Local Freshness is almost here!

According to my calendar, Spring is just 6 days away. It's been a long, cold and snowy winter and I just can't wait to put it behind me. To help me feel better, I sent my 2010 CSA registration in this morning! Yes, fresh, local and organically grown produce will soon be back on my plate. While I am waiting, I think I will take advantage of some of spring's first producers- radishes.

Here are some facts on Radishes that you may not already know:
1. Radishes can be enjoyed raw and cooked! See recipe below.
2. Radishes are not just Red. They grow in a variety of shapes and colors. Why not give a few other varieties a try this year?
3. In Ancient days, radishes were used for medicine for such ailments as whooping cough, cancer, gastric problems and constipation. Parasites and arthritis were also treated by eating radishes.
4. The pungent flavor is due to the plant's compound- glucosinolates, which are also found in horseradish, mustard and wasabi.
5. Findings indicate that radishes will help protect the body against rectal and colon cancer and heart disease. Research done in India found that radish consumption may reduce the risk of gallbladder cancer by 60%.
6. The nutrients and flavor are found mostly in the skin of the radish, so don't peel them!
7. They are very low in calories (19 calories in 1 cup!), rich in vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium.

Give this recipe a try.

Sauteed Radishes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 bunches (about 1 pound) of fresh radishes, tops trimmed and quartered
1/4 black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill.

Directions:

1. Heat oil and water in a saute' pan over medium heat.
2. Add radishes and pepper.
3. Saute' radishes, stirring often, until they begin to brown and are crisp tender (about 8 minutes)
4. Sprinkle with fresh dill and serve immediately.

Serves 6

Nutritional information per serving: 38 calories, 1 gram protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 4 mg. sodium

Recipe courtesy of Environmental Nutrition

Go Green!

It's March! Do you know what that means? It's "Go Green" month! You know, Shamrocks and all that.

Perhaps we can just go green on our plates this month! Many wonderful vegetables are delicious and nutritious and green!

Here is one you may not eat on a regular basis- Avocado

Did you know that avocados:

* are green on the outside and the inside

* grow on trees. One tree can produce up to 400 avocados per year

* are a fruit

* have a very large, hard pit and skin which needs to be removed before eating

* can be used as butter (because they are so creamy)

* can be sliced and used as a garnish, added to salads and sandwiches

Nutritionally, avocados are an excellent source of:

*vitamin C

* B6

* vitamin E

* potassium, magnesium, folate and fiber too!

* cholesterol free

* sodium free

* available all year round

How to select an Avocado:

Avocados have skin that range in color from yellowish green to dark purplish black. To select avocado, purchase ones that are hard to firm. Place them on your kitchen counter to soften. When the skin gets dark (purplish black) and is soft to the touch they are ready to eat.

How to peel and cut an avocado:

Take a sharp knife and slice through the avocado the length way of the fruit. Twist the fruit and pull apart. The large seed will be left on one half of the fruit. Take your knife and lightly tape it against the seed, pull up. The seed should come out with the knife. Now you have 2 halves. Take a large spoon, such as a soup spoon and place it between the skin and flesh of the avocado. Run the spoon all the way around the perimeter of the fruit. The flesh should easily slip away from the skin. Now your fruit is ready to be sliced or chopped.

Here is an easy and light avocaod recipe you can try.

Chicken and Avocado Wraps

makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

3- 10 inch flour tortillas

1 1/2 cup lettuce, shredded

1 1/2 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1 tomato, diced

1 avacodo, chopped

2 T onion, diced

2 T. barbecue sauce

2 T. ranch dressing

1. Place the tortilla on a plate. Top with lettuce, chicken, tomato, avocado and onion.

2. in a small bowl combine the barbecue sauce and ranch dressing. Mix well. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon over tortilla

3. Roll up tortilla and serve

Nutritional information per serving:

kcal 360, total fat 21 grams, sodium 810 mg, dietary fiber 3 grams, sugar 6 grams, protein 21 grams

Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday and is usually acknowledged by Catholics and Protestants around the world as a period of time where fasting is observed. Traditionally in the Catholic faith, members obstain from eating meat. Evangelical believers tend to fast from other food items, such as sweets or coffee, or activities which play a large part in their life, such as tv watching or the use of the computer. Whatever your faith, you will find that fish is a popular and frequently eaten dish during this religious season.

