This Valentine’s Day, show your love by preparing a recipe that captures the essence of your affection: Crispy Tortilla Pizza. Nothing says “I love you” more than a pizza. Don’t forget to throw your heart into it!
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Minestrone Soup
It’s a new year, and it’s time to mix it up! This year, UGA SNAP-Ed’s Recipe Calander theme is “Mix it up with color and flavor to fill your day!” Each month, the calendar will feature a new recipe with suggestions of ingredients to spice up your recipes with different flavors and nutrients.
January is National Soup Month, so we are featuring Minestrone Soup. Minestrone soup originated in Italy as a dish to reduce food waste and use leftovers [1]. In fact, there is no exact recipe for Minestrone soup because Italians would use what they have on hand to make it [2]. The best part about Minestrone Soup is that you can add or take out an ingredient depending on what’s in your pantry or your budget. With beans and veggies being the star of this recipe, this makes it the perfect easy, cheap, nutritious soup to kick start your year.
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How to Use Brussels Sprouts
You may have heard that Brussels sprouts are bitter, mushy, or just plain unappealing, and you may even agree. Over the years, Brussels sprouts have unfairly gained a bad reputation.
We hope to change your mind about these nutrient–dense and flavorful veggies. They are in season from September through November, making them an excellent addition to your fall festivities. [1]
Why We Love Brussels Sprouts
- Brussels sprouts may be small but packed with nutrients, with six servings to a pound [1].
- They are a rich source of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps strengthen our immune systems, repair tissues, and lower the risk of chronic disease. A half-cup of cooked Brussels sprouts provides over half the Vitamin C you need for a day [2].
- Brussels sprouts are also high in Vitamins A, B, K, Iron, and Calcium [1, 2]. These help keep our bones and heart healthy!
Selection
- When picking out Brussels sprouts, look for those that are bright green, small, and firm. They should be compact and uniform in size. [1]
- You can find Brussels sprouts sold individually or still attached to the stem, fresh or frozen. If you buy them on the stem, use the ones closest to the bottom first! This is because the bottom sprouts are the oldest and might go bad faster. [1,3]
- Choose young sprouts. Old sprouts have a strong, cabbage‐like odor. Avoid sprouts that have wilted or have yellow leaves. [3]
Cleaning and Storing
- You don’t need to wash or trim the Brussels sprouts before storing them in the refrigerator. You can keep them for up to a week in the refrigerator inside a perforated bag. If you cut Brussels sprouts in half, they may only stay good for about 3 days. [1]
- When cleaning Brussels sprouts, use a small knife to cut off and discard the stem. Rinse the Brussels sprouts under cool, running water. You can keep the sprouts whole or slice them in half. [4]
- Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or household detergents is not recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If soap or detergent is absorbed by the fruit or vegetable you are washing, it can make you sick. [4]
- If you want to make Brussels sprouts last longer, consider freezing or even pickling them! For more information, check out the instructions linked above! [5, 6]
Cooking
Brussels sprouts are often roasted, but they can also be cooked on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, steamed, grilled, boiled, or even microwaved. With so many options, there’s a Brussels sprout recipe even for the skeptics. Check out some delicious options below!
- Roasted
A sprout classic! Roast your Brussels sprouts in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil. For extra flavor, add parmesan cheese!
- Eaten raw in a salad
For a crunchy side dish, try adding Brussels sprouts to this winter salad.
- With other in-season produce
Pair Brussels sprouts with other fall and winter veggies, like this mushroom sauce!
- Experiment with new flavors
Get creative by pairing roasted Brussels sprouts with unique flavors, like Greek yogurt and dill, for a fun twist on the classic roasted Brussels sprouts.
Have these ideas changed your mind about Brussels sprouts, or inspired you to use them in your diet? Keep exploring our blog and recipe pages for new recipes and ideas for using seasonal produce!
[1] https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/brussels_sprouts_(hni53).pdf
[2] https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169971/nutrients
[3] https://extension.usu.edu/nutrition/research/brussel-sprouts
[4] https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-produce-safely
[5] https://www.glad.com/food-protection/protection-pointers/how-long-do-brussels-sprouts-last
[6] https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/pickled_cauliflower_brussel.html
Published on November 8th, 2023
Written by Abigail Klinker, MS, RD; Holly Cothern, Dietetics Student; Leah Capomaccio, Dietetics Student | Edited by Jung Sun Lee, PhD, RDN; Tristen T. Webb; and the nutrition education team
How to Use Apples
Did you know that you could spend a quarter of your life just trying different apples? If you tried a different apple every day, it would take you about 20 years to try them all. That’s because there are more than 7,500 types of apples! 2,500 varieties of apples are grown here in the United States. Apples are a great source of fiber that can be consumed fresh or dry, or can be made into apple sauce, apple juice or jams.
From late August to mid-December, orchards in Georgia produce the freshest and best apples! North Georgia is a fantastic place to go apple picking, especially in Ellijay, where our Gilmer County team is hard at work helping SNAP-eligible Georgians eat healthier and make the most of their SNAP dollars. Read on to find tips about cleaning, storing, cooking, and selecting apples.
Selection
If you are making a trip to the grocery store, market, or orchard, here are some suggestions for picking the best apples!
- Choose apples that do not have bruises, browning, skin breaks, and decayed spots. This can be a sign of spoilage like mold or rotting. [1]
- Firm apples have the best quality. Soft apples can have a coarse texture and overripe flavor. [1]
- The little brown spots you might see on apples are called “russeting” and do not impact quality! [1]
Cleaning
- You should always wash your hands before and after handling fresh produce. Apples can simply be cleaned by washing them thoroughly under cool running water without the use of soap. [2]
Storing
- Apples can be refrigerated in a plastic bag away from strong-odored foods at or below 40 °F for up to 3 weeks. [3][4] Poke holes in the plastic bag for ventilation. Poking holes in the bag will help the apple retain crispness and moisture. [4] Cooked apples can be stored in the freezer (0 °F) for up to 8 months. Whole apples can otherwise be stored at room temperature for up to a week. [4] Once apples are cut, they need to be refrigerated!
Cooking
- Ideally, fresh apples are the preferred choice for their superior quality, while canned or frozen apples, although lower in quality, can still be a budget-friendly alternative, especially when used in recipes like pies and cakes. [4]
- Apples can be cored and sliced into rings, wedges or chips.
- Apples are eaten raw, pureed to make applesauce, and dried to make chips.
- Apples can be baked, cooked on the stovetop, or even fried.
Want to try nachos without the salt, but all the crunch? Try our Yummy Apple Nachos!
Our Apple and Veggie Omelet is another great recipe to include more apples in your diet.
Apples can be used in a variety of infused water recipes and pair well with cinnamon, citrus, cranberry, ginger, lychee, mango, rosemary and so much more. See how to do it yourself: Apple Cinnamon Infused Water.
Remember that saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”? There may be some truth to that, as apples give us 20% of our daily fiber, vitamins, and minerals to keep us healthy! [3] Stay posted for our next blog in the “How to Use Seasonal Produce” series.
Written by Claire Hawkins, MS/DI Student and Holly Cothern, Dietetics Student | Edited by Jung Sun Lee, PhD, RDN; Tristen T. Webb; the nutrition education team