Kale is very rich in nutrients.

Citrus season is here and while oranges and clementines are definitely a favorite treat  it’s time to make some room for grapefruit.  Grapefruits have a tangy sweet flavor and are very juicy. There are three major types of grapefruit white, pink and star ruby red varieties. Grapefruits  are high in  vitamin C and A.  The pink or red variety contains more vitamins than the white.

Grapefruit is a rich source of flavonoids and is credited with boosting “good” HDL cholesterol and lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Grapefruit is also a good source of fiber, including the soluble fiber that removes cholesterol during digestion. By preventing cholesterol from entering your bloodstream, soluble fiber helps lower the risk of age-related conditions like cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

When buying grapefruit choose fruits with thin, smooth skins that are heavy for their size. Here is a simple recipe for a grapefruit drink . Make sure when you buy juice concentrates  that there is no added sugar.

Grapefruit Fizz

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
32 oz. sparkling water or seltzer 6 oz. grapefruit concentrate, thawed
In a large pitcher, gently stir together the sparkling water and grapefruit juice concentrate until blended. Pour into glasses and serve.
Serves:  4

How do you like to eat grapefruit?

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/grapefruit

The process of cooking dried beans is the same for all types of beans except for split peas and lentil which do not require pre soaking.Two cups dried beans will give you 4-5 cups cooked beans.There are a few ways to cook dried beans. 

Overnight soak method: Place two cups of beans in a pot and sort through them, removing any stones or shriveled beans. Cover beans with cold water. Pick out any beans that float to top of water. Soak the beans overnight, or at least 6 hours.

Quick Soak: Bring beans and water to a boil in an uncovered pot, remove from heat, cover, let the beans steep in the hot water for an hour or two, and then drain.

During their soak, the beans should expand to about twice their dried volume and absorb much of the soaking liquid. Drain the beans and discard the liquid. Put the beans in a heavy-bottomed pot and cover them with about 2 inches of fresh water.

As the beans simmer, some foam will build up on the water’s surface—just skim it off. Make sure the beans do not dry out. Add water as necessary to keep the beans covered. Continue cooking the beans until they are tender but still hold their shape nicely. Beans that are falling apart have been overcooked or cooked over too high a heat.
How long? Lentils can cook in as little as 20 minutes. Most beans need 1 to 2 hours or more.

The beans will be much more flavorful if they simmer with some aromatics. Choose herbs, spices, and vegetables that will enhance your final dish.
Some ideas: parsley, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, onion, cloves, garlic, celery, and carrots. Do not add anything acidic like tomato or lemon until the cooking is done.

Black Bean Tacos – serves 4

8 corn tortillas

2 cups cooked black beans (add 1 Tb cummin, chopped garlic and onion while beans are cooking)

1 cup shredded cabbage (purple makes really pretty tacos)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tomato sliced

low-fat cheese or sour cream

To prepare the tacos, spread some of the black bean filling on a tortilla and top with the veggies and cheese. Experiment with different types of beans and toppings.

Juicy and sweet and known for its concentration of vitamin C, oranges make the perfect snack and add a special tang to many recipes. One orange contains all the daily requirements of Vitamin C. It is rich in fiber, folate, calcium and vitamin B6. Oranges best during the winter months of January and February.

Beet and Orange Salad

serves 4

4 beets

1 TB olive oil

2 oranges

1 grapefruit

feta or goat cheese (optional)

small handful of basil leaves or mint (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425. Wash and chop beets onto cubes or thin slices. Place beets in a baking dish and toss with 1 tb olive oil. Roast for about 40-60 minutes or until tender. Beets roast best when covered. You can use foil if you do not have a way to cover the baking dish. While beets are roasting prepare oranges and grapefuit.

2. A classy way to prepare the oranges and grapefruit is to:

Cut off the top (stem end) and bottom (blossom or navel end) to just expose the citrus flesh. Then follow the curve of the fruit and cut off the peel.
Cut oranges into thin slices. They will look like colorful citrus wheels. Try to capture the juice from cutting the oranges and grapefruit into your salad bowl since it will be most of the dressing. After you’ve cut all slices squeeze any juice left on the peel into your salad bowl.
3. Combine beets and citrus together in salad bowl. Toss with low-fat feta or goat cheese. One addition to the salad could be fresh basil or mint if you have it.Yum, a salad everyone can enjoy!

DSHS can replace EBT benefits for recipients of Washington’s Basic Food program if food was lost due to a household disaster or misfortune, including events such as a house fire, long-term power outage, or other weather-related mishaps that were beyond the customer’s control.

 For DSHS to replace the benefits, you must report the loss within 10 days from the date the loss occurred.   DSHS will replace the value of the amount of food lost in the disaster, up to the total amount of the customer’s monthly allotment of Basic Food.

