The February Veggie of the Month is Parsnip!

Parsnips can be used much like any root vegetable (think carrots and potatoes). They actually look a lot like creamy colored carrots, but they do taste a little different. Parsnips have a naturally sweet, nutty, and peppery flavor—and they smell more like celery. You can cook them in lots of different ways, add them to soups, casseroles, or prepare as an easy side dish kids will love. If you’re ready to experiment with parsnips, a good rule of thumb is to use them the same way you would normally prepare potatoes or carrots.

A Parsnip is a Great Source of:

• Manganese—great for healthy bones.
• Vitamin C—a powerful antioxidant for your immune system.
• Vitamin K—known to help decrease the risk of certain cancers.
• Vitamin B9—can help with mental and emotional disorders like anxiety and depression.

Did You Know?

• Parsnips were used as a sweetening agent before cane sugar became a major import.
• Like potatoes, parsnips can be stored for long periods of time—making them a handy go-to pantry item.
• They naturally increase your ability to produce serotonin—which is known as the “happy” hormone.
• Parsnips have powerful anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and antifungal qualities.
• They are packed with different minerals and vitamins—perfect if you are looking for nutrient-rich foods to add to your diet.
• In Britain and Ireland, parsnips are used to make beer and wine.

How to Harvest and Store Parsnips

Consider adding parsnips to your vegetable garden mix. Pick when firm and dry. If you wait to harvest after the parsnips have been in the cold (after the first frost) for 2-4 weeks, the flavor will be sweeter. Store in the refrigerator in an unsealed bag for 3+ weeks. 

If a raw parsnip becomes soft and squishy, this is a sign of rot and it should no longer be eaten. For better flavor, cook the parsnip with the skin on—after cooking, you have the option to eat the skin or not!

Tips to Get Children to Eat Parsnips

• Cook and mash, then mix with potatoes for an extra flavorful mashed potato and parsnip blend
• Cut into sticks, and fry or roast as french fries
• Chop and blend in your preferred soup or stew

Ways to Eat Parsnips

• Raw
• Boiled
• Sautéd 
• Fried
• Roasted

Let’s Get Cooking

Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 cups parsnips
• 3 medium potatoes (1 pound)
• ½ cup low-fat milk
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp butter

Directions

1. Scrub parsnips and potatoes under running water and peel
2. Cut into similar sized pieces
3. In a medium saucepan, cover the vegetable pieces with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 15–20 minutes.
4. Drain the vegetables and mash.
5. Stir in milk, salt, garlic powder, and butter.
6. Serve hot and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours

Harvest Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups romaine lettuce (washed)
• 1 cup cilantro (washed)
• 1 cup parsnips (peeled)
• 1 cup carrot (peeled)
• 1 cup turnips (peeled)
  

Dressing Ingredients

• ¼ cup lime juice
• ½ tsp lime zest (grated)
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Combine romaine lettuce and cilantro, and divide on four plates
2. Place parsnips, carrots, and turnips into 1 quart of boiling water. Return water to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Strain the water and vegetable mixture in a colander
4. Mix the ingredients for the dressing right before serving
5. Place hot vegetables on top of the greens and top with the dressing

For more creative parsnip-based recipes visit MyPlate Kitchen! With so many possibilities, like Parsnip Soup, Roasted Root Vegetable blend, and a Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Potato, and Chicken dish, you’re sure to find something that is tasty for the whole family!

Fact Check: SDSU Extension, Health Benefits Times, MyPlate Kitchen

Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Be sure to check out Harvest of the Month, a downloadable educational program designed to make learning about fruits and veggies easy, tasty, and fun!Explore more Fruits & Veggies of the Month!

The January Veggie of the Month is Spinach!

Spinach is one of the few vegetables that are available year-round. It can be prepared and eaten in many different ways, but it has the most nutrients when eaten fresh! Spinach is a versatile vegetable that accounts for 100% of the daily value of vitamin A, which helps the health of your eyes, skin, and hair.

