Join Live Well Utah blog editor Marta Nielsen as she talks with Brooke Walker of Studio 5 about Family Mealtime, and demonstrates some breakfast recipes from the Live Well Utah Cookbook, Family Mealtime Edition.
Did you see us on Studio 5? If you missed the show, you can watch the clip here. We have also posted the full recipes for the veggie frittata, granola, and overnight oats with all the variations.
Looking for a make-ahead breakfast to streamline your family’s morning routine? Try overnight oatmeal, and spend your morning eating together instead of scrambling to cook breakfast.
Adapted from the Live Well Utah Cookbook, Family Mealtime Edition
Per container:
To each container add oats, milk, vanilla, peaches, sweetener, and cinnamon in the amounts listed above, and cover with lids. Place filled containers in the refrigerator and let sit overnight. Oats will absorb the milk and some juice from the peaches. Enjoy in the morning!
Pumpkin Pie: in place of peaches, mix 1/2 cup canned pumpkin with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Spoon desired amount into jar (1/4-1/2 cup) before refrigerating, and top with chopped pecans before eating.
Any Season Berry: sub 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries for peaches.
Other Ideas: Try adding in chia seeds or ground flaxseed to your oats, adding more liquid as needed. Try substituting nut milk or part Greek yogurt in the recipe, and add fruits, nuts and seeds as desired to customize the flavors.
September is National Family Mealtime month. Each Friday this month we’ll be posting on that topic — specifically from the Live Well Utah Cookbook, Family Mealtime Edition. This publication is available for free at your local Extension office, or available digitally here. It features some great tips on the importance of family mealtime and meal planning, plus 21 quick, inexpensive, and nutritious recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
Don’t let your beautiful fall produce go to waste!
Fall is a fabulous time to glean from the summer growing season some of the best produce, apples, pears, winter squash, root vegetables, and more.
Once harvested it is important to store these wonderful foods properly in order to maximize length of storage, nutrition, and freshness.
There are two important considerations for storage: humidity and temperature. Each food has its own ‘best temperature and humidity’ zone for optimum storage. These conditions may be controlled in a number of different storage spaces, but each have their advantages and disadvantages.
Cool Basements
While most basements average around 60°F it may not be the most ideal conditions for some types of food storage.
Refrigerator
This option is a great way to store small amounts of produce that require cold or cold and moist conditions.
Root Cellars
Root cellars are nice in areas that have cold winters where there is moisture as well, but are subject to rodents and inconvenient access during storms or lots of snow.
Mock Root Cellars
Mock root cellars are storage conditions designed or built specifically to take advantage of cold weather, but are safe from rodents and possible freezing. These can be old coolers buried in the ground, under a porch, or next to the house. Some have built specially designed boxes in breezeways, sheds, or in the garage.
Along with each of these options, it will be important to choose the packing options best suited for the produce and form of storage used. Packing options include straw, newspaper, clean sawdust, peat moss, or even clean dirt or sand.
Whether you are harvesting your own garden produce, or buying it locally in season, these few tips will be valuable to keep in mind:
1. Harvest produce as close to peak maturity as possible.
2. Use only the best produce for storage…free from bruises and blemishes.
3. Avoid any produce that has severe insect damage.
4. Leave as much of the stem on as possible…at least an inch or more on most veggies is best to reduce water loss and avoid infection.
5. Choose ‘late maturing’ varieties for storage.
The following chart may be helpful in determining the storage environment best for these foods.
*One last note: Store fruits separate from vegetables. Fruits pick up the taste of other veggies and veggies will age faster from the ethylene gas produced from fruit.*
Isenberg, F. M. R. Storage of Home Grown Vegetables. Cornell University Department of Vegetable Crops, Master Gardener Reference.
Olsen, S., Drost, D., Hunsaker, T. Harvest and Storage of Vegetables and Fruits. Utah State University Extension, FN/FoodPreparation/2015-02.
Storage Guidelines For Fruits & Vegetables. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Chemung County. http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/vegetables/storage.pdf
This article was written by Teresa Hunsaker, Extension Finance and Consumer Sciences Agent, Weber County.
Make sure you’re canning your food safely!
Preserving your own foods can save you money and is a great way to know what is in the foods you eat. It is important to follow the safest canning guidelines and use up-to-date equipment to ensure your product is safe.
1. Be sure to check the source of your recipe. Extensive research and testing have resulted in scientific-based guidelines, which are the safest. To ensure you are using a science-based resource, your recipe and guidelines should come from Utah State University Extension, The National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia or The Ball Blue Book. Information should have been released after 2009. No other sources, including recipes on the Internet, can be presumed safe.
2. Pressure canner gauges should be tested once a year. Low-acid foods should be canned using a pressure canner. Watch for pressure canner gauge testing by your local Extension office in your area.
3. Attend a class to ensure you are current on your canning techniques. Look for a MASTER FOOD PRESERVER Course in your area. This class is an in-depth series on food preservation for optimum food safety in all areas of food preservation including pressure canning, water bath canning, dehydrating, and freezing.
For more current information on canning and food preservation, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation online at nchfp.uga.edu or extension.usu.edu/canning.
This article was written by SuzAnne Jorgensen, FCS Extension Agent, Garfield County