September 2010
Bountiful Harvest Foods
by Mary Gerlach, R.D.
Registered Dietician
September is such a splendid time of the year in New Mexico. In fact, it’s magnificent across the country this time of the year! This month marks the end of summer and beginning of fall—and farmers across the state continue to harvest their spring and summer plantings.
The sky here is particularly clear and blue in the fall. The pungent smell of sacks of roasting fresh green chile permeate the air. Farmer’s markets all over the state are busy selling apples and corn, late peaches, home grown tomatoes, and a host of different varieties of squash. What’s not to love about this time of year in New Mexico?
Stock up this month on fresh foods from your local farmer’s market. And while you’re at it, freeze some to savor this winter when it is no longer available fresh. Water is the primary component of fresh food and can make up between 50 percent and 90 percent of the weight of the food. Proper freezing maintains the natural water level of food and temporarily prevents the growth of micro-organisms and bacteria when the water freezes to ice.
When fresh food is frozen quickly, the cold penetrates rapidly, freezing the water and forming large numbers of small ice crystals. The smaller the ice crystals, the better the food quality when defrosted. When food is frozen slowly, the water in the food freezes and expands as fewer but larger ice crystals form. This causes the cell walls of the expanding food to rupture, resulting in structural damage to the food. When thawed, it will be limp or mushy and have less flavor.
The faster food is frozen the better. Place unfrozen foods in the coldest location at the bottom of your freezer so it freezes faster than it would in a warmer area. For best quality, there are some other common-sense things to think about when freezing and thawing foods. See tips on next page.
Meantime, enjoy these recipes using fresh ingredients from your garden, or purchased at your local farmer’s market or roadside stand.
BLT in a Tortilla
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
2 cups bite-size pieces lettuce
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise or salad dressing
6 flour tortillas (8-10 inch diameter)
In mixing bowl, gently toss all ingredients together except tortillas. Spread evenly on 6 warm tortillas (tortillas fold easier when warm). Fold up bottom third of each tortilla; roll up to form cone shape with folded end at bottom. Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 410; Carbohydrates 30 gm; Protein 14 gm; Fat 15 gm; Cholesterol 45 mg; Sodium 790 mg.
Low-Fat Blueberry Peach Crisp
4 medium peaches, peeled and sliced (2¾ cups)
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 Tb. packed brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup quick oats
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup honey nut cereal, slightly crushed
1/3 cup chopped pecans
¾ cup fat-free whipped topping
Heat oven to 375° F. Spray bottom and sides of 8x8x2-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Place peaches and blueberries in baking dish. In small bowl, mix brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg; drizzle over fruit. Bake 15 minutes in 375° F oven. Sprinkle with crushed cereal and pecans. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until peaches are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm or cold with whipped topping. Makes 6 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 170; Carbohydrates 29 gm; Protein 2 gm; Fat 5 gm; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 50 mg.
Apple, Cheese and Toasted Pecan Salad
Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup sugar
3 Tb. white balsamic vinegar
1 Tb. finely chopped red onion
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground mustard
½ tsp. celery seed
Salad
1 medium head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups mixed salad greens
4 ounces blue or Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 Gala or Fuji apples, cut into bite-size pieces
In small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved (dressing will be thick); set aside. In very large bowl, gently mix salad ingredients. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 10 1½ cup servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 240; Carbohydrates 17 gm; Protein 5 gm; Fat 17 gm; Cholesterol 10 mg; Sodium 290 mg.
Chicken Jicama Mango Lettuce Wraps
1 cup fresh white corn on the cob, corn removed
¼ cup milk (1 or 2 percent)
1½ cups chopped cooked skinless chicken breast
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup ranch dressing
5 to 8 drops hot sauce
½ cup diced jicama
1 small cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, cut into ¼-inch slices
1½ cups chopped peeled fresh mango
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
1 large head Boston or Bibb lettuce, center removed
In small saucepan or microwave, cook corn in milk until crisp tender. The last 3 minutes add chicken to warm. In large bowl, place remaining ingredients except lettuce and cheese; toss gently to mix. Place lettuce on serving plates. Spoon chicken mixture evenly into lettuce cups; top with vegetable/fruit mixture and shredded cheese. Wrap lettuce leaf around and eat. Makes 6 servings about 1¼ cup each.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 420; Carbohydrates 42 gm; Protein 21 gm; Fat 19 gm; Cholesterol 55 mg; Sodium 460 mg.