Archive for the ‘Food Selection and Prep’ Category:
A minty-fresh garden herb!
Mint is used throughout the world to flavor everything from lamb to candy. It’s also a great garnish and breath freshener. Spearmint is the variety you’re most likely to encounter in markets, and it’s the best choice for savory dishes. Peppermint has a stronger flavor and is best suited to dessert recipes. Used dried mint only in a pinch–it’s not nearly as flavorful as fresh.
Mint is a rapidly-growing perennial herb with many varieties that grow up to 3 feet tall and are quite invasive. It is best planted in containers or where roots are confined due to its aggressive growth habits. Mint spreads quickly in open garden areas and will out-compete most garden plants.
Fresh leaves may be harvested throughout the growing season once the plants reach 3 to 4 inches tall. Use a sharp knife or scissors to remove leaves and stems. The youngest, most tender leaves and stems are the most flavorful. Cut the stems to within 1 inch of the soil, picking late in the morning on dry and sunny days. Fresh mint may be stored up to a week in water in the refrigerator.
If allowed to bloom, the oil content in the leaves decreases and is less flavorful. Pinch the blossoms back as they show or simply cut back the plants to within 1 inch of the soil two to three times a year. It is very difficult to over-prune a mint plant. Before winter, cut each plant back to the ground to discourage pests and diseases.
Fresh Mint Syrup- Use fresh garden mint to make this delicious treat!
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat to boiling and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add mint leaves. Let steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain out leaves and chill. Will keep several weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Drizzle over cantaloupe or fresh fruit salad or stir into tea, lemonade or other beverages.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Subscribe to the comments for this postTop 10 Frugal Foods: Spend Less, Get More
Think it’s too expensive to eat a healthy diet? Think again! K-State Research and Extension presents our “top 10” list of frugal foods that combine great taste with a nutritious punch, all for a minimum cost. All of the frugal foods on our list are versatile — try them for breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks.
- Apples and Bananas. A perfect on-the-go snack, both apples and bananas are naturally portable. Eat these satisfying and sweet nutritional powerhouses raw or baked, or add them to salads, desserts and baked goods.
- Beans. Full of antioxidants, dietary fiber and protein, canned beans cost about 23 cents per serving. Dry varieties that you cook yourself cost even less. Keep them on hand to pack into brownbag lunches and to make quick suppers.
- Brown Rice. With a slightly nutty taste, brown rice is a whole grain. It is more nutritious than white rice. Serve as a side dish, at breakfast or as a snack with cinnamon and milk, or add to casseroles and soups.
- Canned Tomatoes. Canned tomatoes make a great base for countless main dishes, dips, sauces, soups, stews and chili. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and lycopene. Buy them without added salt if possible.
- Canned Tuna. A versatile addition to sandwiches, salads and casseroles, tuna is high in protein and vitamin D, and low in calories and fat.
- Eggs. Eggs are high in protein and low in cost. Boiled, fried or scrambled — eggs cook quickly, so they’re perfect for breakfast, lunch or supper. For variety, try French toast, huevos rancheros or egg salad.
- Fat-free Milk. A natural convenience food, skim milk offers a healthy dose of vitamin D, calcium, protein and potassium. Serve skim milk with meals and snacks, and use in soups, smoothies and desserts.
- Kale. At about a dollar a bunch, kale is one of the least costly green vegetables you’ll find. Three quick and easy ways to serve kale are to: Serve it hot after pan-frying with garlic and a small amount of vegetable oil; Steam and add to pasta salads or as a topping on homemade pizza.
- Potatoes. White potatoes and sweet potatoes are satisfying and are high in dietary fiber, vitamin C and potassium. Bake, boil, roast, pan-fry or oven-fry them, or add to casseroles or soups.
- Rolled Oats. At just 14 cents, one cup of cooked oats is a heart-healthy whole grain with 4 grams of dietary fiber. Cook oats with fruit for a breakfast or snack, add them to baked goods or use them to ”stretch” the ground beef in meatballs and meatloaf.