Spinach is a Great Source of:

• Vitamin A—great for your eyes, skin, and hair
• Vitamin K—builds strong bones by helping calcium adhere to your bones
• Vitamin C—helps heal wounds and bruises and controls cholesterol levels
• Vitamin E—helps keep your tissues healthy and supports immune system
• Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6—helps reduce stress and depression, and promotes healthy brain cells

Did You Know?

• Popeye was on to something! Ounce for ounce—there’s more iron in spinach than there is in ground beef.
• Spinach is one of the few vegetables that is available year-round. It grows best in cool, not freezing, moist conditions, especially during spring and autumn. It grows well in sandy soils.
• March 26th is National Spinach Day. Celebrate with your favorite spinach recipe!
• For many years in the 1930s and 1940s, spinach was ranked as the third most popular children’s food after turkey and ice cream.
• California is the number 1 U.S. grower/supplier of fresh and processed spinach, accounting for almost 75% of the national production. You can find processed spinach frozen, puréed, canned, and in baby food!

How to Prepare and Store Spinach

Tear off the stem and separate the leaves. Place in a large bowl of water; let any sand drift to the bottom of the bowl and remove the leaves from the water. Repeat until the leaves are clean. To keep it fresh, store the spinach in an open bag in the refrigerator vegetable tray/drawer.

Realistic Ways to Get Children to Eat Spinach

There’s a reason why children prefer sweet-tasting foods over vegetables. Until late adolescence our taste receptors are more sensitive to bitter tasting foods, meaning many vegetables can taste unpleasant to children. So how do we get children to eat nutritious spinach?

Two strategies to try are:

• Introduce spinach in small amounts continuously. Repetition is key. The more your child sees spinach, the more likely they’ll get curious and adventurous with the vegetable. Example: use a small amount in a homemade soup or salsa!
• Hide spinach in other foods that generously help eliminate the natural bitter flavor. Example: use it in a fun fruit-based smoothie!

Ways to Eat Spinach

1. Raw
2. Steamed
3. Microwaved
4. Sautéed
5. Stir fried

Let’s Get Cooking

Orange Sunrise Smoothie

Ingredients

• ½ ripe banana
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup spinach leaves, rinsed
• ½ cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients until smooth
2. Serve and enjoy!

Spinach Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped
• 2 tsp lime juice
• ½ sweet onion, diced
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1 tsp tabasco (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients and serve with whole wheat tortilla chips

For more creative spinach-based recipes visit MyPlate Kitchen! With so many possibilities, like Lemon Spinach, Grapefruit Spinach Salad (double dose of vitamins), and Spinach Stuffed Potatoes, there’s sure to be a recipe or two that will make any family smile.

Fact Check: SDSU Extension, South Dakota Harvest of the Month, Science 2.0, Famlii

Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Be sure to check out Harvest of the Month, a downloadable educational program designed to make learning about fruits and veggies easy, tasty, and fun!

The December Vegetable of the Month is Celery! 

Celery is a highly versatile, low-calorie vegetable that can be chopped, dipped, crunched, stuffed, blended, stir-fried and enjoyed raw right after you wash it. It contains an impressive amount of nutrients and is a natural health booster, thanks to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Celery also makes a great addition to your holiday veggie tray!

Celery is a great source of:

• Vitamin K to support the immune system and help heal cuts 
• Folate for healthy blood
• Vitamin A for healthy eyes

Did you know?

• Celery crops don’t do well in hot weather. They thrive in mild winters, cool summers, or long and cool fall growing seasons. 
• The oldest record of the word celeri is in a 9th century French or Italian poem. It lists the plant’s medicinal uses and benefits. (During the Middle Ages, celery was used as a medicinal plant to treat toothaches and arthritis!) 
• In the 17th and 18th centuries, European gardeners figured out how to cultivate celery for culinary purposes. By the middle of the 18th century, wealthy families in Sweden were eating celery that had been stored in their cellars. From then on, the vegetable became widely used. 
• The best celery is pale to bright green, crisp and snaps apart easily.
• You can wrap celery in plastic and store it in the fridge for up to a week. 

Why crunch on some celery? 

