Tips and Recipes

Slow Cooker Meals for Busy Week Nights

 

Usually, people start using their trendy slow cooker in the fall. But in my house, I like to use this magic appliance all year around. The slow cooker does all the work of cooking for me while I am busy at work or with my kids and minimize my time spent in the kitchen. I like how they are perfect for stews, soups, and easy chicken dinners. They are also super easy to clean.
Here are some other benefits and safety tips of a slow-cooker for you.
Benefits:

•  Helps you to eat more meals at home and eliminates the temptation to order take-out which is often less nutritious and more expensive.
•  It usually allows one-step preparation, saving extra prep and clean up time.
• As a result of the long, low-temperature cooking, slow cookers help tenderize less-expensive cuts of meat.
• A slow cooker uses less electricity than an oven.

Safety tip:

• Rub the inside of the stoneware with oil or spray it with non-stick cooking spray before using it for an easy cleanup.
• Do not put frozen meat and poultry in your slow cooker. Always thaw the meat and poultry in the refrigerator before hand to ensure proper cooking.
•  Don’t fill the slow cooker to less or too full. Cooking too little or too much food in the slow cooker can affect cooking time, quality and the safety.
•  Always keep the lid in place during cooking. Removing the lid slows cooking time.

Enjoy and don’t forget to share your favorite slow-cooker recipe.
Neha 
Neha is a Special Projects Assistant for NC EFNEP
SOURCE: http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/planning-and-prep/snack-and-meal-ideas/slow-cooker-tips-for-busy-weeknights
 
 
 
 

August is Peach Month

One thing that people always think about when the summertime arrives is how sweet the summer peaches will taste. Peaches have various recipes and can taste delicious in anything. Peaches can even be made into a salsa recipe! There are many health benefits to peaches and many interesting facts about them. Peaches can enrich skin health, heart health, eye health, and contain various vitamins and minerals. Peaches are actually members of the rose family and were initially grown in China. There are also different types of peaches depending on how the seed separates from the inner part of the peach. The peaches that don’t separate from the seed easily are called clingstone peaches. The other peaches that do separate from the seed easily are called freestone peaches.
There are many colors that a peach can be including yellow, white, or orange. The color also can indicate the acidity of the peach. The white flesh is less acidic than the golden yellowish orange color. Peaches are also produced in Italy and in China mostly. Peach season is from June until the end of August. Peaches are typically ripe when they are a creamy yellow color or a golden color. Checking peaches with your whole hand is recommended as compared to using your fingertips since peaches bruise so easily.
A large peach has less than 70 calories and has 3 grams of fiber in it. Peaches contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C. Peaches are not only tasty but nutritious as well and go great with a numerous amount of recipes. The most common food that people think of when it comes to peaches is a peach cobbler, but peaches can be used in very different recipes other than desserts. Peaches can be used to make a peachy chicken salad, peach salsa, and even in muffins! Peaches are great in many ways and can be delicious in various dishes! Here is a great healthy southern peach cobbler recipe for those of you who love peach cobbler and want a healthier recipe!
Healthier Southern Peach Cobbler:  (Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:

• 8 fresh peaches – peeled, pitted, and sliced into thin wedges
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425˚F.
Combine peaches, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ tablespoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2-quart baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine flour, white sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of flour mixture over them.
Mix together 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.
For more peach recipes/dishes visit:

•  https://foodhero.org/recipes/peach-salsa 

Serve and enjoy!
Taylor Davis
Taylor is a student intern working with EFNEP at N.C. Cooperative Extension, Pitt County Center.

Mother May I?

“Mother May I?” may sound like just a child’s question, but it’s also a fun game for young children that gets them moving!

You need at least 3 players to play “Mother May I?” One player is the mother while the rest of the players are the children. The mother and the children should stand opposite each other in a room or open area outside. To begin, one child asks the mother, “Mother may I _____?” Whatever the child asks the mother should be to take some number of actions that helps the child get toward the mother. The mother can either say “Yes you may,” or “No you may not, but you may ____” (if the mother says no, they must instead offer a different movement that the child may do). Continue playing until one of the children reaches the mother–this child is the winner and becomes the mother for the next game.

Examples of actions that children may request include:

• “Mother may I take 5 baby steps forward?”
• “Mother may I take 2 giant steps forward?”
• “Mother may I take 3 hops forward?”
• “Mother may I run forward for 4 seconds?”

Examples of suggestions that mother may make include:

• “No you may not, but you may take 2 giant steps backward.”
• “No you may not, but you may run backward for 3 seconds.”
• “No, you may not, but you may walk backward until I say, ‘Stop.'”

Who can your children play “Mother May I?” with this week?

Move While You Clean

Cleaning doesn’t have to just be a chore–it can actually be great exercise! Have you ever noticed yourself getting exhausted as you vacuum your floors? I sure have!

Turn cleaning into a fun family affair–cleaning doesn’t have to be all disinfectant and dullness! Play your favorite songs and groove while you move around the house. Turning on fast music can help you clean faster. Not only does this get the job done more quickly, but it also gets your heart rate up higher, resulting in a better workout. Having your children help clean allows them to get the benefits of exercise as well as teaches them the importance of contributing to household responsibilities. Toddlers who may not be developmentally ready to clean can still dance, move, and pretend to clean with you.

Children should get at least 60 minutes of exercise daily. This doesn’t have to be 60 minutes straight. They could help you clean for 30 minutes in the afternoon and play frisbee for 30 minutes in the evening to reach the 60-minute goal. While these activities are intended for classroom physical activity breaks, your children can try them at home to fit in extra activity time at home. Whether they’re helping you clean, playing actively, or doing quick exercises, encourage your children to be active everyday!

What part of your home can your family clean together today?

Freezer Magic: 8 Tips for Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

We are in the peak of summer time produce. Often I buy a little extra since it is such a good price but can’t use it all fresh in one week. In search of ways to preserve what I bought and ensure that I can use for more meals, I came across this publication, Freezer Magic: 8 Tips for Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
Here are a few things I want to highlight for you:

• Freeze ripe, high-quality fruits and vegetables. Freezing won’t magically fix any rot, lack of ripeness, or mold — it will just preserve those pesky problems.
• Think about how you want your fruits and vegetables to appear when you reach for them in the freezer.
• Consider the serving size. Freeze in “ready-to-eat” sizes that you and your family regularly consume.
• Many vegetables need to be “blanched” or partially cooked before they are frozen. For a full list, see the publication.

Freezing fruits and vegetables can be a good way to save you money. Be sure to follow the instructions and use the produce, instead of letting them go to waste. Otherwise, you don’t end up saving money!
Enjoy!!
Emily
Emily is an Extension Associate for NC EFNEP.
Source: http://foodandhealth.com/freezer-magic-8-freezing-tips/