February 2023 – You Asked It!

Category: February 2023

February is American Heart Month

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

National news of a prominent football player suffering from a heart condition has brought to light the need for heart disease education and information. What do you do to protect your heart?

February is designated as American Heart Month. As a leading cause of death in the U.S., it is important to make your heart a priority. Many steps in self-care can greatly improve your heart health. Learning CPR can save a life.

Here are seven self-care steps you can take to heart health.

Start with a self-care checklist for the week. Choose from these ideas to get started.
Check your blood pressure and know what the numbers mean for you.
Make healthy eating goals and simple changes to your diet for big benefits. You too can eat a heart-healthy diet!
What is your wellness routine? Part of that is getting quality sleep and reducing stress.
Treat yourself! You deserve some fun to break up your normal responsibilities.
Who inspires you? Those “feel good” people can improve your heart too!
What is your favorite way to take care of your heart? Get outside and take a walk to benefit your heart and mind.

Learn more at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website.

Direct-to-Consumer Virtual Workshops

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

Sign up now for the annual Farmers Market and Direct-to-Consumer workshops to be held virtually from February 6-10, 2023.

These workshops are hosted by the From the Land of Kansas program at the Kansas Department of Agriculture and features many speakers from K-State Research and Extension, KDA Meat & Poultry division, Kansas Department of Revenue and much more.

Selling products in this type of market are an important source of local foods and value-added agricultural products. Educate yourself on the regulations in Kansas for success.

NDSU Field to Fork Webinars

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

North Dakota State University Extension again will host the Field to Fork Wednesday Weekly Webinar series starting in February.

Experts from across the region will provide information about growing, preserving and preparing specialty-crop fruits and vegetables safely in this eighth annual webinar series, which has reached thousands of people.

The Field to Fork Wednesday Weekly Webinars will begin Feb. 15. The webinars will be held online from 2 to 3 p.m. Central time Wednesdays through April 26. They also will be archived for later viewing; however, participating in the live webinar allows participants to interact with the presenter.

The webinars are free of charge but preregistration is required. The webinars will be held on Zoom. The Field to Fork website (www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/field-fork) has a link to register for the webinars. Participants will be sent sign-in reminders with the link for viewing if they are unable to attend.

Partnership for Food Safety Education Webinar

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

More than 34 million people experience food insecurity in the United States.

Households may want to make their food dollars stretch and minimize food waste. Food pantries need to be prepared to accept and provide safe food for their communities.

Register for the webinar “Food Safety in the Face of Economic Challenges” on February 16, 2023 at Noon CST. This webinar will highlight how you can help consumers and local food pantries stay informed to prevent foodborne illnesses.

Guest speakers will include Ayma Rouhani of U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Dr. Nicole Arnold of Ohio State University, and Cynthia Aspengren of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.

When an Ingredient Statement Says “Spice”

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

Man shopping in supermarket — Photo: USDA Flickr

Reading ingredient statements on food packages provides you a list of ingredients in that food from most to least in the formula. So when you read the word “spice” or “spices” what does that mean?

According to the FDA Code of Federal Regulations, certain spices can be listed by their common or usual name or declared collectively without naming each spice. A spice is define as any aromatic vegetable substance in the whole, broken or ground form. Examples include allspice, basil, dill seed, black pepper and others. The exception is a substance traditionally used as a food, such as onions, garlic or celery. These cannot be included as a spice. Spices such as paprika, turmeric, and saffron are also colors and must be declared as “spice and coloring” or by their common name.

Stick to SMART Nutrition Goals

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

January prompts many to resolutions to improve their goals. The most popular resolutions are eating less sugar, losing weight, and improving diet healthfulness. Here’s some SMART tips from the International Food Information Council.

Be Specific—set a specific goal or change that you can realistically attain. Adding a fruit or vegetable to each meal is an easy choice! What does healthier eating mean to you?

Make it Measurable—So you want to add more fruits and vegetables to a meal? How many? Give the goal a number and track it to make it into a habit.

Make it Attainable—Small steps can lead to big rewards. For example, making a shopping list and buying smaller quantities can be attainable and reduce food waste.

Be Realistic—Making big changes, like never eating out for lunch and packing a lunch can be a challenge depending on your schedule. Start with one or two days a week to bring your lunch to work.

Set a Time Limit—Make a deadline to reach your goals. Another option is to divide your goals into specific time amounts to make them easier to manage.

Home Baking Association Educator Award

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

The Home Baking Association strives to promote baking at home. Baking can include the whole family and teach many fundamental skills.

Each year, an award is given to an educator who teaches baking skills to individuals, families and communities. The winner receives a $1,000 cash award and an all-expense paid trip for two to the Home Baking Association annual meeting to present an overview of their project.

Enter now! Entry deadlines in March 31, 2022. Learn more on the Home Baking Association website.

This award is open to any educator in the classroom, community or other organization as well as adult and youth leaders and volunteers.

The History of Local Foods

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

The term local foods has gained a lot of popularity recently with the consumer demand of buying foods from local farmers and ranchers. But this concept is not new and dates back at least 100 years.

Roadside stands and farmers markets have stood the test of time in their popularity. Passers-by simply stop and purchase fresh produce or other items. From simple roadside signs of products for sale, to established buildings with tables or shelves, this form of sales still functions today.

When the mail service expanded to rural communities in the early 1900s, the ability to ship items from the producer to consumer opened the channels of commerce without other merchants or private shipping companies. This was the beginning of the farm-to-table or farm-to-city initiative.

Learn the history at https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/localfoods/

Avoid Food Safety Penalties!

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

The final big game of the football season is almost here! If you are planning to host a party to cheer on your favorite team, here’s some food safety reminders to plan a safe event.

Pregame—First and foremost, wash your hands before preparing any food. Have a food thermometer handy to ensure cooked food or leftovers reach safe internal temperatures.

Don’t play dirty! – Prevent cross contamination by keeping raw meats and poultry away from the veggie tray or other ready-to-eat foods. Have several utensils ready to keep foods separate also.

Half time is here! – How long has your hot or cold food been sitting at room temperature? Use the 2-hour rule and reheat hot foods or chill cold foods for safety. Keep foods out of the temperature danger zone (40-140°F), you just want touchdowns in the end zone!

Postgame—Pack leftovers in small shallow containers for quick chilling. You will be a winner!

food safety

Egg Substitutes

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Karen Blakeslee

The price of eggs has consumers scratching them off their shopping list. Here are some options to replace eggs in your recipes based on what function the egg is providing.

Boiled egg—use 2 ounces extra-firm tofu for each hard boiled egg.

Binding ingredients in baking— For each egg, use 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons water, let stand 5 minutes. This makes a gel and helps hold ingredients together.

Leavening in baking—Use the chia or flax seed mixture above plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder for each egg.

For moistness in baking—use 1/4 cup applesauce, mashed banana, pureed avocado, pureed garbanzo beans, or silken tofu.

Buy eggs when on sale and freeze them for later use.

Source: eatright.org

Category: February 2023

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