Americans have expanded their Thanksgiving repertoire in recent years. While many of us have fond childhood memories of the classic Sweet Potato Bake studded with miniature marshmallows, our adult tastes now run more toward organic Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Pecan Streusel Topping or Curried Sweet Potato.

In recent years, winter squash has replaced sweet potatoes on many Thanksgiving tables. The two are interchangeable in many recipes (see Candied Butternut Squash and Butternut Squash Soup with Sage), and both veggies contain high levels of cancer-fighting carotenoids.

The beauty of winter squash is its many varieties, flavors and preparations. Registered dietitian Karen Collins, nutrition adviser for the American Institute for Cancer Research, offers the following tips:

• Acorn squash is small, with a very hard rind. Your best bet is to cut it in half and bake it, without peeling it. Season with pumpkin-pie spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Butternut squash is sweet and moist, with a slightly nutty flavor. The skin is easy to peel, and you can roast cubes or add chunks to a soup or stew.
• Buttercup squash has a sweet flavor, but it can be dry. Use it in moist dishes to avoid drowning it in butter.
• Large squashes (like Hubbard) are also delicious and will provide lots of leftovers. Use what you need now, and freeze cooked cubes or purée.
• Spaghetti squash is a little lower in calories, fiber, and nutrients like vitamin C and potassium. Its preparation is unique, as strands of cooked squash are pulled from the flesh with a fork. As the name implies, it’s often served like pasta.

Photo:

Virtually every supermarket and natural/organic food store is now offering sweet Thanksgiving deals on holiday sweet potatoes, including organic varieties. 

My shopping trips have revealed mixed results. Some of the sweet potatoes have been blemish-free beauties, while others were moldy mounds. 

When shopping for sweet potatoes, look for firmness, dark coloring and a smooth texture. Head to another market if the selection sports wrinkles, bruises, sprouts or decay. (Even if you cut away the decay, the flavor will be rank.) 

Maintain freshness by storing fresh sweet potatoes in a dry, cool (55°F to 60°F) place, such as a cellar, pantry or garage. Do not store them in the refrigerator; they’ll develop a hard core and unpleasant taste. 

Stored properly, sweet potatoes will keep for roughly 30 days. If you’re going to store them at room temperature, they’ll last about a week. 

Never wash sweet potatoes until you’re about to cook them. Excess moisture promotes spoilage. When you’re ready to cook, wash them thoroughly. Whenever possible, leave the skins on, as they contain most of the vegetable’s nutrients. 

Sweet potatoes with dark-orange flesh are moister, while those with lighter skins and yellow flesh are decidedly less sweet and plump. Yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes also require a longer cook time. Avoid mixing the two varieties when cooking, as you’ll encounter textural differences and uneven doneness.

Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission

You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.

Mushrooms and oranges join this month’s peak-season list, while eggplant moves off.

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Oranges
• Pears
• Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

10 Recipes to Inspire You

1. Florida Orange and Sweet Oso Onion Salad
2. Grilled Flatbread with Olive, Orange and Fennel Relish
3. Orange and Radish Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette
4. Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
5. Sautéed Mushroom Salad
6. Moist & Savory Stuffing
7. Mushroom Sauté with Toasted Walnuts
8. Broiled Italian-Style Portobello Mushrooms
9. Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
10. Pugliese Mushroom Scafata with Green Olive Crostini

Photo:

If you’ve been thinking about starting an organic vegetable garden, choosing your plants initially may seem overwhelming. 

The experts at Bonnie Plants, a green-gardening plant wholesaler in Union Springs, AL, recommend these six fast-growing, cold-hardy crops for fall gardeners: 

Winterbor Kale

• A nutritious leafy green
• A vigorous producer that endures winter easily, even in very cold climates
• Cut the outer leaves so the center can continue growing; space transplants about 12 inches apart 

Georgia Collards

• Similar to kale, with a stronger, sweet-cabbage flavor
• Leaves taste best when young
• Space transplants 36 inches apart  

Romaine Lettuce

• Richer in vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients than other popular lettuces
• Heart-healthy
• Space transplants 18 inches apart 

Early Dividend Broccoli

• Popular, productive and easy to grow
• High in fiber and calcium
• Set transplants 18 inches apart 

Mustard Greens

• Nutritious, with spicy leaves that taste sweeter when nipped by frost
• Fast-growing
• Space plants 12 inches apart 

Arugula

• Fast-growing, peppery-tasting leafy green that’s great in salads
• Promotes bone health
• Especially high in vitamins A, C and K

Photo courtesy of ARA

It seems pathogens usually linked to meat have made the leap to vegetables, a result of outdated safety laws, mass-production, and global food markets.

Using data from the CDC, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has compiled a list of the 10 most dangerous foods.

Leafy greens, such as lettuce and spinach, topped a list which includes: eggs, tuna, oysters, potatoes, cheese, ice cream, tomatoes, sprouts, and berries.

As the “winner” green vegetables reported 363 outbreaks with 13,568 cases of illness from 1990 to 2006. At the bottom of the list, berries got off easy with 25 outbreaks with 3,397 reported cases of illness.

So the CSPI lauds the new Food Safety Enhancement Act, passed by the House of Representatives in July, granting the FDA more authority to crackdown on food production and growing facilities.

I think within the next 10 years food safety will be greatly improved. It is becoming too obvious that a big food system requires a lot more checks and balances.

Via HealthDay News.

Image credit: Fruit Today

I wash them, but I’m sure a lot of people peel the skin off just to be safe.

