Tag: farmers’ market

Nutrition

Smart Grocery Shopping Strategies

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By Nichole Reed, Dietetic Intern

When you have diabetes, it’s critical to stay on top of what you eat on a day-to-day basis. Cooking meals at home gives you more control over what goes into your food. Of course, this is all easier said than done – so here are some quick tips for meal planning and grocery shopping to help get you started.

Sit down and plan your weekly menu: Taking a moment to plan out your week ultimately saves you time and money. Knowing the answer to What’s for dinner? keeps you from going through the drive-thru or ordering take-out. Pick a few main dishes and rotate them throughout the week. (Use this menu planning tool to make it even easier.) Choose recipes that you will both enjoy and are willing to make! Sites like Pinterest, Eating Well or our own MGH Be Fit page are great resources for recipe ideas.

Make a shopping list: We all make the mental notes of what we need to pick up, but actually writing it down commits you to the list. You can do this on paper or even your phone. Having a list keeps you on a mission. Otherwise, your eye will wander and your cart will end up looking like you bought the whole store.

Shop locally: Farmers market season has arrived! The grocery store can seem chaotic and more like a chore. Buy your produce from local vendors. Enter your zip code on Mass Farmers Markets and see the one closest to you! You’ll get to enjoy some fresh air, beautiful weather, and support your local farmers. Make a day of it and take some family or friends.

Remember, keep it simple. You don’t have to be five-star chef to make delicious meals. Getting organized makes grocery shopping a breeze and gets you one step closer to taking control of your diet.

Post content reviewed by MGH Department of Nutrition and Food Services
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Nutrition

Fresh, Local Produce is in Season

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By Michelle Leonetti
Dietetic Intern

Summer is the time for fresh vegetables and herbs! The northeast has a large variety of produce that comes alive in the summer months. Eating local vegetables in season ensures a fresher, more nutritious product and lowers the environmental impact. Check out local farmers markets, roadside farm stands or even join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group!

Learn more about 6 of our favorite summer veggies!

Basil

Basil is a green leafy herb with a sweet and spicy flavor. This versatile herb can be used to add a kick to anything from tomato sauce to sandwiches and can be dried as a seasoning for meat and vegetables. It is especially high in vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting.

        Serving Suggestion – Pesto

basil montage

  • Basil is most commonly used as the main ingredient in pesto sauce. Combine basil with olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts for a savory sauce. Basil in short supply? Use half spinach to add bulk, while maintaining the color and flavor. Many kinds of nuts like walnuts and almonds can be substituted for the pine nuts. Add roasted red peppers for a twist on a classic pesto!

        Serving Suggestion – Caprese Salad

  • For light refreshing summer snack combine tomato, basil and mozzarella and finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar!

Summer Squash/Zucchini

Summer squash comes in two varieties: yellow and green. The green variety is also known as zucchini. Summer squash is lighter than winter squashes like pumpkins and butternut squash.

Serving Suggestion – Zucchini “Noodles”

  • Use a vegetable peeler, spiral slicer or a mandolin to cut the squash into thin strips for a lighter, more nutritious spin on pasta. Add any sauce or seasoning that you would add to regular pasta. We recommend the pesto sauce above!

Beets

Beets are a great way to bring color into your diet. These bright red root vegetables can be eaten in a variety of ways including shredded, roasted, boiled, juiced or even pickled! You can also add the greens to a vegetable stir-fry to reduce waste and get the most out of your produce. Beets are especially high in folate and magnesium as well as a variety of other vitamins and minerals.

Serving Suggestion – Roasted Beets

  • Roast in the oven with olive oil and spices; slice and top with goat cheese and walnuts for a warm melty treat.

Eggplant

Eggplant is a versatile vegetable that can be used in many types of cooking because the spongy texture quickly absorbs the flavor of what it’s prepared with. Though mostly known for its deep purple color, some varieties come in indigo or even white. “Graffiti” eggplant is somewhere in-between!

 Serving Suggestion – Grilled Eggplant

  • Slice thinly, marinate with a bit of olive oil and your favorite seasonings and throw on the grill along with your burgers and hot dogs for a tasty and healthy addition to your BBQ!

Sweet Corn

Corn is a staple in many households and is a summer classic. Corn is native to North America and has evolved significantly in the past few centuries to become the crop we know today. Although sweet corn is the most common corn sold in supermarkets, it comes in several different varieties. Each has special properties and uses. Some are colorful or have tougher textures. Some are as animal feed while others are better for popping!

