A KID'S GUIDE TO SUMMER EATING

A KID'S GUIDE TO
SUMMER EATING

August 17,2020

Snacking is a great way to eat in the summer. A snack is a small fun to eat   refreshing and full of flavor meal. With a little creativity, you can prepare a cool  healthy snack for kids. Fresh juicy fruits and veggies  from  our Harvest Home markets can make tasty small meals that satisfy hunger and keep everyone cool, refreshed and healthy.

SLURP: Serve Slices of juicy peaches, plums, apricots and melon as shapes on a plate.  Use cookie cutters to cut  melons into hearts and stars!

LICK: Refreshing Popsicle loaded with fruit flavor:

• Smooth Treats: Mix together in a blender or mash together 2 cups of fruit and banana with 2 cups of plain or vanilla yogurt. Pour into Popsicle molds, paper cups or an ice cube tray.  Add sticks for easy eating. Freeze for 5 hours.

• Chunky Treats: Put 2 slices of peach, some blueberries and a slice of kiwi in Popsicle containers. Mash up about ½ watermelon and fill the container to the top. Freeze for 5 hours.

• Quick tricks: Adding avocado makes Popsicle creamier, plus adds healthy fat for energy, along with lots of vitamins, like C, E K, and B.

CRUNCH: Fill celery sticks with peanut butter or dip carrot sticks in peanut butter for quick protein or try Chocolate Hummus (See below).

SIP: Fruit Slushes are better than soda! Blend fruit and ice for a refreshing way to cool down. Try 2 cups fruit, cut into cubes with 1-2 cups of ice. Blend. Put ice cubes in a towel and beat with a hammer. Add water if too thick to sip through a straw.  More ice makes it easier to eat with a spoon. Try different fruit combos!

Kids' Ideas for Summer Eating 2020

RECIPE: Drink Your Breakfast

Peach "Cobbler" Smoothie

PREPARATION:

Blend together 1½ cups of almond milk with ½ cup of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Add ¾ cup of peaches and 3 ice cubes. Blend again

Good for breakfast or put in paper cups or ice cube trays and freeze for a snack.

Green Goddess Smoothie/Popsicle: 

PREPARATION::

• Blend ½ cup sliced pineapple, mango or banana, ½ cup berries and 1/3 cup raw kale or spinach with ¼ cup of milk or yogurt.  

• Flavor with ¼ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup.

• Put in paper cups or Popsicle molds and freeze for 5 hours. (You won't taste the kale, promise!)

Chocolate Hummus: Very healthy with nutritious chickpeas, peanut butter, and antioxidant-rich cocoa powder. Kids  will love it and it's a great way to eat more fruit. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or black beans

• 4 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened

• 2 tablespoon peanut butter, all-natural

• ¼ cup maple syrup, pure

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION:

• Mash all the ingredients together or add them into the cup of a large food processor. Puree until smooth. Serve with apple slices or any fruit.

TIPS: For "Cool" Kids

Making Popsicle’s

Molds can be helpful and inexpensive. You can get them on line or in stores that sell housewares or you can use ice cube trays or paper cups. Just insert the Popsicle sticks when your mixture is half frozen, after about 2.5 hours of freezing.

Make your own flavorful lemonade or any fruit drink:

Start with a simple syrup: Mix 1 cup honey to 5 cups water. Bring to a slight boil so honey dissolves. Cool. Add 1 cup lemon juice or a mixture of lemon and lime juice. Pour over ice! Add mint if you like, or slices of fresh ginger. Try basil or rosemary.

Add fresh fruit and make ice Popsicle.

Cold Refreshing snacks: Freeze blueberries, cherries or peas, bite size pieces of watermelon or cantaloupe.

Deviled eggs are a kid-friendly lunch with lots of protein.

Boil eggs in a pot of water for about 10 minutes. Run them under cold water until they're cool to the touch.

Peel and cut them in half, then scoop out the yoke and place in a mixing bowl.

To the yoke, add a dash of mayonnaise and mustard.  Top with dill, cilantro or any herb you like, and then place back in the white for a filling and energy-boosting finger food.

