March 2026
Volume 4 Issue 3
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Featured Program of the Month!
Walk Kansas
Grab your walking shoes and your friends (or go solo) and join us for Walk Kansas 2026!
Walk Kansas is an 8-week health initiative designed to help YOU move more, feel better, and adopt healthier habits — with support from friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. Whether you walk, jog, bike, swim, dance, or do your favorite activity, you log your minutes and watch your progress grow! You will receive weekly motivational and educational emails, access to webinars, and more.
Register today at walkkansas.org! Registration closes March 31.
Contact us at foodhelp@jocogov.org or 913-715-7000 with questions or help registering.
Johnson County K-State Extension Walk Kansas Info
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Did you know that there is a day dedicated to all the peanut butter lovers out there?! Did you also know that tt also takes about 540 peanuts to fill one 12- ounce jar of peanut butter?! March 1st is known as National Peanut Butter Lover's Day. Whether you love peanut butter with bananas, on your ice cream, in a Thai peanut butter sauce, in a Reese's peanut butter cup, or by the spoonful straight from the jar, this day is for you! Watch your serving size, though, as peanut butter is a delicious but calorie-dense food, with almost 200 calories per 2 tablespoons.
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Whole Wheat Sesame Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Makes 6 servings
| | This sesame noodle dish is a quick and easy meal. Whole wheat spaghetti adds extra fiber, but any noodle can long noodle can be substituted. Substitute your favorite vegetables and adjust the heat by adding more red pepper flakes or other fresh spicy peppers. | |
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cups snow peas
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, unpacked
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
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- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti according to package directions.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil, broccoli, bell pepper, onion, shredded carrots, and snow peas. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.
- Take 1/2 cup out of the pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta.
- In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Add hot pasta and vegetables. Toss to coat, thinning the sauce with small amounts of reserved pasta water as necessary.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled. Garnish with sliced green onions, peanuts, and fresh cilantro.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours.
| | Contact us for nutrition information. | | |
Store-bought nut butters can be expensive and contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, added sugars, mono and diglycerides, and salt! Make your own at home following these easy tips.
Tips for making your own homemade nut butter:
- Invest in a high-quality food processor or blender.
- Add no more than 3 cups of nuts per 7-quart work bowl.
- The longer you process, the softer and creamier the butter.
- If a crunchy nut butter is desired, add a handful of nuts just after the ball of nut butter begins to smooth out.
- You can use any type of nut or a combination of nuts.
- For a deeper flavor, toast the nuts until fragrant and brown before processing.
- Try adding cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves, a pinch of salt, or a sweetener to get your desired flavor.
- Store in the refrigerator and stir as needed. Since there are no other ingredients, natural separation will occur!
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Knowledge for Life newsletter
Interested in learning more about other topics or events around gardening, nature, aging, and so much more? Sign up for our monthly Knowledge for Life newsletter which will you give you the latest happenings in our office.
| | K-State Research and Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Program information may be available in languages other than English. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including alternative means for communication (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, and American Sign Language) may be requested by contacting the JoCo KSRE Office two weeks prior to the start of the event at (913) 715-7000. Requests received after this date will be honored when it is feasible to do so. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request. | | Let us know how you liked this month's newsletter! | | | | | | |
