by Guest | Sep 23, 2017 | Eat Well
By Heather White, Community Health Improvement Coordinator, Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization
We all know that nutrition is incredibly important, especially for growing children. But how often do we think past the content of the meals we make our children, and think about the environments we serve those meals in? In all the big things we do for our kids: teaching them how to be a healthy adult, getting them through life’s big milestones and hurdles, and providing them their basic needs, the “little things” actually make a huge impact on who our kids turn out to be.
Research is clear across the board: Family mealtime is important. Having a consistent, supportive family mealtime can drastically reduce a child’s risk of substance use disorders, depression, suicide or suicidal thinking, obesity, and more. They can set our children up to have higher self-esteem and be more successful not only in school, but in their ability to form healthy relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Not much of the research out there suggests that there’s any tricky magic formula to logistics: it doesn’t seem that it has to take place every night or for a specific length of time, but sitting down away from a TV to eat for 3 or more nights per week can help us build strong and lasting connections within our families. The food, the habits, the place, and more are up to us.
Family mealtimes can come in packages as diverse as our families, but some of the headaches we face may be very similar. Some of us may feel guilty for not having family mealtimes “often enough” because we are busy. Others may dread family meals because we anticipate arguments with our teens, or struggles with our toddlers over how much to eat, or because they remind us of the struggles we had with our families as children. Mealtimes can be a source of joy for you and your family, and can provide opportunities for your child to learn and grow in a safe place.
Charlie Slaughter, MPH, RD writes in his book Hungry for Love: Creating a Mealtime Environment That Builds Connection, Life Skills, and Eating Capabilities writes that it is never too late to try something new. Mr. Slaughter writes about the importance of healthy attachment and how mealtimes can be a great place to start, because mealtimes are about feeding our children (and receiving) four vital things: love, care, connection, and food. He argues that rather than focusing on the food as the most important thing, if we focus on allowing our children to make decisions about how much they eat of what you offer, having meaningful conversations, and giving and receiving love even when we tell each other “no” to foods or to behaviors that many things about parenting outside mealtime can become more joyful as well.
If you’d like to learn more about strategies for healthy mealtimes and other “small things” we can do to help our children grow, Mr. Slaughter will be giving a full day training at Tillamook Bay Community College from 9:30am-4:30pm on October 5th. It is open to parents as well as anyone who works with children. RSVP here: https://cosp_tillamook.eventbrite.com
by Guest | Sep 7, 2017 | Eat Well
By Jessica Linnell, Asst. Professor of Practice, OSU Extension, Family & Community Health
It’s time for fall salmon! If you are planning to catch your own or purchase from your favorite fishmonger, think about canning some to enjoy delicious salmon all year long. Having salmon on-hand can save time in preparing healthy meals. Canned fish is also great protein to have stored in case of emergencies.
Canned salmon can be used in many different dishes and the combinations are endless. Salmon and pasta is a great combination. Add canned salmon to macaroni and cheese. Canned salmon is a great addition to your favorite macaroni salad recipe for a great protein-packed lunch. Canned salmon and pesto sauce make a winning combination.
Canned salmon is also a great protein for salads. Consider making a Caesar salad with romaine lettuce, tossed with a dressing of egg yolks, olive oil, anchovies, and garlic, and then top with canned salmon, croutons and parmesan cheese. Another great way to enjoy canned salmon is in soups and chowder.
If you enjoy canning and would like to teach others, the Oregon State University Extension Office is offering a Master Food Preserver course beginning October 17th. This program trains and certifies adult volunteers in proper food preservation and safe food handling techniques. Course fees are $125 with volunteering, $250 without volunteering. Register at http://bit.ly/TillamookFoodPreservation. For more information call 503-842-3433 or email nancy.kershaw@oregonstate.edu.
The following is a Pacific Northwest Extension Publication recipe that is research-tested to ensure high quality and safety.
Recipe Title: Home-canned salmon
Recipe Source: Pacific Northwest Extension, PNW 194 Canning Seafood
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 100 minutes for processing, plus additional time to catch and filet your fish
Ingredients & equipment
- Raw salmon
- Pressure canner
- Pint or half-pint jars
Directions:
These instructions are for plain, raw fish. To can smoked fish, see PNW 450 Canning Smoked Fish at Home. This recipe is for salmon, trout, and other fish, except tuna.
- Bleed and eviscerate fish immediately after catching (never more than 2 hours after they have been caught.) Chill the cleaned fish immediately and keep on ice until you are ready to can.
- If the fish is frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator before canning.
- Before you can, remove the head, tail and fins. Wash fish carefully in cold water. Split fish lengthwise. Cut into lengths suitable for jars. (About ¾ pound of filleted fish will fill one pint jar.) The bones can be left in and the skin can be left on for canning, or they can be removed. For halibut, remove the bones and skin.
