August 8 : Sneak some zucchini on your neighbor’s porch day!

Can you believe it is that time of year already to sneak some zucchini on your neighbor’s porch! Honestly, it is a day to celebrate. And celebrate we should! It is the lucky neighbor who profits from the gardeners abundant harvest. Nonetheless, what can one do with all that zucchini?

The late, Julia Child bestows the virtue of ratatouille in many of her books yet it seemed to take an animated rat in the award winning Pixar film to suggest ratatouille might be something to try. Really! Ratatouille, a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice is a mostly Mediterranean fare, however, we too have all the local produce to adapt this delicious dish.

How? What do you need? Ratatouille can be made just the way you like it but start with the basics: onions, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, tomatoes, red, green or yellow peppers, mushrooms, and fresh or dried herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Ratatouille is typically served as a side dish, but may also be served as a vegetable soup, or a meal on its own accompanied by pasta, rice or bread. Ratatouille is good as a topping for your favorite grilled meat or fish, or as a filling in a simple omelet. Did I mention it can be added to quiche? Or stuffed into a pita pocket?

There is as much deliberation on how to make a traditional ratatouille as there is about how you eat it. Do you layer it and bake it? Is it sautéed? Is it simmered? Is it eaten as a side dish, a main dish or a sandwich filling? I’ve tried them all and even found success using a slow-cooker.

Try your hand at this simple yet elegantly adaptable vegetable dish.

The provided very basic recipe can be adapted to suit your personal/regional taste. Don’t like eggplant? Leave it out! Have a lot of okra or yellow squash? Add it! Like olives, nuts or raisins? Add them to your portion. Rather not use vegetable oil? Don’t! Want to cover it in your favorite spicy olive oil? Do you have some extra zucchini? I think you get the picture.

Ratatouille does not have to look like the vibrant Pixar version yet, it is still going to garner up gracious comments and acknowledgements from those you love and cook for. Whip up your version to savor today!

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons any kind of oil

4 medium onions, chopped – any color, any kind

2 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large green, red or yellow bell pepper seeded and cut in 1” cubes

8 to 10 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded coarsely chopped (or use a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes)

3 fresh thyme sprigs (or to taste)

1 fresh rosemary sprig (or to taste)

1 dried or two fresh bay leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

 

Directions:

In a BIG pot over medium heat, warm the oil. When it is hot, reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and garlic and sauté, stirring often, until the eggplant cubes are slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the zucchini and bell pepper and sauté, stirring and turning, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and stir and turn for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and have somewhat blended together, about 60 minutes. (slow cooker at least 4 hours on high)

Remove from heat. Garnish with minced fresh basil. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot, at room temperature or cold. Serves at least 10.

Let’s Talk Tomatoes

Tomatoes are abundant this time of year and you have many options to buy local and fresh. Tomatoes are one of the most popular home garden vegetable to grow and should now be providing the home gardener with fresh ripe bounty from now until summers end. Our local farmer’s markets are also selling tomatoes home grown and in many colors like deep red, bright yellow and green. Our climate is great for growing tomatoes. In fact, Florida is the nation’s largest producer of fresh tomatoes.

Nutritionally, tomatoes are packed with vitamin C and A. Low in calories and high in flavor, this succulent vegetable is a favorite all year long. Tomatoes are great served sliced and also in cooked dishes. Tomatoes should be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Ripe tomatoes should be used within 3 to 4 days. For best flavor, do not refrigerate. Ripe tomatoes will give slightly to gentle pressure

If you want to preserve the summer’s tomato bounty, try your hand at canning. Remember to use USDA recommended practices for safety and long term quality. For a complete listing of how to safely can tomato products you will find the USDA guide here: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/usda/GUIDE03_HomeCan_rev0715.pdf

 

Farm Fresh Salsa

Fresh salsa is a low-fat, low sodium, treat that is packed with flavor and essential nutrients. Adjust the salt and oil to your taste and diet.

Ingredients:

6 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ seeded and minced jalapenos

1 red bell pepper, finely dices

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 lime, juiced

Chili Powder, salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh scallions, cilantro or parsley, to taste

Directions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Place in refrigerator for up to 12 hours for flavor infusion. Serve with your own baked chips.

 

Baked Tortilla chips

1 package medium or large tortillas

Cooking Spray

Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚ F

On a cutting board cut tortillas into 8 – 12 pieces using a pizza cutter.

Place aluminum foil on 2 or 3 baking sheets.

Place tortillas pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray on both sides.

