Recipes

October Healthy Highlights #1: The Perks of Pumpkin Seeds

October Healthy Highlights #1: The Perks of Pumpkin Seeds

Shell-free pumpkin seeds “pepitas” can be purchased at most grocery stores. Despite their small size, pumpkin seeds are packed with nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein and healthy fat, making them a nice calorie booster to promote weight gain. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of dietary fiber, which supports good digestive health. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals providing an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, phosphorus, vitamin K, and potassium. This impressive nutrient profile has been shown to boost heart health, improve sleep, and reduce risk factors for chronic diseases like heart disease and certain types of cancer.

September Healthy Highlights #2: Baked Apple with Ginger and Chamomile

September Healthy Highlights #2: Baked Apple with Ginger and Chamomile

Whether picking your own apples or going to the market to purchase apples, there is an abundance of varieties to choose from. All apples are rich in fiber. In fact, one large apple provides approximately 20% of the recommended daily value of dietary fiber. In addition, apples are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. The nutrition properties of apples combined with their crisp delicious taste, make them an excellent choice for snacking or baking.

August Healthy Highlights: Summer Squash and Carrot Soup

August Healthy Highlights: Summer Squash and Carrot Soup

Squash is actually a fruit because it contains seeds and develops from the flowering part of a plant. Summer squash vary in size, shape, and color but are generally mild tasting. The entire squash (seeds, flesh, and skin) is edible. The soft skin, or peel is where most of the nutrients are found, so it is important to keep the skin on when preparing and eating summer squash.

August Healthy Highlights: Summer Squash

August Healthy Highlights: Summer Squash

As we continue to enjoy the summer season, we want to keep the spotlight on fresh produce and this month our feature is summer squash, which originates from Central America and Mexico. These squashes grow quickly in the warm summer months as they take about 60 days from the time they are planted to when they are ready to harvest. Examples of summer squash varieties include zucchini, crookneck, calabacitas, and yellow squash.