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...

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...

How foods are prepared and the part of the food you eat makes a difference in enjoyment. Beets are an excellent example, since we can eat from root to stalk. For me, cooked beets are not a go-to food. (Except the Chocolate Beet Snack Cake in this post.) What I like from beets are the beet greens...

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...

A few things happened that day I wanted to make cookies. I didn't want to make individual cookies - or multiple dozens of cookies. (Too much time waiting on batches.) The dietitian in me wanted to add in a boost of nutrition. (But not make the cookies so "healthy" as to remove...

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...

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...

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...

When writing about specific fruits and veggies, I like to look at recipes with that food. I know how I'd use eggplant, but how do others use it? It seems like eggplant pairs endlessly with so many flavors across so many cultures. While eggplant can be the center of the dish, it can also compliment...

Peaches are one of a handful of foods I don't buy fresh unless it's summertime and I can get them locally. The quality and flavor of peaches in summer from a local farm is just. so. good! My favorite way to eat them is on their own. No muss, no fuss. But there are lots of ways to prepare...

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...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Most of us know someone who has been touched, in some way, by heart disease. Sound a bit scary? It doesn’t have to be because heart disease can often be...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Most of us know someone who has been touched, in some way, by heart disease. Sound a bit scary? It doesn’t have to be because heart disease can often be...

Winter can be a shock to the system. Yes, it’s true, some of us live for the frigid temperatures and the snow and ice outside. But for the rest of us, we’d rather hunker down and wait for the Spring thaw. Whichever you prefer, though, the dramatic shift outdoors can have an impact on your body,...

Winter can be a shock to the system. Yes, it’s true, some of us live for the frigid temperatures and the snow and ice outside. But for the rest of us, we’d rather hunker down and wait for the Spring thaw. Whichever you prefer, though, the dramatic shift outdoors can have an impact on your body,...

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...

Fun fact I think many people have started to learn over the years: the cans of pumpkin puree on grocery store shelves are from "processing pumpkins" or "canning pumpkins," while the pumpkins we decorate with and carve are "ornamental pumpkins." Fun fact number two: Illinois is a top...

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...

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...

Avoiding illness has been on our minds lately, especially over the last 18 months. A healthy immune system helps protect us from becoming ill, but the question is: Can we strengthen our own immune system? The short answer is yes. However, it’s important to note that no single...

Avoiding illness has been on our minds lately, especially over the last 18 months. A healthy immune system helps protect us from becoming ill, but the question is: Can we strengthen our own immune system? The short answer is yes. However, it’s important to note that no single...

Who has made the "mistake" of planting too many zucchini or summer squash plants, and then scrambled to find doorsteps to drop off extras? Take them please! There are too many! Or is it just time to eat a whole LOT of summer squash in the next month? Nutritionally, 1 cup of chopped zucchini...

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?...

Summer is officially here! If you haven’t already gotten your grill out, you should consider doing so. Grilling is a great way to keep the kitchen cool and enjoy many of your favorite summer foods. Whether you are grilling meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, it is important to food safety at...

School is out for the year and kids everywhere are excited to start their summers! Whatever the kids are doing, let them practice making meals and snacks for themselves this summer. This gives them autonomy with their food choices, lets them develop self-sufficiency, and may encourage...

Every year, Illinoisans all over the state take advantage of farmers markets for local, fresh, in-season produce. Illinois is ranked #3 in the nation for having the highest number of farmers' markets. Farmers markets are a great place to enjoy the outdoors while shopping for good deals on...

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...

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...

Along with green peas, broccoli might be tied as the most unpopular veggie with kids. I was an exception. As a kid and adult, broccoli is one of my favorite veggies - cooked at least. Raw broccoli doesn't appeal to me. Even a dietitian has food preferences, so this is a reminder that...

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, known for founding the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally (1).”  Mindfulness may be practiced anytime, including while eating. ...

Oats can be found in many cultural dishes such as Scotland’s haggis and Muesli from the Swiss. Oats have been a popular addition to many recipes and a staple food source for centuries. Oats are an extremely versatile whole grain and can be added to many recipes, from breakfast to beverages. Here...

Are you patiently waiting for the apple season? The abundance of apples may come from an apple tree, a visit to the orchard or a local farmers market, or your local market. Right now in Illinois, the hot summer sun is preparing this delicious fruit for the harvest season. Many apple varieties are...

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...