by Heidi Copeland | Apr 1, 2016
Can you believe Florida fresh fruits and veggies are supplied to 160 countries around the globe! Particularly abundant right now are the vegetables commonly referred to as cruciferous vegetables. (However, many scientists are starting to favor the term brassica vegetables over cruciferous vegetables) These nutritious veggies are ones that you will want to eat on a regular basis as they are bursting with both macronutrients and micronutrients.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services lists, cabbage, cauliflower, and radishes as being abundant in April for world production. Locally though, growers are turning out broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rutabaga, turnips, bok choy, Chinese cabbage and arugula, as well as radishes.
There are many simple ways to include cruciferous/brassica vegetables into your diet.
- Eat them raw! Raw vegetables can make a delicious, crunchy snack especially when served with a low-fat dip.
- Use in recipes! Make slaw, soup or salad, main dishes and even condiments!
- Substitute! Did you know steamed, mashed cauliflower can replace mashed potatoes? Or that coarsely grated cauliflower can replace rice? Folks have even substituted a cauliflower mixture as pizza crust! (okay, it might be a stretch but it does taste good)
Shopping, preparing and storing
- Cruciferous/brassica vegetables are typically inexpensive and can also be found year-round, fresh or frozen.
- Store raw, uncut and unwashed vegetables in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to five days.
Cooking methods:
There are three factors affecting nutrient loss when you cook cruciferous/brassica vegetables:
- Temperature
- Time
- Amount of water used.
The cooking method that best retains nutrients is one that cooks quickly, heats food for the shortest amount of time, and uses as little liquid as possible.
- Using the microwave with a small amount of water essentially steams food from the inside out keeping more vitamins and minerals than almost any other cooking method. http://www.health.harvard.edu/
- Steam vegetables over a small amount of boiling water until a fork can just barely pierce it. (You can save the nutrients that are lost when steaming cauliflower by using the leftover water in a soup)
- Braise, bake or broil, stir-fry or sauté
Cruciferous/brassica vegetables are very unique in that the flower, the root, the stalk and even the leaves can be eaten depending on which plant you are eating.
Try a cruciferous/brassica vegetable a new way or even try a new cruciferous/brassica vegetable a traditional way!
Cauliflower Salad
(Or even use a combination of cauliflower and broccoli and kohlrabi)
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons sliced or diced onion, red, green or white
1 head of cauliflower – including the tender stems, cut into small pieces (or even cut into small florets)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar (red wine, white wine, apple cider, or rice wine)
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup dried cranberries (or favorite dried fruit)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, vinegar and mayonnaise together. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the onion, cauliflower and cranberries and stir until well coated. Eat it right away or savor for a few days.
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/16796/269931/04April.pdf
by Angela Hinkle | Mar 11, 2016
Starchy foods are healthy – eat them! Starchy foods make you fat – don’t eat them! How do you score a healthy starch bracket with all this contradictory madness? For each round of your daily eating game, choose a variety of healthy starchy foods made up of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. These starchy foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and are the main source of carbohydrates to provide our muscles, brain, and other organs with energy.
Choose starchy foods with little or no added fats, sugar, or sodium. Give these starchy foods a spin in your diet: whole wheat flour, pumpkin, popcorn, brown rice, potato with the skin, corn, whole grain barley, acorn squash, oatmeal, quinoa, green peas, and plantains or bananas.
Try whole grain cereals for breakfast, a baked potato with the skin as part of your lunch, and squash with brown rice with your dinner.
Try to keep the processed white flour products with added sugar to a minimum. These starchy foods are the ones that tend to add on the pounds without the good-for-you nutrients.
Don’t just stay in the game, be a slam dunk winner! Eat healthy starchy foods every day.
For more information, check out this site from the American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/grains-and-starchy-vegetables.html
by Heidi Copeland | Feb 23, 2016
What’s in season now is certainly variable, location being a major influence in this area. Chances are, if you’re from a cold weather state and enjoying the Florida sunshine, expectations are a bit different than if you are from around these parts. Nonetheless, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), oranges are not a variable here. They are one of the most popular fruits- folks from around the globe know about Florida. For instance, did you know that the orange is the official Florida fruit? It’s no surprise that orange juice is the official Florida state beverage and the orange blossom is Florida’s state flower.
Oranges, a member of the citrus family along with other seasonal favorites like grapefruit and tangerine, are considered a nutrient dense food. Oranges provide valuable calories in the form of carbohydrates and fiber plus they are high in vitamin C, the minerals potassium and phosphorus, plus other nutrients. Not only do Florida oranges make for a delicious, refreshing FAST FOOD when eaten right out of the hand, they can be easily peeled and sectioned, zested, or juiced to add flavor and nutrition to many recipes. Oranges flavor well with other seasonal fresh foods, too. According to FDACS they pair nicely with basil, chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, mangoes, olives, pecans, strawberries and vanilla. Florida oranges can even make a beautiful garnish to enhance a beverage or dinner plate.
Expand your use of the Florida orange this October-June growing season by trying these simple tips:
Squeeze your own juice! Use it to:
- Give seasonal vegetables a new taste
- Make a simple marinade for poultry
- Enhance the flavor of a fruit salad or beverage
Zest an orange!
- Zest can be added to many dishes to enhance flavor (rice, vegetables, baked goods, beverages, salads)
- Care should be taken not to remove the white pith along with the peel as this can be bitter.
Peel an orange! Add the segments to:
- Garden fresh salads
- Pasta
- Poultry recipes
When choosing Florida fresh oranges, choose one that is firm and heavy for its size. Refrigerating prolongs the life an orange.
Why eat seasonally? Products are fresher and tastier, and nutritional value is optimized. Not only are oranges plentiful this time of year, but other seasonal produce is bountiful too. Try some fresh local Florida produce today!