- Pack fish tightly into hot half-pint or pint jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. If desired, add 1-teaspoon salt per pint. Do not add liquids.
- Wipe rims of jars with a paper towel dampened with vinegar. Adjust lids.
- Process in a pressure canner as follows:
- Dial gauge pressure canner, in pint or half-pint jars:
Process for 100 minutes. Canner pressure should be 11lb at 0-2000 feet elevation, 12lb at 2001-4000 feet elevation, 13 lb at 4001-6000 feet elevation, and 14 lb over 6000 feet elevation.
- Weighted-gauge pressure canner, in pint or half-pint jars:
Process for 100 minutes. Canner pressure should be 10 lb at 0-1000 feet elevation, or 15 lb at 1000 feet elevation or above.
Notes: For more information on the use of pressure canners or to have your pressure gauge tested, visit the Oregon State University Extension Service office at 4506 3rd Street in Tillamook.
by Guest | Aug 3, 2017 | Eat Well
By Lauren M. Kraemer, MPH, Extension Family & Community Health, Oregon State University/Wasco County Extension and Nancy Kershaw, Extension Family & Community Health/4-H Youth Development Faculty, Oregon State University/Tillamook County Extension
Fermentation is one of the easiest methods of preserving food and boasts the most health benefits, least energy consumption, and most variety and room for creativity (read: experimentation) over any other type of food preservation method. With a little bit of pure sodium chloride (salt) and your own hands, you can get delicious vegetable mixtures that are preserved for weeks or even months with no canners, dehydrators, freezers, or fancy kitchen equipment.
Food preservation is a science, not an art and bending the rules could result in deadly consequences. The one we worry most about is botulism and interestingly, cases only began showing up in historical records after canning was invented in the 1790’s. By creating a sealed, anaerobic (air free) environment, we create the perfect conditions for botulism to grow.
Fermentation on the other hand, creates an ideal environment for lactic acid bacteria which lower the pH of things like cabbage and kimchi so that bad bacteria like botulism less likely to grow. Fermentation does not require an anaerobic environment; jars need to breath, and burp, and bubble in order to release the carbon dioxide being produced as good bacteria grow. All of this makes fermented foods safer than fresh foods, which may have the risk of carrying disease causing microorganisms like E.coli, listeria, salmonella, mold etc. or canned foods which can harbor botulism and staphylococcus.
In the book, “The Art of Fermentation,” by Sandor Ellix Katz, he lends decades of experience as a fermenter, giving you the confidence to try your first batch of kraut or kimchi. Katz comments on the double entendre that is “culture” in the realm of fermentation. This word brings to mind agar plates and swabs of bacteria as he discusses the cultures of organisms that are created through fermentation. He writes that a healthy human gut has over 7 trillion bacteria and as we have come to eat highly processed, commercially produced foods, we end up losing a lot of that good bacteria because it is no longer introduced into our bodies through various fermented foods. The second idea of culture is of the broader family, national, or food culture. Koreans have kimchi, Germans have sauerkraut, Italians have wine, and the French have cheese. All of these cultural fermented foods play into the pleasure of eating and sharing a meal. Fermentation brings flavors out of foods that you would never experience in them fresh, let alone canned or frozen. You can experience the palate pleasing textures, tastes, and aromas of fermented foods.
OSU Food Preservation Resources
• Food Safety and Preservation Hotline 800-354-7319
Mid-July through mid-October, Monday-Friday, 9 am-4 pm
• Oregon State University Extension Service food preservation publications.
• Master Food Preserver Volunteer Training Coming Fall 2017.
Patterned after the popular Master Gardener program, the training includes 40 hours of training and 40 hours of volunteer time. Contact the Tillamook County Extension Office for more information: 503-842-3433.
Sauerkraut
Recipe Source: Oregon State University Extension
Number of servings: 5 lbs
Ingredients:
5 pounds shredded cabbage
3 tablespoons canning or pickling salt
Note: Select mature heads of cabbage that are disease-free. The best kraut is made from the mid to late season crop. If harvesting, wait 1-2 days after harvest to make the sauerkraut. Remove outer leaves and cores and shred cabbage into long and thin slices, about the thickness of a quarter. For 5 pounds of shredded cabbage you will need between 6-7 pounds, about 3-4 medium heads.
Equipment:
Large plastic or stainless steel mixing bowl
Food-grade fermenting containers (Do not use copper, iron or galvanized-metal containers or garbage bags and trash liners.)
Note: One-gallon glass or plastic jars work well for 5 pounds of cabbage. 5 pounds of cabbage will fill about 3-quart jars or one large gallon container with room for a brine bag or weight.