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STAY COOL WITH A SPLASH OF FLAVOR

STAY COOL WITH A SPLASH OF FLAVOR

August 10, 2020

Hot! Humid! Make sure you are drinking enough fluids to keep yourself cool. In the summer, we need a lot of extra fluid to stay hydrated. Drinking the right amount of fluids will make you feel less like a dropping flower. How much fluid? Depends on your age and what you are doing. Everyone's has a different activity level. We are supposed to drink about 10½ cups of liquid a day....men need more and women need a bit less. AHH, you may be thinking: "That's a lot of liquid to drink!!" At Harvest Home Markets, we have delicious, easy ways to help you get the liquids you need.

Start with what you eat: Snacking on summer fruits and vegetables, like watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, plums, cucumbers, celery and tomatoes is a delicious way to stay refreshed and add extra nutrition on those hot days.

Drink the right liquids. Some liquids are healthier than others and can help you stay cool.. Sugary drinks like soda and flavored juices are loaded with sugar and your body generates heat to process them . More heat is not what you need on hot summer days! The best thing to drink is lots of plain water. You may be thinking "BORING!"

Take the "boring" out of water. Keep it cool in the fridge. Add refreshing flavor with herbs, pieces of fruit or even veggies. See tips below.

Refresh with a new iced tea flavor. Our favorite hot weather drink is African red tea, Rooibos Tea, poured over ice. Try it and you'll understand how people in Africa, beat the heat! See more recipes below.

Take a Walk on the Cool Side

TIPS: Take the Boring Out of Water

Icy cold tap water with a hint of flavor can keep you cool and refreshed....and save you a lot of $$$. Plain or flavored, keep a large pitcher of water in the fridge so it's cool when you need it.

FLAVOR YOUR WATER:
Add fruit, herbs or spices to a pitcher of water cooled in the fridge overnight. Just keep adding water to the pitcher as you drink it. It will last about a week. Try some of these combos...

• A bit of mint adds a refreshing taste to almost any beverage.

• ½ a lemon and ½ a lime cut into slices

• 4 or 5 long cucumber stick about ¾ inch thick

• About ¼ to a ½ of pineapple cut in chunks

• Chunks of watermelon or cantaloupe; honeydew with a bit of basil

• More combos at https://deliciouslyorganic.net/flavored-water-recipes/

RECIPE: A New Refreshing Taste for Tea and Ice

Minty Green Ginger Root Tea:

PREPARATION:

• Put 2-3 green tea bags in a teapot with 2 inches of grated ginger and a few sprigs of mint.

• Fill the pot with boiling water. 

• Let sit for 5 minutes. Pour over ice.

Peach Mint Tea

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 tea bags

• 4 ripe peaches, cut into ½ inch pieces

• 1 small bunch of mint

PREPARATION: 

• Bring 8 cups of water to a boil and add 8 tea bags. Let sit for 10 minutes.

• Remove the tea bags and chill.

• For a strong peach-mint flavor, add peaches and mint to water immediately. For milder flavor, add fruit before drinking. Remove the fruit after one day in the fridge.

Ginger Root Tea: A great stress reducer and good for digestion.

• Plain: Take a 2 inch piece of ginger root and crush it. Toss it in boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour over ice. Add a few sprigs of mint.

Green Teas: Mild in taste, easy to make, well for adding flavors plus improve blood flow.

"Cold Brew": Put a teabag of green tea in 6 ounces of water. Cover and chill in frig overnight or 6-8 hours. In a hurry? Make it with hot water like any tea.

• Add lemon or lime slices

• Mix in a bit of chopped apple or apple juice

• Sweeten with pineapple slices

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TOO HOT TO COOK?

TOO HOT TO COOK?

August 2,2020

Not all of us have AC's in our kitchens.  Feeding our families on those very hot day days, just thinking about turning on the stove makes you feel faint. Here are some things we have learned we thought would help.  Think differently about summer meals. Think about summer meals the same way you think about summer clothes. Plan more colorful meals with a Lighter taste that fits the season. Think of your your fridge and freezer as a "food closet." Stock it with a variety of colorful choices.

