Roasting Vegetables

Roasting Vegetables

Fall is a great time to think about roasting vegetables. Not only does the cooler weather make a good time to turn on the oven for an hour, but vegetables available in the fall are great for roasting. Many roasted vegetable recipes call for favorite fall vegetables like carrots, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, and winter squash. The process of roasting brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables and intensifies their natural flavors.
For healthy conscious meals, roasted vegetables add a lot of nutritional value without many calories.

Instructions for Roasting Vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take a cookie sheet with sides and line with tinfoil. Coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Cut vegetables into bite-size chunks.

3. Place vegetables in a single layer on the tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil. Toss vegetables to coat.

4. Sprinkle with herbs such as rosemary, basil, parsley, or marjoram. Salt and pepper may be added for seasonings.

5. Cover vegetables with tinfoil so they don’t dry out.

6. Bake vegetables until they are lightly brown and tender. At about 25 minutes, stir vegetables and continue roasting for approximately another 25 minutes.

Enjoy Wisconsin's Apples

Enjoy Wisconsin’s Apples

Apple harvest is early this fall in Wisconsin. Buying locally grown apples is a great way to support our local growers while enjoying a tasty treat.  Eating an apple will provide you with respectable amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber, some vitamin C and beta carotene if you eat the peel and some potassium.

There are about 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world with 2,500 grown in the United States. Just 16 varieties account for 90 percent of the domestic apple production.

The NEW Master Gardeners sponsor heirloom apple tasting events each fall. Dates for upcoming events are Thursday, September 30th and Thursday, October 28th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. each evening. Classes are held at the Brown County UW-Extension Office.

Sample just a portion of the over 400 varieties of heirloom apples grown at Maple Valley Orchards & Nursery of Gillette. Tony Dembski, as co-owner will share his knowledge about apples. Pre-registration is required. Call Debi at 920-465-8512 to register. Class cost is $2.00 per session. It is wise not to eat before coming to class as participants will rate each apple tasted.

                                                                                              

Building a Better Salad

Building a Better Salad

It is easy when dinning out at a restaurant with a salad bar to add a little of this and a little of that to a salad which can quickly grow from a small salad to a salad taking up the entire salad plate. Here are some tips for building a healthy salad.

Start with the right base of greens such as baby spinach and arugula. Even romaine lettuce is more tasty and have more nutritional value than iceberg lettuce.

Then add vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, peppers. Fresh

vegetables offer a lot of nutritional value with few calories.

Protein is a good addition to a salad. Choose lean meats such as turkey, salmon, or eggs. Chickpeas, kidney beans and other legumes are also viable options. Cheese can quickly add calories, so be careful about the amount of cheese you add.

Tasty extras add flavor but can also add calories and increase the fat content of the salad. Gently add nuts, seeds like sunflowers, avocado, croutons, olives and dried cranberries.

When choosing a dressing look for the low-fat or fat-free options. Vinaigrettes are another great option. If possible place the dressing on the side of your plate and dip the salad contents in the dressing rather than pouring dressing over the salad. It is easy to add three to five tablespoons of dressing which can add lots of extra calories to your salad.

What’s for Dinner – Plan Ahead

It is 4:00 p.m. and you have no idea what to serve your family for dinner. In these situations it is easy to pick up fast food or order pizza. Eating healthy begins by planning ahead.

Begin by writing down favorite family meals and scheduling them throughout the week. Then make a shopping list for everything you will need to prepare these meals and head to the supermarket.

If possible, cook once and eat twice. During the weekend, prepare a roast in the crock pot. Following the meal with the roast you can either slice the roast into thin slices and use for sandwiches or pull the remaining meat apart and add barbeque sauce for quick and easy sandwiches.

Stir-fry is an quick and easy meal. Fresh or frozen vegetables can be added to thinly sliced meat and rice for a quick and easy meal.

I like to make soup such as chili on the weekend. I freeze the remaining portions and defrost on nights when I don’t have much time at home. I like to microwave a baked potato and add chili and shredded cheese for a filling meal.