Sprinkle tortilla pieces with salt to taste – or with salt-free alternative for dietary needs.

Place in oven and cook 10-15 minutes until crisp.

Healthy Resolutions: The 5 Things You Should Avoid Eating in 2017

It’s that time of year again – time to make resolutions designed to improve your life to become a happier, healthier, and wealthier person. Unfortunately, some resolutions are not realistic and set us up for failure from the start. A very small percentage of us manage to maintain these lofty resolutions.

However, there are small changes you can make today that can help you enjoy a healthy lifestyle. You can start by simply reading the nutrition fact labels on your favorite foods. Smart dietary choices include eliminating or cutting back on these 5 commonly used food items.

 

  1. Added Sugar: Some foods, such as milk (lactose) and fruits (fructose), naturally contain sugars. Added sugars (like sucrose and high fructose corn syrup) are added to prepared foods and drinks. Many prepared and processed foods are stocked with added or refined sugars for supplemental sweetness. Added sugars are often called “empty” calories, because they contain extra calories and few or no vitamins and minerals, and can lead to extra pounds or even obesity, thereby reducing heart health. Alternatives: Instead of eating foods with a lot of added sugar, try a piece of fruit or use other options such as raw honey, Stevia or maple syrup.
  2. Sodium: is found in many processed foods, and is commonly known as salt. Excess sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, and that creates an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium will increase your risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, and some cancers. Alternatives: You can reduce the amount of sodium in your diet by limiting the amount of salt you add to your foods, avoiding processed foods, and by choosing “reduced sodium,” “no sodium added,” or “low sodium” options when available. Try experimenting with fresh or dried herbs/seasonings to flavor to foods without adding salt.
  3. Enriched Flour: this ingredient is included in many of the processed foods that we eat including pasta, cereals and breads. Whole grain flours are often stripped of their nutrients. Then, to be considered enriched, vitamins, sugar, and other additives are added back in. Alternatives: Instead of white bread, pasta or rice, choose whole grain products instead.
  4. Saturated Animal Fats: this type of fact, in the form of lard, butter, eggs, cheese, and tallow come primarily from animals and are known to cause health issues such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Minimizing intake of unhealthy fats allows you to reduce calorie intake in a healthy manner. Unsaturated fats offer important health benefits and should be included in everyone’s diet. Alternatives: A simple alternative to saturated fats in your diet can be unsaturated fats found in non-animal, plant products such as fruits & vegetables, oils, nuts and seeds.
  5. Hydrogenated Oils; commonly called Trans fats, or Trans Fatty Acids. Hydrogenation is the process of converting a pourable oil into a more solid, saturated fat, and is often added to a product in order to extend its shelf life. Partially or fully hydrogenated oils promote cardiovascular diseases by raising your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lowering your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Alternatives: Choose oils that are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, such as olive, safflower and peanut oils. Another healthy alternative to hydrogenated oil is Omega- 3 oils from fish. Also, try broiling foods instead of frying.                      

Overly ambitious New Year’s Resolutions often fail because they require major changes in a very short amount of time, making them almost impossible to stick with. Instead of broad, life changing goals, your New Year’s Resolution should include small lifestyle changes, such as starting with cutting back on or eliminating these 5 items.

Resources:

University of Florida IFAS Extension;

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1400

American Heart Association:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#.WG1D0k0zWLw

USDA Choose MyPlate.gov:

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/myplate-mywins

 

Footnotes:

Laurie B. Osgood, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Gadsden County Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Quincy, FL 32351 (850) 662-3287 Osgoodlb@ufl.edu

 

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.

 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.

 

Oats…Grain of the Month – Let’s Eat More!

January’s grain of the month is OATS. Americans buy more oats at this time of year than in any other month – and January has long been celebrated as National Oatmeal Month.

Oats at a Glance

Samuel Johnson’s 1755 dictionary defined oats as “A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland appears to support the people.” The Scotsman’s retort to this was, “That’s why England has such good horses, and Scotland has such fine men!” Oats (Avena sativa) have a sweet flavor that makes them a favorite for breakfast cereals. Unique among the most widely-eaten grains, oats almost never have their bran and germ removed in processing. So, if you see oats or oat flour on the label, relax; you’re virtually guaranteed to be getting whole grain.