To assist you in this culinary season of no meat, I have included some recipes you may want to try. Enjoy!

Fish Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2- 2 pounds of fish of your choosing (such as tiliapia, haddock, shrimp, scallops etc)

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 bunches of fresh parsley, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1- 15 ounce can of plum tomatoes

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, mixed in 3/4 cup water

salt to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

1 loaf of crusty italian bread

Directions

1. in a skillet saute the onion, garlic and parsley in the olive oil

2. add the tomatoes and heat through

3. add the vinegar mixture and heat through

4. season with salt and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust if need be

5. Add fish and and cook through for 10-15 minutes.

6. slice bread and place bread in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladel soup over the bread. Enjoy!

For more lenten recipes follow the links to some of my favorite TV Chef's recipes.

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1787

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2540

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2133

Chocolate- it's not just for dessert!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner you may have chocolate on your mind . While we often associate Valentine's Day with chocolate, Americans don't usually limit their consumption to this time of year. Americans consume about half of the worlds chocolate products.

If you make the correct selection, chocolate can actually be healthy for you. Dark chocolate is packed with flavonoids, the phtyochemicals that act as antioxidants. Eating dark chocolate will increase the antioxidant levels in your blood, thus increasing your heart health. Studies have shown that cocoa powder, dark chocolate and milk chocolate, in that order, have the highest antioxidant properties.

Have you ever wondered how chocolate is made? Here is how it works-
It all begins with the cacao (pronounce Kuk-kow) bean. The beans are first roasted and then ground into a thick chocolate liquor (non alcoholic). When the liquor hardens it becomes unsweetened chocolate. When pressure is added to the liquor, the bean fat is extracted, resulting in cocoa butter. Cocoa powder is made by drying and sifting the remaining materials from the liquor. When you mix chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and milk, the end result is the chocolate we have all come to love.

Here is the percentage of cocoa in chocolate products. Choose products with a higher cocoa percentage to get those flavonoids and increase your heart health.

Chocolate by the Percents Type -% from cacao
Unsweetened or baking chocolate- almost 100%
Semisweet or Bittersweet- at least 35%
Milk chocolate- at least 10%,
Sweet chocolate- at least 15%
Dark chocolate- common to see 45-80%

Not all of your chocolate consumption needs to come in the form of candy. Why not give this mole sauce a try this heart health month?

Quick Chicken Mole

Ingredients :
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped
1 (10-ounce) can chicken broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 (5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for garnish
White rice, for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and spices and continue to saute to toast and develop flavor. Add diced tomatoes, peppers, chipotles, broth, peanut butter, and chocolate. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and puree until smooth.

Sear the chicken in a heavy bottomed hot saute pan over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Add to casserole dish, cover with sauce and braise the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Garnish with pepitas and serve with white rice.

Recipe courtesy of Paula Dean

Baby it's cold outside

Boy do I miss my CSA delivery of fresh organic vegetables. I truly enjoyed that experience and am looking forward to another wonderful season of locally grown fruits and vegetables.

What is a CSA, you may be asking?

"Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is a unique model of local agriculture whose roots reach back 30 years to Japan, where a group of women were concerned with the use of pesticides. Originally called "teikei" in Japanese, which translates to "putting the farmers' face on food," the concept later moved to Europe. Eventually, in the mid-1980s CSA made its way to the U.S.

CSA is a relationship of mutual support and commitment between local farmers and community members who pay the farmer an annual membership fee to cover the production costs of the farm. In turn, members receive a weekly share of the harvest during the local growing season. This arrangement gives the farmer a direct connection to and relationship with the consumer.