Keep a fully stocked pantry with rice, pasta, canned vegetables, canned soups and canned beans. I keep chicken breasts in the freezer along with frozen vegetables. Fresh produce include potatoes and an assortment of fresh vegetables and fruits. With food on-hand, it is easy to prepare quick meals.

Snacking - Don't Overdo It

Snacking – Don’t Overdo It

It is easy to set in front of the TV or read a book while snacking. Often snacking is a mindless activity which can lead to over eating. It is wise to pay attention to the portion size listed on the Nutrition Facts Label and place the portion size in a bowl rather than eat from the container.

Examples of portion sizes are below.

Potato Chips, Tortilla Chips or Pretzels

10-15 chips

Piece of Chocolate

1 oz. which is the size of a standard

matchbook

Nuts Picture of nuts

¼ measuring cup

A handful of pretzels or crackers may seem healthy. Look for snacks comprised of carbohydrates that are made with whole grain flour rather than wheat flour. Combine the carbohydrate snack with some peanut butter or cheese so you will feel full longer.
If you like to snack, plan ahead by keeping a granola bar in your purse or backpack as a quick and healthy snack.

Healthy School Lunches

It’s early in the morning and like many other parents across the country, you’re wondering what to put in your child’s lunch box. You can avoid these early morning stressful situations and help your children enjoy healthy eating options. There are many options for healthy lunches by using this mix and match guide.

Breads/Starches
Whole wheat bread
Pita bread
Raisin bread
Low-fat whole wheat crackers
Bagels

Protein
Tuna (water pack)
95% fat free luncheon meat
Peanut butter
String cheese
Leftovers (pizza, chicken)

Fruits/Vegetables
Fresh fruit
Fresh vegetables with dip
100% fruit juice
Individual containers of applesauce
Dried fruit

Dairy Foods
Low fat/fat free milk
Low fat/ no-fat yogurt
Low fat cheese
Individual containers of pudding

Canning Salsa

Salsa can be a fun and easy way to preserve tomatoes to enjoy all year. Use only high quality tomatoes for canning salsa. Canning is no way to use overripe or damaged tomatoes, nor tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines.

The type of tomato you use affects salsa quality. Paste or Italian tomatoes have a firmer flesh and produce thicker salsas than large slicing tomatoes.

Use only high quality peppers. Do not increase the total amount of peppers in any recipe. But you may substitute one type of pepper for another.

Salsa is preserved by adding acid, in the form of commercially bottled vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice. Use only vinegar that is at least 5 percent acidity and only bottled lemon or lime juice (never fresh squeezed). You must add acid to canned salsas and the amounts of vinegar or lemon juice in the recipes can not be reduced for safe boiling water canning.

Here is a salsa recipe from the UW-Extension Canning Salsa Safely bulletin. The recipe I use is:

Tomato/Tomato Paste Salsa
3 qts. slicing tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 cups onions, chopped (3 medium whole)
6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 long green chilies, peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12-ounce can tomato paste
2 cups bottled lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. ground cumin (optional)
2 tbsp. oregano leaves (optional)
1 tsp. black pepper
Yield: 7 to 9 pints

Jalapeno peppers do not need to be peeled. Peel adn prepare chili peppers as described on page 3, if desired. To peel tomatoes, dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split, then dip in cold water and remove skins. Core and chop tomatoes.

Combime all ingredients in a large saucepan and heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils. reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle hot salsa into clean, hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if neeed. Wipre jar rims and cap with properly pre-treated lids. Process in a boiling water canner.

Process time in a boiling watyer canner for hot pack pint jars at the following elevations:
0 - 1,000 feet              15 minutes
1,001 - 6,000 feet       20 minutes

(Salsa recipes are available in Spanish from the National center for Home Food Preservation.) www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_salsa.html

Nearly Three in Ten Wisconsin Adults is Obese

The number of Wisconsin residents who are obese has reached a new high. Nearly three of every ten adults in the state are now classified as obese.

Each year, state health departments use standard telephone interview questions to collect data on the height and weight of adults in the United States. According to the newest data just released by the U.S> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wisconsin’s obesity rate is 29 percent. That’s in addition to the 36 percent of Wisconsin adults who are overweight, but not to the extent of being obese.

