Did you know that asparagus is a member of the lily family?  Lilies have long been part of Easter celebrations. Since asparagus is in peak season during spring, it also makes a perfect addition to Easter traditions.

Sometimes referred to as the aristocrat of vegetables, asparagus adds beauty to any table. It is as nutritious as it is lovely, too.  Low in calories and fat, asparagus is a good source of folic acid, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. It is rich in antioxidants that help protect cells from damage and help fight inflammation and heart disease and cancer. Keep fresh asparagus cold to preserve its tenderness, sweetness and vitamin C content. 

To cook, wash stalks in cool water.  Cut or break off tougher stem ends. Asparagus is great steamed or roasted.  Steam for 5 – 8 minutes upright in a steamer made specifically for asparagus, or use a conventional basket-shaped steamer. 

To roast, spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Lightly drizzle spears with a small amount of olive oil and roll to coat each spear evenly. Roast uncovered for 10-20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Season with salt and pepper or desired seasonings, such as garlic or lemon juice.  Enjoy!

March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.”  National Nutrition Month is sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), formerly the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. Tips from AND to get your plate in shape include:

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Eat a rainbow of colors daily.  Fresh, frozen, canned and dried may all be healthy choices.  If choosing canned veggies, reach for low sodium or those with no added salt. For canned fruits, choose water-packed or those packed in 100% juice.
• Make at least half your grains whole.  Check ingredients lists for 100% whole-grains and brown rice. 
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk. These have the same calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but with less fat and calories. If lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy drink.
• Vary your protein choices.  There’s no reason to eat the same thing every meal. Choose seafood frequently, at least twice a week, as well as nuts, beans, poultry, lean meat and eggs.
• Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars.  Choose water instead of sweetened drinks and fruit for dessert. Limit processed foods, which may be high in salt (sodium chloride). Nicknamed SoFAS, solid fats and added sugars, should be eaten only in moderation. They are found in higher calorie foods, such as desserts, cookies, cakes, pies and many processed meats. Choose liquid oils over solid fats. 
• Enjoy your food but eat less. Many people eat more calories than needed, leading to weight gain. To get your personal daily calorie limit, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.  Avoid oversized portions.  Cook at home for most meals and, if eating out, choose lower calorie menu options and dishes that include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. 
• Be physically active your way.  Pick activities you like and start by doing what you can, at least 10 minutes at a time. Goals for the day include at least 60 minutes a day for children and teens and at least 2 ½ hours a week for adults.  

Remember, getting your plate in shape helps you to stay or get in shape. Happy, Healthy National Nutrition Month!

Today is Leap Day! Today we get what most of us want all year long – extra time! I admit I am thankful for the extra day to meet my February deadlines.  So I say, “Hooray for leap day!” 

Why leap day? We have the extra day every four years because it actually takes the earth about 365 ¼ days to revolve around the sun and not just 365. So, that adds up to 1 full day every 4 years. This extra day allows annual events to stay in the same season year after year. 

Here are a few kitchen tips to help add time every day:

• Keep a stocked pantry and freezer. The secret to making quick healthy meals is to have the ingredients you need at your fingertips.  Items to keep on hand include frozen vegetables and fruits and canned beans, broths, vegetables and fruits. When buying frozen and canned items, choose those with no added salt and sugar and look for only ingredients that you would include in a broth or soup.
• Use time-saving kitchen gadgets. The food processor is great for chopping, slicing and shredding. The immersion blender is invaluable for quickly pureeing soups and saves the time of transferring ingredients from pot to blender or food processor and also saves the clean-up time!  Did I say invaluable?  A rice cooker is great because you can put your rice and water in and forget about it.  A slow cooker allows you to assemble a one-pot meal at the start of the day and leave and then come home to a delicious hot meal. Pressure cookers allow you to fix a hot meal in a shorter time.
• Buy prewashed and precut produce. Remember I said time-saving. If you have to time to cut and chop, that is best, but most stores provide prewashed and precut items such as butternut squash, melons, carrots, celery, peppers, mushrooms, etc. Some will even package meals together, such as the meat and vegetables for kabobs or fajitas.

I hope you enjoy your extra day today!  Do you have other tips for saving time in the kitchen?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest organized Food Day to encourage Americans to change the way we eat and think about food, stating, “The foods we eat should promote, not undermine, our good health.” 

The 6 Food Day Principles of Food Day are to:

1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting healthy food
2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and end hunger
4. Protect the environment and farm animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing aimed at kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers.

Visit www.foodday.org for more information. 
 
To celebrate Food Day locally in Allegany County, MD, the documentary Food Inc. will be shown today, October 24, at Frostburg State University’s Performing Arts Center from 5:30-7 pm followed by a panel discussion from 7-8 pm.

Tomorrow, October 25, a Healthy Hour with “Local Food” vendors will be held at Allegany College of Maryland’s College Center Theater from 5:30 – 6:30 pm and the documentary Food, Inc. will be shown from 6:30 – 8 pm.  Entrance to each is free with a can of fruit or vegetables for the Western Maryland Food Bank. 

Happy Food Day!  How will you be celebrating?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Apple in the morning – doctor’s warning
Roast apple at night – starves the doctor outright
Eat an apple going to bed – knock the doctor on the head
Three each day, seven days a week – ruddy apple, ruddy cheek

 This poem by an unknown writer highlights the health benefits of eating apples.  Apple season is here and now’s the time to enjoy juicy, delicious, nutritious, and very portable apples.

Apples are low in calories and high in fiber, especially soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels.  As the poem reveals, apples can be eaten raw or cooked.  Apple juice and apple cider are widely popular and mulled cider is a fall treat!

Apples belong to the rose family and while there are 2,500 varieties grown in the U.S., 8 varieties account for about 80% of the apples produced in the U.S.  Apples can be grown almost anywhere in the U.S. but most are grown in the northern states. Buy local varieties, if possible, for maximum flavor. 

What are your favorite varieties and what’s your favorite way to eat apples?