News and Notes from The Johnson Center
Family and Food: Seasons Eatings
JCCHD | Wed, July 25, 2012 | [Family and Food]
Long ago people had no other option than to consume the foods that were produced in that season. Of course, nowadays we can access a wide variety of options throughout the year. But is this easy access to out-of-season produce a good thing?
There is evidence that foods produced out of season and shipped from other parts of the world are much lower in vitamin and mineral content than foods produced locally. Part of this is due to the distance the foods must travel. From the time the foods leave the soil, nutrients begin to deplete; the farther food has to travel, the lower the nutrient density. On average, foods transported to the U.S. from other countries travel approximately 5 days and over 1,500 miles. During this time, a great deal of nutrition is lost. Also, when foods are produced out of season to be shipped great distances, they are often picked and harvested before they have hit their peak ripeness. This further reduces the vitamin and mineral content of the foods.
It is more ecologically sensitive to buy in season as well. The fuels used to transport foods over long distances pollute our environment, are costly, and waste precious resources. Transporting produce accounts for 80% of our food costs in the U.S. Many foods are transported by ships, adding additional pollutants to our oceans and, consequently, our water supplies.
Lastly, consuming local, seasonal vegetables and fruits can be just as economical as other options. One study conducted by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture showed no statistical cost difference between local and non-local produce prices.
To learn more about seasonal produce available in your area, visit www.localharvest.org. Most areas have CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) groups that you can join to obtain seasonal produce while supporting your local area farmers; farmers’ markets are also a good resource. For the summer season, options might include apricots, cherries, currants, blackberries, blueberries, butter lettuce, cantaloupe, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, figs, garlic, green beans, limes, jalepeño peppers, and more. You can find a list of the different varieties of vegetables and fruits produced each season at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/whats-in-season-summer. And keep in mind that one of the best options to obtain fresh, local, clean, nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits is to grow your own in your backyard or on your porch. Even herbs and things like micro greens can be grown on your windowsill.
Refreshing Summertime Salad
Ingredients:
4 cups mixed baby greens
½ cup diced mango
½ cup cubed seeded watermelon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon frozen mango juice concentrate, thawed
Directions:
1. Combine the baby greens, mango, watermelon, mint, and minced onion in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, and mango juice concentrate together in a small bowl, and pour over the salad.
3. Toss gently to evenly coat.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/refreshing-summertime-salad/detail.aspx
Melon with Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients:
2 ⅔ cups unsweetened raspberries
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
½ large cantaloupe
½ medium honeydew melon
Directions:
1. Set aside a few raspberries for garnish. Place the remaining berries in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed. Add the honey, lemon juice and ginger; cover and process. Strain and discard seeds; set sauce aside.
2. Cut the cantaloupe and honeydew into three wedges; cut each wedge widthwise in half. Remove seeds and rind. With a knife, slice each piece of melon lengthwise toward narrow end without cutting completely to the end. Open into a fan shape.
3. On each dessert plate, place 2 tablespoons of raspberry sauce and a cantaloupe fan and honeydew fan. Garnish with reserved raspberries.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/melon-with-raspberry-sauce/detail.aspx
Baba Ganouj
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, (about 1 pound each)
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini, (see Note)
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
Ground sumac, for garnish (see Note)
Directions:
1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Prick eggplants all over with a fork.
3. Thread garlic cloves onto a skewer.
4. Grill the eggplants, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Grill the garlic, turning once, until charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
6. Transfer the eggplants and garlic to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel both.
7. Transfer to a food processor.
8. Add lemon juice, tahini and salt; process until almost smooth.
9. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sumac, if desired.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. | Equipment needed: Skewers
Notes: Tahini is a thick paste of ground sesame seeds. Look for it in large supermarkets in the Middle Eastern section or near other nut butters. The tart berries of a particular variety of sumac bush add a distinctive element to many Middle Eastern dishes. Find them whole or ground in Middle Eastern markets or online at kalustyans.com.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baba_ganouj.html
Additional references:
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/whats-in-season-summer
http://bodyecology.com/articles/benefits_in_season.php
http://life.gaiam.com/article/benefits-eating-what-s-season
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/12-14-2009/leopold-center-study-compares-local-non-local-food-prices
