Are you searching for another vegetable to enjoy other than the commonly used carrot, potato, or beet—one that is locally available during the winter months? Well, then, you must try the wonderful parsnip, a winter root that is seriously underutilized and underappreciated!! I recall eating parsnips as a child many years ago, when very few people seemed to know about them. I was not all that fond of them, since my mom usually steamed them. To her credit, she was just eager to expose her young kids to many different vegetables. But there are so many other ways to prepare parsnips that are much tastier and more appealing.
Nutrition
It’s All About the Food: Avocados
The oddly shaped avocado may not be an eye catcher as you walk through the Produce department, but they sure provide a wealth of nutrients for your body. The avocado—once known as “alligator pear”—has become a commonly consumed food in the American diet and is considered a “hot food” due to its nutritional profile.
It’s All About the Food: Cheese
Cheese can be included as part of a healthy diet, and since it is so much a part of the local food scene here in Vermont, it must be recognized and appreciated. Vermont has the largest number of artisan cheesemakers per capita in the U.S., and many of these locally produced cheeses are sold at the Co-op. Unlike mass-produced cheese, artisan cheese is made in small quantities, by hand, from fresh, locally available milk from a variety of animals that include Vermont cows, sheep, goats, and buffalo.
It’s All About the Food: Hydration
We all know that hydration is so important in the heat of the summer, but do we think about it now, in the middle of winter? The body needs hydration any day of the year—no matter the temperature—in the form of LIQUIDS, and some of us are better than others at paying special attention to that in any season. It applies to each and everyone—at any age.
It’s All About the Food: Mint & Ginger
Winter is now fully upon us! The days are starting to get longer, even if only by a few minutes each day, and I am grateful for that! It’s great to be outside—no matter the weather—since the fresh air in our beautiful Vermont is so invigorating. But then it is also very cozy and comforting to come in out of the cold and get warm on those frigid winter days.
It’s All About the Food: Winter Squash…
Winter is fast approaching, as the days grow shorter and the temperature is dropping. With that said, we think about foods that are hardy and supply us with good nourishment. Winter squash are a group of calorie-dense foods that do just that and are in plentiful supply at this time of year. They are an amazing gift from Mother Nature, packed with an incredible variety of nutrients! I like to admire the decorative array of winter squash at the Co-op, in all shapes, sizes, and colors. I have yet to try all the varieties out there but those I have eaten each have their own unique taste and texture. Winter squash are so named because they can be stored during the winter, often for several months at a time due to their hard skin. They all originate from the same vegetable family, the cucurbits. They originated thousands of years ago in Central and South America before moving up north, and by the mid 1800s, they were a staple product in the Northeast.
Its All About the Food: Apples
I am always grateful when the first apples of the season are ripe and ready to enjoy. Every year by late summer, I am anxiously waiting for the new apple crop to be harvested. In spite of the all the other fruit choices available during the summer season, I feel a void in my diet without a crisp delicious apple—nothing hits the spot like a tart early local apple! I eat one every day when they are available. Some of my favorite early varieties are Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Zestar, and Sansa. And of course the choices don’t stop with those—there will be many more to choose from, along with all of the heirloom apples that have such unusual and fabulous names.
It’s All About the Food: Swiss Chard
One of the most striking vegetables I see throughout the whole growing season—either at the farm stand or in the produce section or in the garden—is Swiss chard. The magnificent colors of its stalks are a sight to behold. There are several varieties but my favorites are Ruby Red and Rainbow Chard. With the abundance of vegetables in the summer many people do not take the opportunity to sample or prepare Swiss chard since it is not as well known as other dark green veggies. But this is one that should not be missed, and it can be harvested from early spring until the first hard frost. It is a biennial plant, which means that it has a two-year life cycle. It remains dormant for the winter after its first growing year, then comes back in the spring to complete its growing season.
Cantaloupes
Looking at the tan, rough-skinned exterior of a cantaloupe, it’s hard to imagine that inside contains such a vibrant and luscious surprise! Another one of Mother Earth’s treats for us! Nothing beats biting into this juicy and sweet orange flesh on a hot summer day. I find myself craving melons of all types during the warm summer months, they are so refreshing and thirst quenching, and full of oh-so-many of the nutrients that we often sweat away during the summer months.
Cucumbers
It’s that time of year again for cucumbers—local, crisp, delicious cucumbers! They are another of those vegetables that we seem to have a bounty of during the summer—similar to zucchini, when they are ready the supply seems endless! Cucumbers don’t have significant nutritional value but their crunch, mild taste, and hydrating properties are very appealing. They go well with almost anything and always hit the spot on a hot summer day.
Mixed Greens
After consuming lettuce and salad greens from faraway farms much of the winter, it is indeed delightful to enjoy one of the first delicacies of spring produce: mixed greens. There is an array of baby greens, often in a variety of shades of greens and reds, as well as in different shapes and textures. It is the farmer’s choice, what might be found in the bag of mixed greens, thus it is a surprise for the palate when you bring them home. The tastes awaken your taste buds early in the season, with distinctive flavors of sweet, sour, and bitter. Baby lettuce leaves neutralize the flavors of the other greens often included, such as spinach, pak choi, bok choy. kale, arugula, or beet greens. There may also be radicchio, sorrel, or dandelion, mustard, or turnip greens. These tastes vary in pungency from mild to very strong, but the vast variety of options are welcome.
Radishes
Radishes—a spring delight—are a feast to the eyes and are often the first local vegetable of the season.
