Eco-Eating

Eco-eating is on the rise as an increasing number of people are concerned about what is in their food and how it is processed.  Labeling food products to identify production practices and the pedigree of ingredients is a practice food producers are adopting as a way to help consumer know what they are purchasing.  With a number of certifications and seals appearing on food, it can difficult to determine what the labels mean. 

Fair Trade Certified™ is found on products like coffee, cocoa, and bananas.  This mark indicates that producers and traders have met Fair Trade standards established by Fair Trade USA.  Standards aim to ensure disadvantaged farmers and farmers are justly compensated for their labor. Producers are required to be paid a Fair Trade price for their goods.

USDA Organic label means the food was produced without the use of non-approved  synthetic fertilizers, growth hormones, antibiotics, GMOs, irradiation and sewage sludge.  A third party certification system is used which follows established organic regulations.

Animal Welfare Approved is used by farmers who certify their animals have continual access to pasture, as well as freedom to perform instinctive behaviors including interacting with other animals.  Slaughter standards include limiting animal stress and prohibiting the use of electrical prods.  Standards for Animal Welfare Approved have been developed by scientists, veterinarians, researchers and farmers.

2014 Food Preservation Classes

                   

Make March Madness Healthy

Make March Madness Healthy

It’s that exciting time of year when college basketball rules! With lots of games to watch in the next few weeks, friends and family will be gathered to support their favorite teams. Watching so many games to watch, there is plenty of time for munching. Rather than choose foods that could be called for an offensive foul that are high in salt, sugar, calories and saturated fat look for some healthier options.

Put out a big bowl of air-popped popcorn and a variety of seasonings as well as pita chips with hummus, or bowls of fresh or dried fruit and unsalted nuts. Since it is still cold with plenty of snow on the ground, a soup that can be made in advance and put in the crock pot is a great way to keep people warm as well as fill them up.

If you’re making or ordering pizza, choose whole grain crust and add some healthy veggies as a topping. Offer your guests a healthy twist on the fan favorite – burgers – this year by serving salmon or veggie burgers with all the fixings on a whole grain bun. Add a leafy green salad and some baked sweet potato fries as sides. Another fan favorite is pasta – tortellini primavera, or a simple pasta dish made with extra virgin olive oil or marinara sauce and fresh veggies will satisfy your guests’ appetite (if not their appetite for a win!).

Avoid empty calories and the high sugar loads associated with sodas. Instead, serve your guests flavored water and flavored seltzers. Smoothies are not just a taste treat but can serve as a delicious (and healthy) dessert item. Mix dark berries in a blender with a banana and soy milk, maybe even a small teaspoon of peanut butter, and you’ve got a taste treat that’s sure to please.

It never hurts to have chocolate around, and all the better if you choose dark chocolate (it provides health benefits that milk chocolate doesn’t). Choose products containing at least 70% cocoa, and leave small squares out for guests to nibble on.

Pesticides in Foods

Pesticides in Foods

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic food sales grew by more than 7 percent last year, partly driven by consumer concern about the use of pesticides in food production and their impacts on health and the environment.

In order to reduce pesticide exposure, here are some steps to follow.

• Eating certified organic produce decreases the number of pesticides a person is exposed to because the National Organic Program bans the use of synthetic pesticides in organic production.
• Pay attention to the list of the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen Foods. The Dirty Dozen includes the following foods: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, nectarines that are imported, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, kale/collard greens and summer squash. Foods on the Clean Fifteen include asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, sweet corn, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi, mangos, mushrooms, onions, papayas, pineapple, frozen sweet peas and sweet potatoes.
• If shopping at a farmer’s market, ask the producer about pest control methods used.
• Rinse, scrub and peel produce can help reduce pesticides.
• Trim fat as pesticides can accumulate in fatty tissue.
• Grow your own produce.

Dinner's Ready-Cook Meat Safely

Dinner’s Ready – Cook Meat Safely

When making dinner, take time to make sure that the meat is accurately done. Here are some guidelines.

Whole Cuts of Pork – Cook pork to 145 degrees with a 3-minute rest time. Once you measure 145 degrees, remove pork from heat source, and let rest three minutes. This will result in a product that is both safe and at its best quality – juicy and tender.
Cooking Whole Cuts of Other Meats – Cook beef, veal, and lamb cuts to 145 degrees and let rest for 3 minutes.
Ground meats – Cook ground meats, including beef, veal, lamb and pork to 160 degrees with no rest time.
Poultry – The safe cooking temperature for all poultry products, including ground chicken and turkey is 165 degrees.

