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...