healthy food - FOOD DIVIDE GROWS BETWEEN RICH & POOR - SIBEJO

Overall, Americans are eating better. Between 2002 and 2012, the percent of people eating a poor diet fell from around 56% to under 46%. But it's a different story if you separate people out by income. High-income Americans are eating better than ever � swapping fruit juice for whole fruits, replacing refined grains with whole grains, and eating tons of nuts � while the low-income group has improved much more modestly. Here's how some of the trends break down:

• High-income people are eating a lot more fruit, while those in the low-income group didn't see a significant change. By 2012, high-income people were eating almost two more servings of fruit per week, replacing fruit juice (a less healthy option) with whole fruit.
• Everyone is eating more whole grains, but only high-income people are dropping their consumption of refined grains like white bread and corn flakes.
• Everyone is drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and sports drinks, but high-income people are drinking a lot less than low-income people. The two are basically falling in lockstep.

Food cost is undoubtedly part of the reason for this gap, but it doesn't fully explain it. Other, less tangible factors also play a role: the time cost to buying foods and preparing them yourself; a nutrition knowledge barrier, and heavy marketing of junk food and fast food to low-income people.  

Source: The Week, 7/4/16, Food Gap

healthy food - Veggie of the Month on 95.3 The Wolf - SIBEJO

Starting with this morning, GardenShare will be featuring a "Veggie of the Month" on the first Wednesday of the month between 8:00 and 9:00 AM with morning show host Tony Lynn on 95.3 The Wolf FM.

Intern Hogan has been prepping the material for these interviews and so he and Amanda joined me in the studio this morning.  After highlighting this month's veggie, we gave away $10 in tokens that can be used at any farmers market in St. Lawrence County.

Listen in each month on the first Wednesday to learn more about GardenShare, farmers markets, and a new veggie each month!

Gloria

July Veggie of the Month is Radishes

• Grown in North America since the early 1600s
• Grown in most states, but California and Florida have the most
• Ideal for children�s gardens because they grow so fast  -  From seed to eating plant in ~25 days
• Nutrition - Radishes are rich in vitamin C and B vitamins. It also contains dietary fibers and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese and Super low in calories!

Recipe option #1: Roasted radishes

        2-1/4 pounds radishes, trimmed and quartered

        3 tablespoons olive oil

        1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

        1/4 teaspoon salt

        1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions - super simple

1.     In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425� for 30 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring once. Yield: 5 servings.

Recipe option #2: Grilled Radishes, Fennel and Asparagus Salad with a Caper Dressing

?     Radishes are popular in salads, but are generally raw. These are grilled.

?     Good as a side salad or starter

Prep time - 10 minutes; cook time - 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

?     2 tbsp olive oil

?     2/3 cups (150g) radishes cut in half

?     1 large bulb fennel, sliced

?     3/4 cups (200g) asparagus, trimmed

?     4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

?     1 tbsp sherry vinegar

?     � red onion, finely chopped

?     2 tbsp baby capers

?     Salt and pepper

?     Small bunch of dill chopped

Directions:

1.     Preheat a large griddle pan and lightly dress all the vegetables in olive oil.

2.     While you are waiting for the griddle to warm up: mix together in a small bowl the olive oil and sherry vinegar, then add the onion and capers, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3.     Grill the vegetables on both sides in a single layer in the griddle pan, until the bar marks start to appear. This usually takes a couple of minutes.

4.     Once cooked, arrange on a serving dish, season with salt and pepper, drizzle over the dressing and scatter with the chopped dill. Serve at once.

healthy food - Let�s reconnect�June is National fruit and vegetable month. - SIBEJO

Put winter doldrums to rest and reconnect this month with freshness.  It�s at your fingertips this month with local farmers markets and roadside stands.  Meander around a market and see what looks good to you and take in the abundance of fresh food your local farmers have been putting their energy and heart into.  

Perhaps it�s the ripe strawberries you haven�t had since last June or the garlic scapes your friend loves to pickle, asparagus, or simply, lettuce.  Look for your favorites or try something different.  This could be your opportunity to reach outside the food �box� and discover something that may become a new staple in your home.   Ask questions when you�re at the market; the consumer/farmer connection can be quite encouraging. 

Eating fruits and vegetables doesn�t have to be clich�cook up some rhubarb-strawberry jam so the bright freshness can be yours deep into the winter months.  Take it a step further and reconnect with a friend or relative you just haven�t had time to connect with and ask if they have a worthy recipe.  The best recipes are the tried and true ones that get passed along.  Better yet, invite them over to help.  An afternoon of cooking and banter is good for the soul.  

Another option to do all of this while keeping your kitchen clean, is to take a cooking class together.  TAUNY, in Canton, is holding a class June 22-�Beyond Pesto, Creative Condiments with North Country Herbs�.  Call 386-4289 to sign up!

Take the time to cook.  Take the time to reconnect.

Written by Jenelle Matthews, GardenShare Outreach Coordinator

healthy food - �HEALTHY� TO GET NEW DEFINITION FROM FDA - SIBEJO

Salmon can�t actually be marketed as �healthy� under current FDA guidelines, despite being recommended as a good source of protein in the government�s most recent dietary guidelines. Pop-Tarts, on the other hand, are in the clear.

The labeling rules around �healthy� haven�t been revisited in over 20 years, even though our understanding of healthy eating habits has changed considerably since then. That�s why the FDA has announced that it will reevaluate the definition of �healthy,� seeking to bring labeling up-to-date with modern understanding and current science. Depending on the final rule, the change could have a huge impact on how food can be marketed to consumers.

Source: Think Progress, 5/11/16, Healthy Foods Redefined

Read or listen to more on this topic on North Country Public Radio

healthy food - Film: Food Frontiers - SIBEJO

Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future has released a short film that tells a half-dozen stories about projects around the country that are aimed at increasing access to healthy food.