 To report a loss and request benefit replacement, customers can visit their nearest Community Services Office or call the toll-free Customer Service Center at 1-877-501-2233.

 For program questions, contact Community Services Division Customer Relations at (360) 725-4763 or 1-800-865-7801.

The parsnip looks like a white, overgrown carrot. It is sweet with a texture like a sweet potato and can be eaten raw or cooked. They are wonderful in soups and stews as well as roasted or mashed like potatoes. Because of its starchy nature, the parsnip can easily stand-in for potatoes in meal planning. Parsnips are high in fiber, potassium, Vitamin C and Folate.

Parsnip Fries

2 lb parsnips

2 Tb olive oil

salt and pepper

1.Preheat oven to 450.

Cut tops off parsnips. Cut in half crosswise. Top section will be larger than bottom half. Cut top section into quarters and bottom section in half. This will ensure that the fries are similar sizes for even baking.

2. On two baking sheets, toss parsnips with oil; season with salt and pepper. You can experiement with other seasoning if you like. Spread in a single layer.

3. Roast until tender about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing parsnips halfway through baking time.

Crepes are delicious delicate thin pancakes. Very versatile , crepes can be eaten as a savory food or a sweet treat. 

Whole Grain Crepes

 1 cup whole wheat flour or (1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup buckwheat flour)

1 cup low-fat milk

 2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and salt, beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.
4. Fill with your favorite food roll up crepe and enjoy!

Crepe filling ideas

Breakfast

• eggs, potatoes and low-fat cheese (top with salsa or avocado)
• eggs, sautéed veggies and low-fat cheese
• Your favorite jam and yogurt
• sautéed fruit and yogurt

Lunch and Dinner

• black beans, onions, zucchini, tomatoes and low-fat sour cream
• roasted winter squash, sautéed greens and onions cheese.
• chicken, spinach and mushrooms

You really can come up with any combinations and they will be delicious with these crepes

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The healthiest kinds of grains are whole grains. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of all the grains you eat are whole grains. Chances are you eat lots of grains already. But are they whole grains? If you’re like most, you’re not getting enough whole grains in your diet.

You can easily add whole grains to your meals, often using favorite recipes you’ve always enjoyed. Try some of the following:

Make Easy Substitutions

• Substitute half the white flour with whole wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes.
• Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
• Add half a cup of cooked Bulgar, wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.
• Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, sorghum or barley to your favorite canned or home-made soup.
• Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.
• Stir a handful of granola  in your yogurt, for quick crunch with no cooking necessary.

Need ideas for fun activities during the holiday break? How about cooking. Cooking with kids can be both delicious and educational. Kids can explore new foods, learn about nutrition, and develop math and reading skills as they measure and read directions.

Kids will make good choices, taking fruits and vegetables over less nutritious foods, when given a chance. Encourage healthy eating by creating a supportive environment, where parents and other caregivers model healthy eating. Involving children in shopping, cooking  family meals and even gardening are other important steps in getting kids interested in fruits and vegetables.

Invite your child to help to plan a meal or pick a recipe, make a list of ingredients, find them in your kitchen, and/or shop for them. This way, children can learn how to organize and follow through, as well as think ahead. Give your kids a sense of control and accomplishment by letting them make choices whenever possible.

Shopping

• When at the store, talk about the names, shapes, colors, and sizes of fruits and vegetables.

Preschool

• Have them help put items in bags.
• Count the items as they are put in the bag.
• Spell the names of fruits and vegetables.

Grade school

• Talk about how fruits and vegetables are grown and where they are grown.
• Talk about fruits and vegetables eaten in other cultures, and try new ones.

Cooking

All ages can learn the importance of good hand washing and sanitation techniques. Use “kid-size” tools—if the counter is too high, use a sturdy step stool or have children sit at the kitchen table.

• Give them play foods or pots, pans, bowls and spoons to help “cook.”

Preschool

• Have them help measure ingredients
• Have them help combine and stir ingredients

Grade school

• Make simple, no-bake recipes.
• Ask your child to read each instruction aloud as you prepare the food. Kids will get a sense of turn-taking and sequencing from following directions in order.
• Your child can count and help measure to build math skills. When cooking with more than one kid, ask each child to count “stirs” as he or she whips the batter.

You may want to let each child participate in each step of the recipe. This may take longer, but cooking with kids is as much about “process” as it is about product.

Gardening

• Plant seeds in containers—you don’t need a formal garden to grow your own!

Introduce new foods.

• Kids often will try unfamiliar foods, including vegetables and fruits, when they transform them into personal “creations” like a funny face pizza or a fruit kabob.
• Turn a sandwich into a special snack!
  • Cutting sandwiches with cookie cutters makes them special. Decorating with vegetables and fruits will transform a simple sandwich into a sandwich face.

Make set-up and clean-up part of the routine.

source: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=83