What to eat:.

• Listen to your body. Your body needs energy, not extra heat in the summer.  Juicy fruit and veggies give you the nutrition you need without the extra heat.

• Make fruit and veggie combinations the center of your plate:  Prepare satisfying, delicious, lighter meals with the nutrition you need to feel better in the heat. Add cooked meat or tuna to add more flavor.

• "Accessorize" your food with fresh mild and spicy salsas and fresh herbs.

Stock your fridge and freezer like your closet: 

• Shop local and fresh for the week. Buy veggies with a dish in mind. Shopping at local farmers markets like Harvest Home gives you the best quality of ripened on the farm and picked the day before produce.  You can use SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers market coupons and Health Bucks to pay.

• Build your food wardrobe

  • Store your veggies properly in the fridge or on the counter

  • On cool days or early in the AM, cook meat, pasta or rice and store meal size portions in the fridge.  

• Accessorize- Make extra salsa, sofrito or pesto and freeze in ice cube trays. Now they are ready to use whenever you need them.

Think differently. With a "food closet", it's easy to be creative and prepared for any hot occasion.  Stay cool and enjoy.

RECIPE: Taste of August Taco Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of chopped lettuce or other greens

• 1 can of beans or chickpeas ( or 1 ½ cups of leftover beans)

• 3 tomatoes

• ½ cup of corn, cooked or raw kernels

• 2 or 3 scallions or ¼ red onion

• 1 ½ cups of tortilla chips, roughly broken

• ¼ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

For the Dressing: Add just before you serve

• ½ cup of sour cream or yogurt

• Juice of 2 limes (About 4 Tablespoons)

• Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

1. Mix all the ingredients except the dressing in a large bowl.

2. Mix sour cream or yogurt with lime juice, salt and pepper in a separate bowl and adjust to your taste.

3. Add dressing just before you serve and toss. 
    

BE CREATIVE: Use the basic recipe above and add what you like.

• Add avocado, grated carrots or sugar snap peas, slices of cucumber, seeded and chopped bell peppers.

• Go spicy with a small amount of jalapenos.

• Add more crunch with walnuts.

• Add cooked chicken or any left-over meat.

TIPS: Stocking Your
"Food Closet"

VEGGIES: Shop for the week

Wash greens, wrap lightly in a paper towel and keep in open plastic bags.

Peas, beans, carrots, peppers and corn go in the fridge.

Peaches, melon, tomatoes on the counter out of the sun. Store in the fridge after you cut them.

COOK AHEAD

• Use brown rice instead of white rice.  It adds a nutty flavor and is packed with manganese to help your body use up fat, stabilize blood pressure and help reduce the risk of diabetes.

• Use short curly pasta for salads. Cook and rinse in cold water and store in plastic food storage bags.

• Use meat or tuna as an "additive"  to make recipe more flavorful and robust.

STAY COOL

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BE SAFE - EAT WELL

BE SAFE-EAT WELL

July 20, 2020

Our city is starting to open up. We have all worked to get this virus under control.  BUT IT HAS NOT DISAPPEARED. We all need to keep doing what we have been doing: Wearing Masks, Washing Hands, staying 6 feet away from other people. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO EAT THE PROPER FOODS TO KEEP OUR BODIES RUNNING WELL.

Make it simple. Think of what you eat in a day or even a week. Half of what you eat should be fruits and veggies...more veggies than fruits.  The other half should be dividing between healthy protein, grains, nuts or carbs. Avoid the white carbs. Thinking about your meals divided on a plate like this can help.

Harvest Home will provide recipes and tips for making tasty food healthier.

• Join the conversation.

• Let us know what you think.

• Share your recipes.

• Together we can stay healthy.

 HEALTHY PLATE:* An easy way to think about your meals

* Based on Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Nutrition Source

SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER EATING: Making small changes can lead to healthy results when you balance what you eat.

• Step #1: A little less meat and carbs; A LOT MORE VEGGIES! Plan a veggie meal and then add a little meat. Or skip the meat and adding beans for protein.

