There are more varieties you can grow and buy, but the main winter squashes I see sold in grocery stores and from farm stands around me are butternut, spaghetti, and acorn squashes.  Acorn squashes are typically small, and if...

“All that candy will make your teeth fall out” is a common expression typically heard around sugar-filled holidays. The brain needs sugar to function, but too much sugar can cause problems, including cavities and gum disease....

"I have more eggs in the summer than I know what to do with," said a community member calling into my office. If you have backyard chickens, there might come a time when you have more eggs than your household will eat. Let's talk about some...

June is Dairy Month, a perfect time to explore the wide variety of dairy and dairy-free options available. Whether you enjoy traditional dairy products or prefer plant-based alternatives, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Let's dive into the delicious world of dairy and dairy-free options...

I so enjoy the big variety of citrus that comes to stores in winter. Stocked with more than oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit, I'm seeing mandarins (including tangerines, clementines, and satsumas), tangelos, ugli fruit, oranges with fun colors (like cara cara and blood oranges), and...

Gluten-free, low sugar, no fat — doesn’t that sound like a yummy Thanksgiving dinner? We could be describing a trend in modern dieting; however, what we are talking about is the first Thanksgiving. When coloring hand-traced turkeys and making paper bag vests in elementary school, we learned that...

Breastfeeding…it can be tough, but oh so worth it!  August is National Breastfeeding month and a wonderful time to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding.  As a new mom, nearly 16 years ago now, I was fortunate that through my education as a Registered Dietitian, I felt...

Summer means lot of choices for fresh fruits and vegetables, including melons. Today I want to share some recipes with melon I developed for a program back in 2018 for those receiving Community Supported Agriculture...

Canning season is in full swing, and a common question I get asked each year is, "Can I use my glass or ceramic cooktop when canning?” To answer this question, begin by contacting your cooktop manufacturer to find out what they recommend. But then I want you to ask yourself, "Is it a...

Gardens, farmers markets, and stores are benefiting from the wide variety of fruits and vegetables available during summer months. And summertime brings the best colors of produce! Eating different colors helps meet nutrition needs No fruit or vegetable has the same mix of vitamins and minerals....

One vegetable that is notably present in grocery stores across the nation each spring is asparagus. Although asparagus can be found year-round, the peak availability of this perennial vegetable is in the spring. This vegetable has long slender, brightly colored spears with pointy crowns. The color...

Butter, margarine, and oil are all types of fat used in the kitchen. Whether it's baking, stir-frying, cooking, or using as a spread, fat plays a role in the American diet. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories. Saturated...

Plant-based diets are becoming more popular The 2023 National Nutrition Month campaign encourages people to eat with the environment in mind and to consume more plant-based foods. This means meat is seen rather as a sidekick than a main attraction. With plants being the center of...

Did you know that Illinois Extension works with local food pantries through our Illinois Nutrition Education Program (INEP)? This includes nutrition education with pantry clients and assistance to pantry coordinators with...

After a multiday team meeting, our group went out to dinner. A special at a local restaurant was a whole pumpkin, scooped out and filled with mashed pumpkin, seafood, veggies, and sauce. It was a hit! While they're tasty and make for festive decorating, I find winter squash ...

After a long summer tending to your garden, you may be getting a little tired. However, if you want your pumpkins and other winter squash to last well past the growing season, take special care when bringing them in this fall. If you intend to keep your pumpkins around for a while and use them...

Oh my, is it hot this week in Illinois! So, these five cold summer salad recipes will certainly taste great to help beat the heat.  I like salads (and recipes like salsa with a mix of different fruits and veggies) for a couple reasons. One, there are multiple different nutrients in one...

I don't remember growing up eating turnips. And while turnips are not my go-to veggie, I enjoy grabbing an occasional bunch when I visit farmers markets or local farms each year, primarily to shake up my food routine.  If you enjoyed turnips as a kid (or as an adult), how did your family...

Is it a zucchini or a cucumber? I get this question almost every time I talk with kids about that long, green vegetable. (They do have some similarities. It would be easy to confuse.) If you garden, cucumbers seem to keep coming and growing and expanding across the soil! So, when you are ready to...

I'm ready for some green this spring! While you have lots of options with spring flowers and impending green blades of grass, let's talk about the humble...

A community member called my office  several years ago with a really interesting question: why does the liner of my can of pineapple look different from my canned beans? Until that question, I hadn't paid much attention to the inside of my cans, except to look at the food. I think about that...