“Rest time” is the amount of time the product remains at the final temperature, after it has been removed from a grill, oven, or other heat source, ensuring destruction of harmful bacteria.

Use a food thermometer. Place the food thermometer in the thickest part of the food not touching bone, fat, or gristle. Be sure to clean your food thermometer with hot soapy water before and after each use.

Source: Barbara Ingham, University of Wisconsin-Extension Food Safety Specialist

Focus on Fermented Foods

Focus on Fermented Foods

The list of fermented food in our lives is staggering: bread, coffee, pickles, beer, cheese, yogurt and soy sauce. are all transformed at some point during their production process by microscopic organisms that extend their usefulness and enhance their flavors.

The process of fermenting our food isn't a new one. Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation technologies in the world. Indigenous fermented foods such as bread, cheese and wine, have been prepared and consumed for thousands of years and are strongly linked to culture and tradition, especially in rural households and village communities.

Fermented foods are those produced or preserved by microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria, which occur naturally in the environment or may be introduced to foods to hasten fermentation. Fermentation describes the conversion of natural sugars found in foods into acids, gases or alcohol, using yeast, but is also used to make foods such as pickles and yogurt through the use of bacteria. For example juice turns into wine and grain into beer.

There is a growing interest in fermented foods due to health benefits. Eating fermented foods introduces beneficial bacteria call probiotics into the gut, which helps maintain a healthy balance of bacteria. Probiotics may lead to improved digestive health, and immune function. A healthy gut is more receptive to the absorption of food nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Update on the American Diet

Update on the American Diet

The American diet is not changing quickly as reported in "The Changing American Diet," a series of reports by the Center for Science in the Public Interest which uses data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grade the healthfulness of U.S. eaters. This latest report card doesn't look so different from the recent ones issued by the CSPI.

The report shows that we eat slightly less caloric sweetener, whole milk and beef than we did in 2000 -- but also a fair bit more cheese and way more yogurt. We eat less shortening and a lot more oil. We eat more or less the same amount of calories, fruits, vegetables, fruit and seafood. All in all, then, we're eating about as much, and about as healthily, as we were a decade ago.

For example, bread, bagels, pasta, crackers, cookies, scones, and muffins are very popular. Americans eat 109 pounds of flour per year. The peak was 116 pounds in 2000. We need to eat more whole grains and cut back on all grains.

Americans started eating more vegetables in the 1980’s but the rise has stalled. Fruit consumption except for juice has not changed much for well over 30 years. Eating fewer starches or increasing fruit and vegetable consumption would be beneficial.

Sweeteners have dropped from a high of 89 pounds in 1999. That mirrors the drop in sugarly soft drinks over the last decade. The current 78 pounds is still too high.

Beans Are Good for You

Beans Are Good for You

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that women consume 1 ½ cups of beans and other legumes weekly, or 1 cup for ages 51-plus, and that men eat 2 cups a week , 1 ½ cups after age 50.

Beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber. They provide some essential micronutrients such as folate, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium. Beans are a great source of plant protein. They are also low in calories.

If buying dried, beans, look for whole, un-cracked beans. Store beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place for up to one year.

To speed up cooking and reduce digestive downsides, boil dried beans in water for two minutes then soak for two hours; alternatively, soak un-boiled beans overnight in the refrigerator. Rinse before cooking.

Canned beans are equally nutritious to dried beans. Look for the low-sodium varieties and rinse thoroughly.

Below is a great tasting, quick to make soup that UW-Extension staff used at a number of presentations this winter that features lentils. Lentils do not need to be soaked prior to using.

Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped, approximately 1 cup
1 medium carrot, sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 teaspoons garlic, peeled and minced (3-4 cloves) or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups water
1 cup dry yellow or brown lentils
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried basil or Italian seasoning
1 can (14.5 ounces) no sodium added diced tomatoes or 2 chopped tomatoes
1 bunch kale or spinach
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Add oil to large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Cook five minutes.
3. Add water to vegetables in pot. Heat mixture to boiling.
4. Rinse lentils in colander with water. Add lentils to pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not drain.
5. Add chicken broth, dried basil or Italian seasoning, and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.
6. Rinse kale or spinach leaves. Cut out main stems of kale leaves and discard. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
7. Stir kale or spinach, salt and pepper into lentil mixture. Return to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for three minutes.