• Step #2: Cook your own food.  Save money; get the taste you enjoy. It's easier to get healthy because you know what's in your food!

• Step #3: Plan your meals before you shop. Get FRESH veggies and fruit at a Harvest Home farmers' market Harvest Home in your neighborhood.

• Step #4: Cut back on packaged foods with hidden "dangers" like pounds of sugar and fat that don't help power you through a busy day.  They can actually slow you down as well as being costly.

SAVOR THOSE VEGGIES

RECIPE

SATAY: A South West Asian Dish

Serve hot or cold depending on the weather! Prepare the main ingredients & then add the dressing or sauce. (Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of cauliflower florets

• 4 carrots cut in match-stick size pieces

• 1 cup broccoli

• ½ onion sliced thinly

• 2 teaspoon of olive oil

• Satay Dressing (see below)

PREPARATION:

Veggies:

• Steam the cauliflower and carrots for about 4 minutes until slightly soft.

• Add the broccoli for another 3 minutes

• Remove from heat, rinse with cold water and set aside.

• Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft.

• Remove from heat and mix with veggies.

Dressing:
Whisk ingredients together

• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 1 garlic clove, finely minced

• 2 teaspoon curry powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Add dressing and let sit for at least 2 hours at room temperature OR cover & refrigerate for a day.
NOTE: Add a little chicken or beef or fish if you like.

TIPS: Veggies Make a Meal

TRY COCONUT RICE:

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups brown rice 1 can coconut milk½ teaspoon salt

PREPARATION:

Rinse rice. Add it to a pot with coconut milk, salt and 2 ½ cups of water.Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer covered with a tight lid for about 20 minutes.Turn off the heat, leave the cover on and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cook greens you like: collard greens, spinach or kale. Add your favorite beans like chickpeas or black-eyed peas to make meal. Season to your taste. Add cooked chicken or beef for flavor and a bit of protein.

USE WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE:A slightly nutty taste with extra fiber and vitamins

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RED, WHITE & BLUE...BERRY CELEBRATING 4TH OF JULY

RED, WHITE & BLUE...BERRY
CELEBRATING 4TH OF JULY

July 2,2020

Summer berries are arriving just in time to help us celebrate! Find ripe red strawberries and plump blueberries at our Harvest Home Markets. These Berries are loaded with vitamins C, K, Copper, Magnesium, B6, K, and Fiber. These juicy, tasty, blueberries and strawberries are packed with antioxidants that may prevent a variety of diseases. They:

• * May help improve blood sugar and insulin response

• * Are high in fiber

• * Help fight inflammation

• * May help lower cholesterol levels

• * May help protect against cancer

• * May help keep your arteries healthy

Red, White and Blue....berries your meals. For breakfast or a snack, energize yourself with a refreshing mix of strawberries, blueberries and low-fat vanilla yogurt. Yogurt adds sweetness without extra calories and helps your digestion. 

The 4th of July is all about family fun, gatherings, picnics and incorporating these lovely Berries to your meals you can add festive colors and sweetness to any summer dish! 

RECIPE:

Berry Salsa

Bring some zing to your picnic with Red, White and Blue...berry salsa.

PREPARATION: Mix together in a large bowl:

1 cup fresh blueberries and 1 cup of diced strawberries

1 cup diced jicama

1/3 cup cilantro

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 Tablespoons finely chopped stemmed and seeded jalapeno pepper

Juice from a large lime

TIPS: Make the Season Last!

Summer fruit, especially strawberries, are available for too short a time. You can make the season last longer by freezing.

FREEZING BERRIES:
Mix together in a large bowl:

• Wash berries under cool running water. Lay out on a paper towel or clean dish towel to dry. Let dry completely before freezing.

• Arrange fruit in single layer on a baking sheet. Don't let the berries overlap. Place in the freezer overnight.

• Label and store in the freezer. Good for about 3 months.  

Any way you combine these berries, it's a treat for your mouth and a boost for your health. 

“Red, white and blue....berry your 4th of July and ENJOY!
”

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