Directions:
• Place shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle salt evenly over cabbage.
• With clean hands, thoroughly mix the salt into the cabbage. As the salt dissolves, the cabbage will begin to wilt and become juicy.
• Pack the cabbage firmly into the food-grade fermenting container, pressing evenly with your fist.
• As you pack it you will notice the brine coming from the cabbage. You will need enough brine to cover the cabbage. Leave at least 4-5 inches of headspace.
• Put a weight on the cabbage to keep the cabbage covered with brine while fermenting. Wipe the edges of the jar or crock before putting the weight on top. For glass jars, use a freezer-weight plastic bag filled with brine made of 1½ tablespoons salt per 1 quart of water. For crocks, use a plate and weigh it down with a jar of water or a plastic bag filled with brine.
• Cover the fermenting container with a clean tea towel or cheesecloth to reduce mold growth. For glass containers, cover the jar with a brown paper bag to keep the light off of the kraut while it is fermenting. This helps retain nutrients and preserves the color of the kraut.
• Store at 70-75ºF while fermenting. At 70-75ºF sauerkraut will be fully fermented in about 3-4 weeks; at 60-65ºF fermentation may take 5-6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60ºF sauerkraut may not ferment. Above 75ºF sauerkraut may become soft. The smaller the fermenting container the faster it will ferment.
• If you weigh the cabbage down with a brine-filled bag, do not disturb the crock until normal fermentation is completed. If you use a plate and jar, check the sauerkraut 2-3 times each week and remove scum if it forms.
• To see if kraut is ready is to smell and taste it. It should smell and taste like kraut not sour cabbage.
Happy Preserving!
Notes: Recipes for how to use your kraut can be found at Oregon Sate University Extension: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/sites/default/files/documents/sp50611makingsauerkraut.pdf
by Guest | Aug 3, 2017 | Eat Well, Recipes
Are you planning a backyard barbecue or picnic? This recipe is great for a crowd!
Recipe Source: Food Hero http://foodhero.org
Number of servings: 12
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper (optional)
6 cups canned beans, about 4 cans (15 ounces each) drained and rinsed (try a mixture – green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans)
2 cups of your favorite chopped vegetables (try a mixture of red onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper)
Directions:
- In a large bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and oil. Mix well. Add salt and pepper, if desired.
- Add beans and vegetables and gently stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. For more flavor, make a day ahead.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Note: Add a little tangy flavor by throwing in some pickled vegetables like pepperoncinis, beets, or cauliflower.
by Michelle | Jul 9, 2017 | Eat Well, Recipes
By Michelle Jenck, M.Ed., Coordinator Year of Wellness
Calories are a pretty big deal. If we don’t consume enough of them, we starve. If we get too many, we gain weight. Both can have very serious health consequences over time. Getting the ideal number of calories is the goal but that is easier said than done. In addition to taking in the right amount of calories, it is best if they come from nutritious foods.
Calories are basic energy units. Plants take in energy from the sun and use it to make carbohydrates so they can grow into things like grass, vegetables, fruit and other foods that animals and humans eat. Once consumed, the units of energy stored within that plant are used to meet the energy needs of that person or animal. For a child, this energy is used to help them grow. Every parent of a teenager can attest to their increased energy needs! All living beings use energy to perform basic body functions like regulating body temperature, digesting food, fueling muscles and even our brains.
The nutrients that provide us with energy, measured by calories, are fat, protein, carbohydrate and alcohol. If we prioritize getting our calories from healthy sources like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates and minimize our “liquid” calories, we are well on our way to maximizing our nutrient intake.
How many calories a person needs typically ranges between 1600-3200 per day, depending on factors such as whether you are male or female, how old you are, and how much physical activity you do every day. An athlete will likely need more calories to fuel their extra activity. Also, people with more muscle mass can consume more calories because muscle tissue is very metabolically active. How many calories a person burns at rest is called the basal metabolic rate. This can lower with age, inactivity and loss of muscle mass. The good news is that increasing activity can increase the number of calories our bodies burn, even when they are at rest.
Getting the right amount of calories and being physically active are both important to maintain a healthy weight. Cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, biking, aerobics, and dancing can raise the resting metabolic rate when performed on a consistent basis. Weight training and other strengthening activities like yoga and tai chi increase muscle mass, which also raises resting metabolic rate for increased daily calorie burning.
To have the maximum health benefit, the CDC recommends adults get at least 150 minutes/week of moderate to vigorous activity. This is a good starting point for ensuring that you are burning enough of the calories you take in. If weight loss is a goal, reducing caloric intake and increasing activity levels is key. For more help and information, the YMCA, NCRD and OSU Extension all offer instructor led fitness programming.