What is a food you never grew up eating, but now enjoy as an adult? There are several for me, including pears, asparagus, cauliflower, and kiwi fruit. I've had strawberry-kiwi flavored drinks, but never a fresh kiwi fruit until several years ago. I'm so glad I tried them, with their soft...

Leeks aren't an ingredient I use much at all myself, probably because I don't see them in my rural grocery store. When I shop bigger stores or farmers markets where leeks might be available, I'll keep an eye out. Particularly in autumn because leeks pair so well with many fall-inspired recipes...

When I was growing up, we had an old black walnut tree next to our driveway that would drop walnuts, causing me to trip over them while chasing my brother. I loathed this tree, especially when it was my turn to mow the grass, as I had to first rake the walnuts, wasting more of my precious time....

Often a day of candy, treats, and sugar, a "healthy" Halloween might well be an oxymoron. By focusing more on getting dressed up and the fun of playing games and tricks, kids and adults can focus less on food and more on the festivities. Giving Out (Tricks or) Treats There is nothing wrong with...

Whole grains are an essential part of a healthy and well-balanced diet. They provide fiber and vital nutrients our bodies need, such as B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals like iron and zinc. Dietary fiber is a form of carbohydrate that your body cannot absorb or digest. Because dietary...

Just about every year I've been working, Sandy, one of our Master Gardeners, brings in squash blossoms around the office. He has offered them to me in the past, but I've never cooked with them before and never took him up the offer. This...

I got to spend some time a few weeks ago picking blueberries! Put on my hat and UV shirt, brought a bottle of water, and got to pickin'. Thanks goodness for taller blueberry bushes so I could take a break from crouching down. Now the question is: what to do with all the fresh blueberries?...

There is nothing in this world like eating truly ripe fruit, picked at the peak of nutritional freshness. You know when you bite into a truly ripe, locally grown strawberry that you are eating something special.  Oh my, I can almost taste one now! There is no comparison between a fully ripe...

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed when trying to maintain a healthy diet, you are not alone. We all know a healthy diet is vital to our overall health, especially if you are attempting to slim down or manage a chronic health condition. One of the best diets, or rather eating patterns, is...

Radishes come in quite the variety: spicy to mild, small to long, round to straight, red to white to multicolored. This photo of a watermelon radish from University of California Cooperative Extension is...

There’s something about going to the farmers market that just feels right. Maybe it’s the cool breeze and peek of sunshine in the morning, the calm gathering of people with their adorable babies and furry dogs, or the colorful array of foods that stand in front of the hard-working farmers....

The strawberries are coming! The strawberries are coming! May is National Strawberry Month so you might start seeing sales or promotions in grocery stores and locally grown strawberries will be available soon at local farmers markets and pick-your-own sites. Like other berries, a wonderfully...

April is national stress awareness month. As we continue to face new seasons in life, let's take a few minutes to talk about stress and how we can better manage it. Everyone experiences stress. However, each of us experiences stress differently. Stress is how our brain and body respond to any...

Onions can serve as the star in a recipe like onion soup or play a supporting role. For today's post, I'll talk about more common bulb and spring onions, and others in the allium genus, including leeks, shallots, and chives. Nutritionally, a single medium raw bulb onion contains around...

Do you feel pressed for time in the morning but still want to enjoy a heart-healthy breakfast? Well I’m here to help! Breakfast is an important part of the day and an opportunity to fill your body with the fuel it needs to accomplish goals and complete daily tasks. The foods you choose influence...

Adequate, quality sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. Sleep helps the body to heal and restore itself. It is vital for brain and heart health, mood and physical function, and a healthy immune system.  However, as we age, many people report issues related to the amount of time...

Whether used in a savory soup, added to quick breads, or your beloved family pie, pumpkins are a fall favorite for many, and very versatile. This fruit is packed full of key nutrients our bodies need. Yes, I said fruit. Fun fact, although pumpkins have a nutritional profile like that of a...

Making healthy food choices will help you and your baby’s overall health. What you eat during pregnancy can affect your growing baby. Choosing nutritious foods will help ensure your baby has the best start in life. Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy and...

Sour, sweet, bread and butter, Kosher dills, spears, chips, sliced on a sandwich, or as a snack or side dish. Pickles are everywhere!Pickling is an ancient form of food preservation, dating back to 2030 B.C. when cucumbers from India were pickled in the Tigris Valley. The word “...

Psssst…. Did you hear? Word on the street is that pineapple juice is a cure for the COVID-19 virus! Is that true? Can you reduce your risk of getting sick by choosing specific foods? Well, there is no such thing as a free lunch, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That is the...