Source: Dining on a Dime newsletter, June 2010, Erin Henry and Mary Meck Higgins, K-State Research and Extension Human Nutrition
The joy of cooking (with a rotisserie chicken)
I’ve long been an advocate for cooking a whole chicken as a cost-saving strategy for meat for sandwiches, casseroles and other family meals. I’ve always believed that a fresh raw chicken was the most economical choice. But an Extension client in a neighboring town told me that buying a supermarket deli-roast chicken in Garden City was cheaper than buying a fresh chicken in her own town. So I decided to check it out. Sure enough! Here in town the price of a fresh chicken is nearly equal– about $5.00– to the price of a rotisserie chicken. And the work is all done for you!
One chicken, many meals
The best thing about investing $5 in a roasted chicken is that I can usually get about 3 meals for my family of 3 from just one bird. Stretching the roasted chicken meat stretches my food budget– the price for nine servings of chicken averages about 55 cents per serving. Here’s how- we enjoy the first meal of hot roasted chicken with our favorite sides; the second meal is chicken sandwiches with mayo and lettuce or our favorite chicken salad; and finally, the leftover pieces go into soup or top a salad for a light lunch. During soup season I don’t even let the bones and skin go to waste– I add water and simmer them until I’ve got a cup or two of flavorful chicken broth for my next pot of soup.
Six meals, one chicken
My Extension colleagues in Alabama do even a better job with one chicken– they stretch it to make SIX meals! Their how-to fact sheet “How to Make Six Meals From One Chicken” gives instructions and recipes for six meals that each serve at least 4 people. That’s about 20 cents per meat serving. Wow!
Buy fresh chicken on sale; otherwise buy roasted and enjoy!
When fresh chickens go on sale, stock up! If you can get a whole chicken for less than the $5 price of a rotisserie chicken, you’ll save money by roasting your own. But if the price is comparable, let the store do the work and buy the roasted bird– and discover the joy of cooking with a rotisserie chicken!
“Scrumptious Strawberries” on May 18
May is National Strawberry Month– a time to celebrate the first sweet fruits of spring! Join Linda Beech and Dean “Whitey” Whitehill, Finney County agents and Belinda Oldham, Wichita County agent, for a delicious luncheon program all about “Scrumptious Strawberries.”
On Tuesday, May 18 at 12:00 noon, we’ll gather for a strawberry potluck lunch at the Finney County Extension Office in Garden City. Bring your favorite strawberry dish made with fresh or frozen strawberries– along with the recipe– to share for a scrumptious strawberry lunch.
This noon-hour program will feature facts and tips for growing, eating and preserving strawberries. Whitey will share advice for successful strawberry gardening and we’ll see a video discussion on making delicious sweet spreads.
Everyone will receive a copy of the strawberry recipes, garden tips and preservation guidelines.
There is no charge for this luncheon program on “Scrumptious Strawberries.” Reserve your spot by May 14, by calling the Finney County Extension Office at 620-272-3670.
For healthy eating, have a salad! UPDATE
Test Your Salad IQ
Salads can be a healthy way to eat your veggies, but there can be pitfalls, too. Did you get the right answers on this salad quiz?
A. Two tablespoons of regular Ranch dressing have….
- 14 grams of fat
B. Which of the following is the smartest salad topping?
- Chopped ham
C. This salad bar stand-by has a whopping 26 grams of fat per 3/4 cup.
- Macaroni Salad
D. This type of lettuce provides almost no nutrition.
- Iceberg lettuce
Improve Your Salads
Maximize nutrition- build salads with a mixture of dark leafy greens and add more fruits and vegetables- Use low-fat ingredients
- Dress lightly with low-fat, reduced calorie dressings
- Eat healthy salads more often throughout the week and any time of day
For recipes shared at the recent Extension program “Healthy Salads,” visit the Finney County Extension Office website at www.finney.ksu.edu under Health and Nutrition.