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/16795/269924/03March.pdf
Orange and Tupelo Honey Bliss
(a delicious salad dressing, marinade or dipping sauce)
1 Teaspoon fresh grated orange *zest
Juice of one fresh Florida orange
1/4 cup Tupelo honey
1/4 cup plain vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Personalize this recipe by adding dried or fresh herbs, garlic, peppers or other Florida fresh citrus zest* and juice.
*Zest, also known as citrus peel, is a food ingredient that is prepared by scraping or cutting from the outer, colorful skin of or citrus fruit.
by Heidi Copeland | Feb 20, 2016
Although cool weather certainly makes Floridians feel like they’re experiencing winter, Florida farms are working in overdrive this February producing agricultural products for a whole lot of people who, because of COLD weather, are not able to grow their own crops. .
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services states that “Consumers around the world look for and value the “Fresh From Florida” label”. Because seasonal products are fresher and tastier, nutritional value is optimized. Often, seasonal products are more economical. In fact, fall plantings are not only being labeled as Fresh from Florida but also as what is in season right now. February’s list is quite impressive; especially when you think about the delicate nature of a strawberry!
Can you believe that each winter close to 300 million pounds of strawberries are grown in Central Florida, earning the area around Plant City the title Winter Strawberry Capital of the World!
Florida strawberries are indeed delicious and they’re full of Vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals – a real nutrient dense food.
When shopping for Florida Fresh strawberries:
- Know that strawberries, once picked, do not ripen further.
- Only purchase strawberries that can be consumed in a few days. Even when properly stored in a refrigerator, strawberries last only a few days.
Choose berries that are:
- Firm, plump, and free of mold.
- Shiny, deep red in color with attached green caps.
Avoid strawberries that are:
- Dull in color or have green or yellow patches.
If you are buying strawberries prepackaged in container ensure:
- Strawberries are not packed too tightly (which may cause them to become crushed and damaged.
- The container has no signs of stains or moisture, (indication of possible spoilage).
- The cap, stem and white hull remain intact (this prevents unnecessary loss of moisture).
- Strawberries are not left at room temperature or exposed to sunlight (this aides in their spoiling).
Since strawberries are very perishable, strawberries should not be washed until right before eating or using in a recipe.
- Do not remove strawberry caps and stems until after they have been gently washed under cold running water and patted dry. This will prevent them from absorbing excess water, which can degrade strawberries’ texture and flavor and cause them to spoil.
To freeze strawberries:
- Gently wash strawberries and pat dry. The cap and stem can either be removed or left intact, depending upon what you will do with them once they are thawed.
- Arrange strawberries in a single layer on a flat pan or cookie sheet and place them in the freezer. (lining the tray with a piece of parchment paper makes for easy removal once frozen)
- Once frozen, transfer the strawberries to a heavy plastic bag and return them to the freezer where they will keep for up to one year.
Try these simple ideas for including strawberries in your next meals and snacks:
- Strawberry and Spinach Salad
- Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
- Strawberry, Pistachio and Goat Cheese Pizza
Fore more information, contact: http://strawberrysue.com/
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Marketing-and-Development/Consumer-Resources/Buy-Fresh-From-Florida/Crops-in-Season
by Heidi Copeland | Jun 5, 2015
Rarely do I hear the phrase “school’s out” and not think of my own summers of fun and, of course, Alice Cooper’s 1972 major hit single “School’s Out for Summer” – does that age me?
In fact, “word” has it that Alice Cooper said he was inspired to write the song when answering the question, “What are the greatest three minutes of your life?” Cooper said: “There are two times …The second one being “the last three minutes of the last day of school!”
Summer break is here and that may mean time for a big change to your daily routine. Even though summertime is fun, there still can be challenges for families who have to juggle and adjust!
The key is to plan ahead. Being prepared helps you enjoy the long days of summer. This is especially true when it comes to summer food. Kids associate summer with FUN. Much more fun can be had if you don’t have to spend time in the kitchen – cooking! (But that, too, can be enjoyable!)
Summer is an amazing time! There is an abundance of fresh, delicious, and healthy choices bursting with health benefits. Best yet, many of these foods do not even have to be cooked! With a general washing and perhaps a bit of slicing and dicing, many summer foods can be eaten without further preparation.
One of my favorites is watermelon! It’s like drinking your water and eating it, too! Watermelon helps keep you hydrated (watermelon is 92 percent water). Plus, one cup of diced watermelon contains 43 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 grams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrate, and 1 gram of fiber. One cup of watermelon will provide 17% of vitamin A, 21% of vitamin C, 2% of iron, and 1% of calcium needs for the day. Watermelon also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, choline, lycopene, and betaine. And, according to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelon contains more skin- protecting lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable (lycopene also gives watermelon its bright pink color). Research shows that eating foods that are full of water helps keep you satisfied on fewer calories.
Watermelon actually is considered a nutrient-dense food – it provides a high amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for a low number of calories.
But don’t stop at watermelon. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has a fantastic website promoting buying “Fresh From Florida.” In fact, their website devotes an entire section to “Fresh from Florida Foods.” This month, June, we have quite a bounty to be thankful for. Not only are the foods on this list nutritious, they are delicious and, for the most part, many require little preparation to be consumed (plus, food in season generally is less expensive and tastes better).
Print yourself a copy of What’s in Season Now and go have some summer fun!
Just in case you don’t have time to print the list, here is what is in season now….avocado, cantaloupe, eggplant, guava, lychee, mango, mushroom, orange, papaya, passion fruit, peanut, potato, sweet corn, tomato, and watermelon. Look for these foods at local farmers’ markets or in your supermarket’s produce section.
Enjoy the tastes of summer from the Sunshine State!