These estimates are especially troubling because they are continuing to increase year by year. The estimated percent of adults who were obese in Wisconsin was 16 percent in 1995, 20 percent in 2000, 24 percent in 2005 and 29 percent in 2009.

These data show the importance of nutrition in planning for public health and community education programs. “Adequate, appropriate and safe food and nutrition” has been pegged as one of the 12 focus areas in Wisconsin’s newest state health plan.

Source: Susan Nitzke, Professor and Nutrition Specialist, Nutritional Sciences, UW-Madison

Watermelon

Watermelon is a tasty summer treat. Watermelon is not lightweight in the nutrient department. A one cup serving only has 50 calories. It contains vitamin A and C. It also contains potassium. Watermelon has no fat and cholesterol.

Watermelon has been designated as one of the “clean 15”, the fruits and vegetables with the fewest pesticide residues according to the Environmental Working Group.

So next time you go the grocery store or farmers market, stop and pick up a watermelon for a tasty, summer treat. If a whole watermelon is more than can be consumed, try one of the smaller watermelons that are designed for one or two people.

Canning Tomatoes Safely

Tomatoes are the most widely home-canned product in the United States. Many factors affect the acidity of canned tomatoes i.e. growing low acid tomatoes, overripe produce, damaged or decayed produce, and tomato juices are less acidic than tomato solids.

Since so many factors affect the acidity of canned tomatoes, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that acid be added to home canned tomato products. Bottled lemon juice can be used to acidify canned tomato products. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice per pint and two tablespoons per quart. Measure this amount into canning jars before sealing.

Small amounts of vinegar are not as effective as lemon juice in increasing acidity. Enough vinegar to increase the acidity of canned tomatoes changes the flavor of the canned product. For this reason, vinegar is not recommended.

Nationwide Egg Recall

There is a national recall of eggs on-going with hundreds of cases of salmonellosis linked to eggs produced by Wright Farms out of Iowa. Some of the eggs were distributed in Wisconsin. The particular organism linked to the recall is /Salmonella /Enteritidis. Following is food safety information from the Centers for Disease Control followed by a press release from the company linked to the recall. Stay healthy!

Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms

A person infected with /Salmonella/ Enteritidis usually has fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or beverage. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without antibiotic treatment. However, the diarrhea can be severe, and hospitalization may be required. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems may have a more serious illness. In these patients, the infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. For more information, visit CDC’s /Salmonella/ Enteritidis http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/salmonella_enteritidis/ website.

Advice to Consumers

• Don’t eat recalled eggs or products containing recalled eggs.
• Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund.
• Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
• Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.
• Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.

Tomato Late Blight Confirmed in Brown County

Late blight, a highly destructive disease of tomato and potato, has been identified in a home gardener’s tomatoes in Brown County. The infected tomato leaf and fruit sample submitted by the home gardener to the Brown County UW Extension office on August 3rd has been confirmed by Dr. Amanda Gevens, UW-Extension Plant Pathologist, to be late blight infection. This is the first reported case of late blight infection in Brown County. According to the homeowner, the disease spread rapidly in their backyard vegetable garden (within 10 days) and has so far killed 15 tomato plants.
Late blight affects mainly tomatoes and potatoes but it can affect peppers and egg plants to a lesser extent. The cool, wet condition in past few weeks has been ideal for the development of late blight disease and can cause the plant to collapse in about 7-10 days. Other counties in the state that have confirmed the presence of tomato late blight this year are Waukesha, Monroe and Kewanee.

Home gardeners need to be vigilant in scouting their tomatoes and potatoes for late blight. The symptom of the disease begins as pale green or olive green blotches on leaves that enlarge to become brown-black, water-soaked and oily in appearance. Dark brown stem lesions are also prominent on the infected plant. On the fruit, sunken or firm golden to chocolate-brown lesions with distinct rings appear. At a later stage, white-gray fuzzy growth can appear on the infected region of the fruit.

For proper diagnosis, bring a sample of your tomato leaves to the Brown County UW Extension Office.