• Enjoy some Zzzzzz’s. Celery is known to promote relaxation and sleep. 
• Keep things moving. Because celery is high in fiber (one cup contains 5 grams!), it acts as a digestive aid. 
• Attack your arthritis. Celery has about 25 anti-inflammatory compounds. 
• Quench your thirst. The water content of celery is almost 95%, so it keeps you hydrated while helping your digestion.  
• Surplus your smoothies. Go ahead and blend up those leaves–they have lots of calcium, potassium and Vitamin C.

Four ways to eat more celery

1. Bring the heat! Bake, steam, microwave or stir-fry celery–it goes with just about anything. 
2. Dice, dice baby. Dice up celery and add to soups or stews, or sprinkle on top of chili for an extra healthy crunch. 
3. Perfect your party platter. Dip raw or lightly cooked celery into low-fat vegetable dressing, hummus, guacamole or salsa.  
4. Turn on the texture. Add to mashed potatoes, stuffing and salads for a little extra crunch.

Celerybrate with Apple Celery Salad!

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 cup apples, chopped and cored
• 1 Tablespoon chopped walnuts
• 1 ½-Tablespoon non-fat plain yogurt
• ½-Tablespoon non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 ½ Tablespoon 100% apple juice
• 2 Tablespoons raisins or Craisins
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine celery, apples, raisins and walnuts. Mix.
2. In a small bowl, mix yogurts together with apple juice and blend thoroughly.
3. Pour dressing over apple mixture. Mix well to coat.

Recipe from SDSU Extension

Super Celery Juice

• 1 bunch celery (roughly 8–9 medium stalks), trimmed and cleaned
• 1/2 green apple, optional
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, optional

Directions

1. Run the celery and green apple through a juicer. Stir in the lemon juice.
2. This juice is best served fresh. Add ice, if desired.

Recipe from Healthline

Fact check: SDSU Extension, South Dakota Harvest of the Month, Healthline

Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Be sure to check out Harvest of the Month, a downloadable educational program designed to make learning about fruits and veggies easy, tasty, and fun!

Explore more Fruits & Veggies of the Month!

November celebrates chokecherries — a fruit that packs a punch! Chokecherries get their name from their bitter taste. While many recipes involving chokecherries are sweet, they provide many benefits that keep you healthy!

Chokecherries are great sources of:

• Antioxidants to prevent disease 
• Vitamin C to keep your bones, cells, and skin healthy
• Manganese to help your brain and nervous function stay tip-top

Did you know?

Chokecherries (Dakota: Can-pa, Lakota: Chanpha) were a staple for Native Americans that lived on the Great Plains. They served as a food source, especially during the winter, and treated a variety of health problems. Popular uses for chokecherries include:

Pemmican

The most important use was in pemmican which was made by combining dried meat, bone marrow, animal lard, and crushed chokecherries.

Fruit Balls

Whole chokecherries, including the pulp, skin, and stone, were smashed into a pulp, shaped into balls, and dried in the sun.

Chokecherry Tea:

Try it at home:

1. Pick and clean chokecherry leaves 
2. Refrigerate the leaves until you’re ready to prepare the tea. (Leaves can be dried for future use if stored in a clean container.)
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Put a few leaves into the boiling water until you achieve the desired taste, or add 1 TBSP of dried leaves per cup of boiling water.
5. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve.
6. Add sweetener if desired.

Recipe from Cheyenne River Tribal Extension, Eagle Butte, SD

Where are chokecherries grown?

Wild chokecherry bushes or trees can be found across the United States in all but eight states or territories. The plant flowers from April to July before producing edible, sour fruits. Ripe chokecherries are black, ¼-½ inch round, and grow in clusters like grapes. Look for this plant in areas that have not been sprayed with pesticides. 

But be careful — parts of the chokecherry plant are poisonous when eaten raw! Although the fruits are edible when raw, the leaves, seeds, and stems contain toxic quantities of hydrocyanic acid and should not be consumed unless properly treated. Either boil or dry the fruit and leaves to neutralize the acid.

