinach and mint and process until finely chopped, scraping down sides of the bowl, if necessary.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the whole grain of choice, spinach mixture, tomatoes, cucumber, and cheese. Toss to combine.
To incorporate whole grains into your shower days and every day, go to MakeHalfYourGrainsWhole.
And the next time you get the whole gang together, go whole grain!
by Angela Hinkle | Oct 19, 2016
It’s that time of year: going to Friday night football games, decorating with pumpkins, welcoming in some cooler weather, and harvesting our locally grown peanuts and cotton. This also means it’s time for the Peanut Butter Challenge. We collect jars of unopened peanut butter throughout the Northwest Panhandle of Florida through November 23rd. (Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office for details and peanut butter drop-off sites.)
Peanut butter is a locally grown (okay, we don’t actually grow peanut butter, but we do grow the peanuts that make peanut butter), protein packed, tasty food that is safe to eat and store at room temperature. For these reasons, it is one of the most requested items at food pantries. After Thanksgiving, we will distribute to food pantries and organizations that give food to hungry families in need.
Okay, so what role do socks play in this? Cotton, another great locally grown agricultural product, is used to make socks. And even though UF/IFAS Extension does not have a “Sock Challenge,” the homeless and limited-resource families are often in desperate need of new white socks. There are plenty of shelters and schools who would really appreciate donations of clean new socks – any time of year.
So…Peanut Butter and Socks – they really are the Florida Panhandle’s perfect combination!