If you’re unfortunate to have the late blight disease in your tomato plants, harvest only the healthy fruit from all your tomato plants as soon as possible. Infected fruits are bitter in taste and should not be used for cooking or canning purposes. Remove the infected plants completely, place them in a black plastic bag, close the bag and let it sit in the sun for a few days to kill the pathogen. Then place the sealed bag of plants on the curb for trash pickup. Do not compost infected plants.

Source: Vijai Pandian, Brown County UW-Extension Horticulture Educator

Canning Pickles

Cucumbers are ripening, so it’s time to think about making pickles. Pickling may seem like a complicated process laden with many steps. You can make safe, high quality pickles if you remember two basic rules: 1) use high quality ingredients, and 2) follow tested recipes precisely.

Here are some tips for successful pickles.

For best quality, pickle fruits and vegetables within 24 hours of harvest or refrigerate for no longer than a few days. Remove all blossoms, and cut a 1/16-inch slice from the blossom end of the cucumbers and remove. The blossoms contain enzymes that can cause softening and result in an unacceptable product.

Softened water is recommended for making pickles and relishes. Hard water usually contains lime that may decrease acidity resulting in an unsafe product, or contain iron, magnesium or sulfur compounds that can cause discoloration or off-flavors.

Use commercial vinegar that is standardized at a 5 percent acetic acid content. Use the type of vinegar the recipe calls for, either white or cider vinegar. Some grocery stores stock 4 percent vinegar which is not approved for home canning.

Canning and pickling salt – pure granulated salt is recommended for use in all kinds of pickles. This salt does not contain anti-caking agents or iodine. Plain salt, iodized table salt and sea salt are not recommended for pickling.

If you use freshly picked cucumbers, follow an up-to-date, tested recipe and heat process pickles for the correct length of time. Pickles will turn out crisp and you won’t need to add firming agents. A recommended method for making crisp pickles is to soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling.

Good sources of recipes for making pickles include the UW-Extension bulletin titled: Homemade Pickles & Relishes or the Ball Blue Book.

Source: UW-Extension bulletin Homemade Pickles and Relish by Barbara Ingham, UW-Extension Food Safety Specialist.

Value of Summer Fruits

Many berries available in the summer are health stars. Berries along with other red, blue and purple fruits contain antioxidants. The other plus is that the calorie count is low. For example, one cup of raspberries has only 61 calories, 5.8 grams of fiber, and no fat or cholesterol. Blueberries are another nutritional powerhouse: having 145 calories per cup, 3.3 grams of fiber and a good supply of antioxidants. Berries also supply vitamins and minerals.

Here are some suggestions for incorporating summer fruits into daily meals:

• Enjoy blueberries throughout the winter months. After washing blueberries, lay them on paper towels to dry. Then place on cookie sheets with sides and place in the freezer for one to two hours. Remove from cookies sheets and place in freezer bags or freezer containers. By freezing them this way, they will break apart more easily. Enjoy this winter on cereal or in muffins.

• Add berries to mixed greens for a tasty salad.

• Layer berries, vanilla yogurt and granola to make a parfait.

• Mix berries with other fruits to make a tasty salad.

• Enjoy berries just as they are with all of their summer goodness.

• Strawberries can also be frozen and enjoyed at a later time in smoothies. Combine the following ingredients in the blender:

-6 large strawberries

-½ cup strawberry yogurt

-½ cup vanilla ice cream

-½ cup skim milk

-Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

Counting Up Calcium

Many Americans do not consume significant amounts of calcium rich foods. There are a number of foods that contain calcium.
Dairy foods supply 73 percent of all the calcium available in the U.S. food supply. Besides providing calcium, they supply protein, vitamin D (if fortified), and phosphorus, which together help the body absorb and deposit calcium in bones. Dairy foods are also important sources of vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, magnesium, and potassium.

Other foods also supply calcium including dark-green leafy vegetables and fish with edible bones. Many processed foods such as soy milk, tofu, orange juice, and breakfast cereal may be fortified with calcium.

Green, leafy vegetables and grain products supply some calcium. However, some vegetables such as spinach contain oxalates; grains may contain phytates. Both bind with some minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and iron, partially blocking their absorption. Caffeine can interfere with calcium absorption, too.
                                
                                 (Click on chart to enlarge)

Source: American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 2nd Edition