My grandparents thought peels were kryptonite. No apple or pear had a chance. They all got eaten in the nude.

But some say peels are loaded with nutrients and carving them off is a waste, another reason to buy organic.

So to keep the peel intact, and most importantly eaten, stick with organic fruits and vegetables avoids the whole problem.

Another claim, and I’ve never heard this before, is foods grown with pesticides prevent nutrients, like vitamin C in peppers, from reaching the final product.

I guess at the end of the day just buy organic. It tastes the same and some say it tastes even better, but truth be told, I’ve never notice the taste thing.

Via The Daily Orange.

Image credit: marfis75

You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.

Broccoli joins this month’s peak-season list, while cantaloupe, corn and peaches move off. As noted in Salads: 5 Must-Have Veggies:

Broccoli “contains phytochemicals, substances found in produce that can help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. Added nutrients include vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium, folic acid and fiber.”

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top peak-season choices:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Pears
• Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

Recipes to Inspire You

• Cheeky Cheese Turkey Pockets
• Sesame-Ginger Frittata with Broccoli and Shrimp

Cabbage is a versatile vegetable that can be served hot or cold. Hundreds of varieties exist, from the common green and red cabbages to bok choy and Napa cabbage.

Available year-round, cabbage is one of the most inexpensive, yet nutrient-packed, produce choices. A half-cup serving of raw cabbage contains only 10 calories and provides 30% of your daily vitamin C requirement. A half cup of cooked cabbage contains 15 calories and provides 25% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

As with cauliflower, cabbage is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which also includes broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and collard greens. Research reveals these veggies have cancer-fighting properties.

When shopping for organic cabbage, choose a head that’s heavy for its size. Don’t buy heads that have discolored veins or worm damage. Stems should appear healthy and closely trimmed; avoid choosing a cabbage whose stem is dry or split.

When you arrive home, place cabbage in a plastic bag, and store it in your refrigerator’s vegetable bin. This helps protect its vitamin C content.  

Don’t wash cabbage until you’re ready to use it. Once you cut into the head, store leftovers in a plastic bag, and use them within 48 hours.

5 Cabbage Recipes

1. Salvadoran Pickled Cabbage
2. Southern-Style Cole Slaw
3. Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage
4. Sweet & Sassy Vanilla Slaw
5. Baja Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Cauliflower is usually served with butter or oil. Today’s recipe substitutes Dijon mustard, which lowers fat content and adds a nice flavor.

Be sure to use Dijon mustard, which is more refined than traditional yellow mustard. I recommend Annie’s Naturals’ Organic Dijon Mustard.

All of the ingredients in today’s recipe should be available at your local natural and organic food store. Tune in Sunday for another fab recipe: Curried Cauliflower.

Cauliflower with Mustard and Minced Dill

Makes 4 servings

1½ cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dill seeds
3 bay leaves
1 pound cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1–2 tablespoons minced fresh dill (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried dill)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)

1. Pour broth into 10-inch skillet. Add dill seeds and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a simmer.
2. Add cauliflower. Cover and continue to simmer for about 5–6 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
3. Uncover skillet and place in the refrigerator. Let cauliflower chill in its stock for about 30 minutes.
4. Drain cauliflower, reserving stock, and place in a serving dish.
5. Strain the stock, and combine 1/4 cup of it with mustard, lemon juice and dill.
6. Drizzle sauce over cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Per serving: 35 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 150 mg sodium

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower is one of those misunderstood vegetables. It’s certainly not the prettiest veggie on campus, but it’s one of the healthiest.

When properly cooked and seasoned, cauliflower is delicious—one of my favorites. I buy it at least once a week, usually to steam or roast as a side dish.

These days, cauliflower is available year-round. A member of the Brassicaceae family (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens), it delivers a cancer-fighting compound called sulforaphane. A half-cup of cooked cauliflower provides 45% of your daily vitamin C requirement, as well as 2 g fiber, while weighing in at only 15 calories.

When choosing an organic cauliflower, look for a head that’s white or creamy, firm, compact, and heavy for its size. Toss aside heads that have dark spots, brown patches or other discolorations.

When you arrive home, place your cauliflower (stem side up) in your refrigerator’s crisper, where it should last for up to five days. If you buy precut florets, eat them within a day of purchase, as they don’t store well.

The most exciting development on the cauliflower front is the range of colors available—from green (often called broccoflower) to orange and purple. If you’re a cauliflower neophyte, start with the green variety, which has a milder taste. Regardless of color, cauliflower may be eaten raw, so add some small florets to a salad for added crunch and nutrients.

When you’re ready to cook your cauliflower, peel off the stem leaves, turn the head upside down, and cut the stem at the point where the florets begin to meet. They will then start to separate on their own, and you can help them along with a few knife cuts.

Be prepared for a sulfurous smell when you cook cauliflower. Yes, it usually stinks when cooked, but that odor will not influence its taste. Be patient! After steaming florets for 3 to 5 minutes, you’ll be able to serve them.

Here are some final cooking tips:

• If water touches cauliflower during steaming (or boiling), the veggie may turn yellow. To preserve whiteness, add a tablespoon of milk or lemon juice to the water.
• Don’t cook cauliflower in an aluminum or iron pot. The veggie’s compounds will turn it yellow or greenish-brown when exposed to aluminum and iron, respectively.

Tune in Friday and Sunday for some weekend cauliflower recipes. In the meantime, try this Roasted Vegetable Medley.