Serving Suggestion – Chipotle Lime Corn on the Cob

  • After grilling corn brush a mixture of butter, lime juice and adobo sauce onto the cob. Adding lime juice to corn is an ancient practice known as “nixtamalization.” The chemistry of the lime juice releases essential B vitamins increasing flavor, aroma and the nutritional content of the corn.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is generally known as the less popular relative of broccoli, but it’s been gaining attention in recent years as more people discover the versatility of the vegetable. Cauliflower can be eaten raw or roasted and can even be blended and used as a dairy substitute in creamy sauces.

Serving Suggestion – Baked Cauliflower

  • For a fun and healthy appetizer, core the cauliflower leaving the head intact and coat with olive oil and the spices of your choice bake until tender.
Content reviewed by MGH Department of Nutrition and Food Services
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Nutrition

Shop Your Local Farmers’ Market

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By Beth Johnson
Dietetic Intern

Farmers Market photo

It’s time to buy local! Spring is here, and there are several varieties of fruits and vegetables already springing up at all of the local farms in Massachusetts. Right about now and for the next couple of weeks, you’ll start seeing the first crops of the year. Freshly picked foods like asparagus, arugula, beets, cabbage, strawberries, peas, spinach, lettuce and collard greens will be freshly available for you to enjoy!

Try adding a handful of spinach to your daily salad. Spinach is high in vitamin B6 vitamin B9 (folic acid) and vitamins A and K. Vitamin A helps maintain eye health, mucus membrane function, skin, bone and teeth growth, and has immune and cancer protection properties. Vitamin K helps with blood clotting and regulates Calcium levels in the blood. Folate plays a large role in creating new cells, while B6 helps the body break down protein and fat for energy.  What more of a reason would you need to include such a powerful vegetable in your diet? You can find spinach and other fresh and local fruits and vegetables at the following Farmers Markets around Boston:

  • Boston Public Market/Greenway Farmers’ Market
  • Boston/Copley Square Farmers’ Market
  • Boston/Northeastern University Farmers’ Market
  • Boston/South Station/Dewey Square Farmers’ Market
  • Boston/SOWA Farmers’ Market
  • Boylston/Hillside Farmers’ Market
  • Revere/Revere Beach Farmers’ Market

Happy Spring and best of luck to you on your quest to find the freshest local fruits and vegetables possible!

(Post content reviewed by the Department of Nutrition and Food Services)
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Nutrition

Savoring the Bounty of Spring

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By Erin Boudreau
Dietetic Intern

FruitCollage

Summer is right around the corner, and with the warmer weather comes an increase in available fruits and vegetables. These products are colorful, flavorful, and nutritious, but they also spoil very quickly. Quality and flavors of all produce will begin to diminish the moment they are picked, so it is best to enjoy as soon as possible after purchase. Proper storing will help extend their life and also has a major impact on quality and taste. Most fruits and vegetables can be stored in the fridge, with a few exceptions. Many products can also be frozen to extend their life even further. Remember, even with proper storage techniques produce will still spoil quickly, so be sure to buy only as much as you can enjoy in a few days to prevent waste.

  • Store bananas, pineapple, citrus, and other tropical fruits in a cool, dry area. They should NOT be stored in the fridge. Citrus fruit will absorb the odors of the fridge but will last for a long time at room temperature. The sugar is most concentrated at the base of a pineapple, so store it upside down for a few days in order to allow the sugar to distribute throughout the fruit.
  • Potatoes will keep fresh for a couple of weeks if stored in a cool, dry, ventilated place (not the fridge). Cold temperatures can turn the starch in a potato to sugar, creating a sweeter potato while warmth and light will cause them to sprout. Sweet potatoes are more delicate and should only be kept for about a week.
  • Garlic and most types of onions should be kept in a well ventilated area at room temperature or cooler, but not refrigerated. Vidalia onions have higher water content and can be stored individually wrapped in paper towels in the refrigerator.
  • Tomatoes are very finicky. Refrigeration can give them an unpleasant, mealy texture, and can alter their taste and aroma. They’re best stored unwashed at room temperature.
  • Mushrooms should be kept in a cool, dry place and lightly washed immediately before use.
  • Asparagus should be stored in the fridge with a damp paper towel wrapped around the stems. You can also stand them in a glass of cold water with a damp paper towel wrapped around the tops to keep them crisp.
  • Store carrots in a plastic bag in the fridge to hold in moisture. Wash and peel right before using.
  • Herbs should be washed, dried completely, and stems clipped prior to refrigeration. Store in a glass of water or with a damp paper towel wrapped around the stems. A plastic bag or paper towel can be wrapped around the leaves to lock in moisture.
  • Break off lettuce leaves and dip them in a large bowl of cold water. Dry completely with paper towels or a salad spinner and store in a plastic bag with paper towels in the fridge.
  • Apples will keep in the fridge for several months.
  • Mangos, peaches, plums, and pears can be ripened at room temperature, and then kept in the fridge to prolong their life.
  • Melon can develop a rubbery texture if kept in the fridge, and should never be frozen.  Storing at room temperature is best.
  • Berries are fragile, and have a very short self-life. Store in the fridge and wash lightly just prior to use. Fresh berries can also be frozen for later use.
  • Wrap rhubarb in plastic and store in the fridge. This fruit also holds up well in the freezer.
(Post reviewed by Anne Lukowski, RD, CDE. Foodnetwork.com was referenced for this article)