In the U.S., most oats are steamed and flattened to produce rolled oats, sold as “old-fashioned” or regular oats, quick oats, and instant oats. The more oats are flattened and steamed, the quicker they cook – and the softer they become. If you prefer a chewier, nuttier texture, consider steel-cut oats, also sometimes called Irish or Scottish oats. Steel-cut oats consist of the entire oat kernel (similar in look to a grain of rice), sliced once or twice into smaller pieces to help water penetrate and cook the grain. Cooked for about 20-30 minutes, steel-cut oats create a breakfast porridge that delights many people who didn’t realize they love oatmeal!

Health Benefits of Oats

Scores of studies have documented the many health benefits of oats:

  • Eating oats helps lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
  • Oats help you feel fuller longer, which helps control your weight.
  • Oatmeal and oats may help lower blood pressure.
  • Oats may help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, since their soluble fiber helps control blood sugar.
  • Oats help cut the use of laxatives without the side effects associated with medications.
  • Oats are high in beta-glucans, a kind of starch that stimulates the immune system and inhibits tumors. This may help reduce your risk of some cancers.
  • Early introduction of oats in children’s diets may help reduce their risk of asthma.
  • Oats are higher in protein and healthy fats and lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains.
  • Oats contain more than 20 unique polyphenols called avenanthramides, which have strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itching activity.

Meal Ideas

Think oats are limited to breakfast cereals, cookies, and snack bars?  Think again!  Oats can be used in place of bread crumbs in meatloaf and hamburgers, in side dishes, and as a crispy coating.  Check out these recipes for healthy, new ways to use oats:

For additional oat recipes you may want to try at home, visit: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/

Source:  Whole Grains Council at http://wholegrainscouncil.org/

 

Hold the Sugar

handful of SugarA “sweet tooth” is something we are probably all guilty of having, to some degree.  Eating the occasional cookie or slice of pie isn’t a crime and can have a place in the American diet, if consumed in moderation.  Unfortunately, in our society there are enormous opportunities for sugary food, even in places where you’d least expect.

Sugar in American food isn’t as obvious as it once was and seems to be lurking everywhere.  Then there is the concept of “added sugars”, which may add to the confusion. Added sugar is exactly what it seems… additional sugar but with no nutritional benefit other than extra calories.  The new food label has addressed this by showing grams of added sugars and also the % Daily Value based on the serving size.  It’s important to check out the ingredient list on packaged products as well.  Sugar has numerous forms and names, including brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, lactose, dextrose, fructose, glucose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, malt syrup, maltose, and molasses.  The ingredients are listed in order of descending weight, so if sugar is a main ingredient in the product you will see it near the beginning of the ingredient list.

Is sugar bad?

Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit or milk, are not considered added sugars. Natural sugars (carbohydrates) are part of many healthy unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and milk. These foods are good and are part of an overall healthy diet.  The problem lies in the “added sugar” we often see in processed foods, even bread and yogurt can contain a large amount of additional sugar.  We all know sugar has calories and extra calories can lead to putting on extra pounds.  But, it’s not just our waistlines that may pay the price. A 2014 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association-Internal Medicine found a “significant relationship between added sugar consumption and increased risk for CVD mortality”.

It seems that sugar may be causing more problems than initially believed, and until recently there haven’t been any official guidelines on how much sugar is acceptable.  When the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released, this was a major factor to be addressed. A “Key Recommendation” calls for less than 10% of calories per day from added sugars. The American Heart Association goes even further with a recommendation of no more than 100 calories per day for women (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams), and 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams) for men.

Currently, on average, added sugars account for almost 270 calories per day (more than 13%) and are particularly highest among children, adolescents, and young adults.  Not surprisingly, beverages (soft drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, flavored water) account for 47% of all added sugars consumed in the U.S. (2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans).

What can we do?

Cutting down on sugary beverages such as soda, sports drinks, fruit juices, and syrupy coffee drinks is the first step in reducing our consumption of sugar.  Reading labels and ingredient lists can help you identify how much carbohydrate and added sugar are in a product.  Choose beverages with no-added sugars such as water, and limit or decrease portion sizes of grain-based and dairy desserts, sweet snacks, cakes, and candy.  Choose unsweetened canned fruits, applesauce, and yogurt with no sugar added (2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans).  The American Heart Association offers some additional Tips for Cutting Down on Sugar and ways to Sip Smarter.

With some label reading and determination we can change our consumption of sugar, reduce our waistlines, and reduce the risk of developing obesity-related chronic diseases.

Resources:

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Added Sugars Add to Your Risk of Dying from Heart Disease, American Heart Association

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label, FDA U.S Food and Drug Administration

Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults, JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Apr;174(4):516-24.