Another great resource can be found at supertracker.usda.gov. The site offers calorie, activity and nutrition tracking resources as well as virtual coaching support to help you achieve personal goals.
Try this quick and easy (and lightened up!) version of a summertime staple: BBQ beans. Lower in sugar and sodium, you’ll save calories and love the flavor of this not-too-sweet side dish. Start with dried white beans to make this an economical option, which gets you 4 “wins” over the canned version: fewer calories, less salt, less sugar, and less expensive. A ¼ cup serving is recommended as a side dish, around ½ cup makes this a main dish. Use it as a healthy stand-in for any meal.
Homemade BBQ Beans for a Crowd
Recipe Source: Michelle Jenck
Number of servings: About 32 servings as a side dish (1/4 cup)
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp chili powder
2/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
7-8 cups of cooked navy beans or Great Northern beans (start with 2 1/2 cup of dried beans), or 5 cans navy beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed (Can also use a medley of kidney, black or white beans)
pinch of cayenne (optional)
Directions
- Heat a pan over medium heat.
- Add butter and onion to pan. Cook, stirring often, until onion is lightly brown and softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and add all remaining ingredients.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.
by Guest | Jun 9, 2017 | Eat Well
By Allyson Gardner, Access to Local Food Program Coordinator & Rachel Pettit, Farm to School Program Coordinator at Food Roots
As the days become warmer and the sun shines more often, local farmers are busy getting ready for farmers market season! All of the farmer’s markets in Tillamook County are a great place to do some grocery shopping and connect with local growers. One of the best things about shopping at a farmer’s market is knowing that the produce for sale is often picked earlier that day so it is at the peak of freshness (and flavor)!
Choosing fresh produce at the grocery store or at the farmer’s market can be challenging sometimes, but there are things you can keep in mind to ensure that the fruits and vegetables you buy will taste great and store well if you don’t use them right away.
When shopping for produce look for firm, deeply colored fruits and vegetables. Avoid items that are wilted or bruised. These are signs that the produce isn’t very fresh or hasn’t been carefully handled. If you buy produce that is wilted or bruised, it may not taste as good and it definitely won’t last very long in your refrigerator before rotting.
Once you’ve brought your produce home there are a variety of ways to keep fruits and vegetables fresh until you want to use them. Some vegetables can be treated a lot like fresh flowers! Trim the bottoms of celery, heads of lettuce, and bunches of chard, kale, collard greens and chives. Place the trimmed produce in a bowl or cup with two inches of water and keep in the refrigerator. Rinsed plastic yogurt or sour cream containers are great for this.
Root vegetables like potatoes, onions and garlic need to be stored in a cool, dry space like the bottom of a kitchen cabinet or pantry. If you buy these vegetables at a farmer’s market, they might still have some dirt on them. Don’t rinse these vegetables until you’re ready to use them! Other root vegetables for sale at farmer’s markets like carrots, beets and radishes will often have the tops still attached. These greens are edible and make a great addition to salads, but if left on for too long the vegetables will rot much faster. Cut the tops off where they join the root and store them separately.
There are four farmer’s markets in Tillamook:
Manzanita: Laneda Ave & 5th Ave, Fridays 5:00pm-8:00pm starting June 9.
Tillamook: Laurel St and 2nd St, Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm starting June 17.
Neskowin: Neskowin Beach Wayside, Saturdays 9:00am-1:00pm starting May 20.
Pacific City: Pacific City Library, Sundays 10:00am-2:00pm starting June 18.
A surprising item that you may find at market this summer is garlic scapes. They’re the curly tops that garlic sprout before they flower. Farmers harvest these to encourage the garlic to put more energy into their roots. A delicious way to uses these is to make Garlic Scape Pesto.
All of the markets accept EBT or Oregon Trail Card and participate in the SNAP at Market Program, which lets markets match a person’s SNAP benefits up to $10. This means someone who uses SNAP can get $20 worth of produce for only $10! If you want to learn more about this program or volunteer at one of the markets please contact allyson@foodrootsnw.org or call 593-815-2800.
Garlic Scape Pesto
Recipe Source: Allyson Gardener
Number of servings: 8
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup basil
- 2 cups chopped garlic scapes (Not a garlic lover? Try adding a little less)
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup pine nuts or almonds (or use your favorite nut)
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Put the basil and garlic scapes in a blender. Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil, and blend basil and garlic into a paste. Add the nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and remaining oil. Blend until smooth. Serve with cooked pasta.
Note:
Are you wondering what else you can do with pesto besides as a sauce for pasta? Try spreading pesto on sandwiches and wraps. Make a quesadilla with mozzarella cheese, pesto, and slices of fresh tomatoes. Pesto can also be a great sauce with grilled fish, poultry, and meats.