 Four ways to use chokecherries

1. Jelly in my belly: Craft a chokecherry jelly that you can spread throughout the year! 
2. Bitter batter: Sweeten up your muffins or pancakes by removing the seeds and using the fresh fruit in your batter.
3. Sensational syrup: Boil chokecherries and remove the seeds to make a fruity syrup that is bound to spice up any morning.
4. Piece of pie: Juice your chokecherries and combine with other ingredients to bake a pie that’s perfect for serving at holiday meals.
5.  

Fact Check: USDA Chokecherry Plant Guide, SDSU Extension, Healthline

Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Be sure to check out Harvest of the Month, a downloadable educational program designed to make learning about fruits and veggies easy, tasty, and fun!

Explore more Fruits & Veggies of the Month!

Even though squash is technically classified as fruit, for cooking purposes it’s treated like a vegetable. It’s a member of the gourd family and is packed with nutrients.

Squash is a great source of:

• Dietary fiber to help digestion
• Vitamin A to boost immune health, keep your eyes healthy, and help cell growth
• Lots of phytonutrients to keep you healthy all the way around

Did you know?

Archaeological evidence gathered from Canada to South America shows people have known about the benefits of squash for almost 10,000 years. For generations, people relied on two primary sources of food to get through the winter months: wild game, and nutrient-dense plants that keep well… like squash! That means craving mom’s squash soup or pumpkin pie is more than just nostalgic—those complex carbohydrates can come in handy when the temperatures drop.

Squash varieties

Summer squash tends to have a relatively long growing season. They are planted in the spring and early summer, but are readily available well into the fall and early winter. There are many different types, including the popular zucchini and common yellow/crookneck squash; as well as the pattypan, which comes in shades of yellow, green, cream, and even white. 

A medium summer squash (6-8″ long) contains about 70 calories and is a great source of fiber and potassium. All have a mild flavor and can be shredded (skins and all) for soups or sauces, or can be baked or grilled.

Winter squash arrive in supermarkets or farmers markets late summer through late winter. These heartier varieties have a thicker outer shell which allows them to keep for longer periods of time. 

Butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and spaghetti squash are some of the more well-known types, but there are plenty of unusual shapes and colors to add to your table—like the blue hokkaido, the plump cheese (aka Cinderella pumpkins), the cheerfully-striped delicata, the speckled kabocha, and the humongous hubbard. 

Flavors range from mild to nutty to sweet. Each kind is a solid choice for roasting, baking, or pureeing for soups. With its dense texture, squash makes it easy to use in soups, casseroles, breads, and desserts. Watch this video on preparing winter squash.

Five ways to eat more squash

1. Sas-squashed: Stuff a winter squash with meat, fruit, and nuts and bake for a hearty meal.
2. Very gourd snack: Cut butternut squash into French-fry sized pieces. Lightly toss in oil. Sprinkle it with cumin and chili powder. Roast until tender.
3. Gourd-geous dish: Chunk and roast squash as a compliment to a savory fall entree.
4. Soup, there it is: Puree butternut squash for a delicious, golden-colored soup.
5. An impasta: Switch out pasta for butternut squash, a healthier alternative. Steam or microwave until cooked, then top with your favorite sauce and veggies.

Helpful squash equivalents:

• 1/3 to 1/2 pound raw unpeeled squash = 1 serving
• 1 pound peeled squash = 1 cup cooked, mashed
• 2-1/2 pounds whole squash = 2-3/4 to 3 cups pureed
• 1 pound trimmed squash = 2 cups cooked pieces
• 1 pound squash = 2 to 3 servings
• 12 ounces frozen squash = 1-1/2 cups

You can’t beat squash—a great all-around choice for the dinner table. Just don’t be surprised when your family starts asking you to cook the autumn centerpiece you arranged.

Fact check: Eat Well Live Well Campaign, Pick It! Try It! Like It!, Harvard School of Public Health, Iowa State Extension

Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Be sure to check out Harvest of the Month, a downloadable educational program designed to make learning about fruits and veggies easy, tasty, and fun!

Show me more Fruits & Veggies of the Month!