 

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Nutrition, recipes

Green Seasoning

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

By Fern Harper
Administrative Coordinator for the DSME Program

Mixed vegetables in a wicker basket

Season your food using only fresh ingredients and no salt. I like to use this green  seasoning in soups and as a marinade for meat and chicken.  It’s also very delicious with steamed vegetables.

You can buy these vegetables at your local supermarket or Farmers Market, or you can even pick them fresh from your own garden. Depending on your taste, you can add more or less of any ingredient, or substitute in other vegetables.

Ingredients:

2 cups of green onions
1 whole red pepper (seeded, chopped)
1 whole green pepper (seeded, chopped)
2 cups of celery
One bunch of cilantro (fresh)
One cup of thyme leaves (fresh)
One cup of basil (fresh)
One cup of rosemary (fresh)
1 bunch of chives
2 cups of onion
3 cups of garlic
1 cup of fresh mint leaves
2 shallots
A small piece of Ginger
¼ of a lemon
One quarter of a scotch bonnet pepper, seeds removed if you do not like it hot (optional)
¼ to ½ of cup of vinegar to moisten.

Additional items you will need:

Food Processor
Preserving glass jars
Mixing bowl (optional)
Ziploc bags (optional)

Preparation:

Wash vegetables and cut into small pieces.  Place in a food processor and process to desired texture, adding vinegar as needed.  When finished, pour into a preserving glass jar and store in the refrigerator.  If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix your vegetables in a large bowl and store in quart size Ziploc bags (vinegar, lemon juice and ginger are optional with this method).

Green seasoning will last about 2 months in the refrigerator.  You can also store in Ziploc bags in the freezer and take out and defrost as needed.

Enjoy!

(Post content reviewed by MGH Nutrition Department)
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Nutrition

Sample the Fruits (and Veggies) of the Season

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

Basket of fresh vegetablesWith longer days, warmer weather and no big snowstorms on the horizon (we hope), the change in season is perfect excuse for spending more time outside and giving your routine a little pick-me-up.  Why not add some new flavors to your menu as well with some seasonal fruits and vegetables?  Buying fruits and vegetables in season often ensures your produce is fresher and more flavorful.

Strawberries and blueberries are good sources of vitamin C, a nutrient that supports the immune system.  Although strawberries and blueberries are available year round in some form (dried, frozen, etc), peak season for both is April-June.  Fresh strawberries can be added to cereal or eaten on their own as a sweet, healthy snack.  Blueberries are often added to pancakes and muffins, but they can also use them to dress up plain yogurt.  Or, combine both strawberries and blueberries together with yogurt and other fruit for a refreshing smoothie or parfait.

While shopping for your spring berries, why not grab a bundle of asparagus as well?  Also reaching peak season around April, asparagus can be eaten by itself as a seasonal side dish or mixed with other vegetables and lean protein in a spring salad or stir-fry.  Asparagus is a good source of folate, a nutrient shown to support heart health and is crucial for pregnant women.  Artichokes, another popular spring vegetable, are another good source of folate.  Whole artichokes can be steamed and served with vinaigrette, melted butter or other sauce to dip the leaves in, while artichoke hearts—the soft center of the bud—can be used in pasta dishes or salads.

This is just a sample of the fruits and vegetables that will be coming into season soon; cherries, beets, radish and cantaloupe are also popular spring produce items.  Your local supermarket probably has a good selection of fruits and vegetables, but did you know that you can find many seasonal fruits and vegetables at you local farmers’ market?

Buying produce at a farmers’ market can save you money since you’re buying direct from the grower.  It’s often fresher too, since locally grown produce doesn’t have to travel as far to get to your plate.  There are a number of farmers’ markets in Massachusetts; use this tool from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to find one near you.  Unfortunately, the growing season in New England doesn’t start until June, but this chart gives an overview of what produce you can expect to be available locally each month.

(Information reviewed by MGH Nutrition Department)
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