Ultimately, CSA creates"COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED-AGRICULTURE" where members receive a wide variety of local in-season foods harvested at their peak of ripeness, flavor, vitamin and mineral content."

Excerpt taken from the Spiral Path website. http://www.sprialpathfarm.com/

If you are interested in participating in a CSA, visit this website to located a farm near your home. http://www.localharvest.org/


So while you are waiting for those fresh peas, spinach and delicate leaf lettuce to sprout why not eat some delicious root vegetables, which are so plentiful this time of year.


Butternut and Ginger Soup

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
• 1 tsp mild olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 lbs (6 cups) peeled raw butternut or other winter squash
• 1/2 lb (1 cup) new potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened 100% apple juice
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet or large saucepan on medium high
2. Sauté the onions 3 minutes or until tender
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute longer
4. Add the squash, potatoes, 100% apple juice, and water or broth
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 35-40 minutes or until very soft
6. Puree in a blender or processor, in batched, until smooth
7. Pour back into the pan and stir in the milk and salt
8. Reheat and serve topped with apple and parsley

Nutrition Information: 190 calories, 1 grams total fat, 45 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams protein, 6 grams fiber, 220 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol

Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more recipes and access to the recipes full nutritional profile, visit www.fruitandveggiesmorematters.gov

Fennel

Other holiday favorite found in my family history is fennel. First grown in the Meditterean and souther Europe, it's no wonder fennel is part of my family traditions.

Fennel is celery like in appearance but very distinct in flavor. It taste like anise or licorice and is actually grown for it's seeds which are used for flavoring foods.

Fennel can be found year round but it's peak season is fall and winter. To select the freshest fennel, look for stalks which are straight, free from splits and bruising. The bulb should be compact and round in shape. The stalks should be tight to the bulb. Because fennel is more delicate than celery, it will dry out more quickly. To keep your fennel fresh, before storing, cut the stalks off, wrap the stalks separately from the bulb in plastic bags, and store in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Fennel should keep for three to four days, but it is best to use it as soon as possible.

Give this unique vegetable a try this winter season.


Fennel Citrus Salad

Makes 4 servings
Each serving equals 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetables
Source: Wegmans Food Markets

Ingredients

1 medium, about 1½ lbs, fennel bulb, thinly sliced
4 medium navel oranges, peeled and sliced
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Combine fennel, oranges, red onion and olives. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Toss gently and serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 130, Protein 3g, Fat 3g, Calories From Fat 26%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 26g, Fiber 7g, Sodium 90mg.

Recipe courtesy of Fruits and Veggies Matter

The sure signs of Christmas

There are certain items that show up in the grocery store in December that tell me Christmas is soon here. For many oranges bring back fond memories of Christmas stockings. While I never received fruit in my stockings, it was a common practice to those in my parents generation. Beautiful, large firm oranges were often placed in the toe of stockings at Christmas time.

Today when I see those beautiful red pomegranates stacked in boxes at my grocery store, I think Christmas can't be far off. Pomegranates are a fairly new, abundant and readily available fruit found in American grocery stores. While they first originated in Middle Eastern countries, because of their need for arid, warm weather, they are also produced in Arizona and California.

Pomegranates are about the size of a large orange, are firm and have a red leathery skin. Inside they contain hundreds of small seeds filled with tart juice. The seeds are high in antioxidants and rich in vitamin C. While they can be a challenge to peel and remove the seeds, pomegranates are well worth the effort. For instruction on how to peel and remove seeds, see the following site: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/pomegranate.html

The seeds and white pith can both be eaten, but I prefer just the seeds. Here is a recipe you may want to try this holiday season.



Pomegranate, Orange, Papaya, and Kiwi Green Salad


1-1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1-1/2 quarts mixed greens
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
2 medium papayas, peeled and sliced
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 medium pomegranate, seeded (about 3/4 cup)


To make dressing, combine vinegar and next three ingredients; whisk in oil. Toss greens with 2-1/2 tablespoons dressing; arrange on a serving platter. Alternate orange, papaya, and kiwi slices over greens. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6.