Getting Greens Among Winter Scenes | | |
While North Carolina has not been the best place to experience snow in recent years, most residents know the biting feeling of the icy wind when December arrives. Even though the wind bites and the ground is hard and barren, finding green is still possible among the winter scenes! From brussels sprouts to broccoli, swiss chard to mustard greens, green is actually fairly common in winter. Winter veggies are wonderful sources of vitamins and minerals like Vitamins A and C, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide antioxidants that help your body resist those unrelenting winter bugs. Don’t forget about gut health! Winter veggies are also great sources of fiber that can improve digestion and maybe even reduce inflammation in your body. Find your favorite green in the winter to bite back against that chilling frost!
Here are some great ways to find green in the winter:
- Search for green winter veggies at local markets or stores. Winter veggies include more than just green vegetables. However, green veggies you may find in season include swiss chard, kale, broccoli, collards, and leeks. They’re great in soups, stews, alongside roasts, and so many other meals to help you find green in a warm winter meal.
- Take a walk. It might be cold, so bundle up before heading outside. There might not be much green in the trees, but you might see evergreen trees, green grass, or green holly bushes with bright red berries (tempting, but they’re not for eating). Movement, even when it’s cold, may help wash those winter blues away and help you find some happy green!
Green veggies source: https://www.forksoverknives.com/how-tos/winter-produce-guide-in-season-fruits-vegetables/
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We all know North Carolina weather. One day it’s winter; the next, it’s summer. Mostly, we know there’s not a lot of snow in winter around here. That doesn’t have to stop you from having some winter-themed fun. Ever heard of cardboard box sledding? If not, you’re in luck! Grab any piece of cardboard that’s big enough to sit on and find the nearest grassy hill. You’ll be surprised with how fast you glide down it. Just pretend there’s snow, okay. You’ll have so much fun sledding down that grassy hill that you won’t even miss the snow. You’re even likely to want to go again. Don’t be too discouraged by the climb back up the hill. Start that hike to get your heart pumping, and guess what–you’ll get to sled back down again and again!
What you’ll need:
- A large piece of cardboard (or more if you’re going with friends or family)
- Water (remember, even when it’s cold, you’ll need some to stay hydrated)
- Find a tall, grassy hill (dry grass is better)
Image source: https://www.beafunmum.com/2015/02/grass-sledding/
| | Harvest of the Month: Kale! | | It won't kale you to try it! | | |
Kale, everyone’s favorite vegetable, right? Kale doesn’t always get a lot of love, but it’s been around for thousands of years! Many cultures are quite fond of kale. In Scotland, kale is so well appreciated that the word, “kail,” became a word for “dinner.” Americans even have a kale eating contest. More importantly, kale’s significance lies in its health benefits. The ancient Greeks and Romans ate kale for medicinal purposes. Kale is packed with nutrients to the point it’s hailed as a “super food!” This green veggie provides antioxidants and vitamins, like vitamins A and K. These nutrients help with your eye and blood health, as well as boosting your immune system when all the winter sicknesses go around town. Kale is also high in fiber and B-vitamins to support a variety of functions, including digestion.
Here’s the tricky part: kale can be difficult to chew and digest. To make things easier, try cooking your kale. If you’d like to eat it raw, give it a quick squeezing massage with your hands or salad tongs. You could even toss your kale in a smoothie. Maybe you love it or hate it, but remember, kale is versatile! Maybe you just haven’t tried it in the right form!
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/7-fun-facts-about-kale
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/fascinating-facts-kale
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-many-types-and-health-benefits-of-kale
| | Recipe Highlight: Kale & Sweet Potato Lasagna Roll Ups | | |
Do you like lasagna? How about cheese? Kale alone can be tough to swallow, but paired with your favorite lasagna ingredients and sweet potato, you might just be surprised by how much you now love kale! What’s the best part about this recipe (besides the kale)? It’s quick and simple! No lasagna layer assembly necessary!
Check out what you’ll need to make this recipe below:
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 kale leaves, torn, coarse stems removed
- 12 lasagna noodles, plus 2 extra in case of breakage
- 2 ½ cups of marinara sauce
- 3 cups of ricotta cheese (I used parmesan, instead)
- ¼ cup minced sage
- 1 tsp of red pepper flakes (if desired)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place your sweet potato cubes onto the sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Fill a large pot with about 1 inch of water. Insert a steamer basket in the pot if available. Add the kale to the steamer basket and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, cover and steam 1 minute or until kale appears wilted.*
- Using a cooking spoon or spatula, scoop kale from the steamer basket onto a towel. Squeeze out excess water.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to boil. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Cook to the al dente option and then drain pasta water.
- Brush 9x13 inch baking dish with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the dish.
- On a large baking sheet, lay the first 6 noodles side by side. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of ricotta onto each noodle. Dot the kale and sweet potatoes on top. Sprinkle some sage, red pepper flakes, and pepper if desired.
- Roll noodles and transfer to the baking dish seam side down.
- Repeat steps 7 and 8 for the next 6 noodles!
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Eat and enjoy!
*If no steamer basket is available, try using a colander on top of the pot. Note that it may take longer to steam the kale.
Link to recipe: https://itslifebysh.com/2024/12/08/kale-sweet-potato-lasagna-roll-ups-vegan-options/
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This month is all about finding green in winter. If you’d like to find green in food, you’re in the right corner! Up for trying some kale? How about building a salad? Kale is great by itself, but it also pairs well with lots of other veggies. Toss in some carrots, broccoli, radishes, cucumbers, or even some fruits, and you’ve got yourself a kale salad!
Check out this activity from the Carolina Hunger Initiative about building a salad!
Source: https://carolinahungerinitiative.org/harvest-of-the-month/
| | SNAP provides monetary assistance to supplement the food budget of households that meet the financial and resource requirements. | | | | |
Foods available under SNAP:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry, and fish
- Dairy products
- Breads and cereals
- Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat
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Second Harvest Food Bank's Nutrition Services is committed to working with low-income families seeking to improve their nutrition and health, partnering with our agency programs and community groups.
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