April brings spring showers and a fresh focus on produce. Harvest of the Month is a Jackson County initiative that provides new ideas for incorporating produce into a healthy eating pattern. April features local mixed greens with a live cooking demo on WEAU-TV 13, Eau Claire, Wisconsin and a taste-testing event at Black River Memorial Hospital. Following are the dates and details:
WEAU-TV-13 Friday April 20, 4 p.m. Newscast. “Local greens” live cooking demo with Black River Memorial Hospital Registered Dietitian, Ruth Lahmayer Chipps, MS, RDN, CD. SEE LINK BELOW
BRMH Hospital Harvest Event and Local Greens Display– Wed. April 25, 11:30am – 12:30 pm. BRMH Café
“There are so many interesting leafy greens that can add flavor and visual appeal,” explained Ruth Lahmayer Chipps, MS, RDN, CD, registered dietitian nutritionist at Black River Memorial Hospital. “Varieties include Green leaf, Red Leaf, Romaine, Bibb, Iceberg, Arugula, Escarole, Spinach and Kale. For best results when washing greens, use a salad spinner which removes excess liquid.”
Getting greens nearby: Jackson County is fortunate to have two aquaponics operations. These are aquaculture systems where the waste produced by farmed fish supplies nutrients for plants grown in water which purifies the water. Year-round operations that produce fish and leafy greens are: www.floatinggardens.farm/ - a family farm in Mindoro and ww.superiorfresh.com/ - a large operation in Northfield. Find local lettuce in Black River Falls at The Corner Market, Hansen’s IGA, and Kwik Trip stores. Check labels for growing location.
Harvest of Month - Orange Dressing with Fruit & Greens
Ingredients (Serves 4):
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 Tbsp. mustard (Dijon or other)
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper (pinch of each)
8 cups greens (romaine, lettuce, spinach, or other)
2 cups vegetables, chopped (broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, peppers, onions, or tomato)
2 cups fruit, chopped (apples, berries, grapes, or oranges)
Method: Combine dressing ingredients in a container with a screw top or whisk with a fork. Close tightly and shake until combined. Store in refrigerator until ready to use (up to 1 week). For each salad, top 2 cups of greens with 1/2 cup vegetables and 1/2 cup fruit. Take dressing from the refrigerator and shake hard to combine ingredients again. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing onto each salad.
Tips: Use any fruit juice you want. Leave out the sugar with sweeter juices such as pomegranate or clementine. This salad dressing will be thinner than store bought salad dressing.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe / Serving Size: 3 cups salad with 2 Tablespoons dressing
Approx. 160 Calories,7g Fat, 21g Carb., 5g fiber, 3g Protein
WATCH THE VIDEO!
Harvest of the Month is a partnership between Jackson County Department of Health and Human Services, Black River Memorial Hospital, Together for Jackson County Kids, Ho-Chunk Nation, UW Extension-Jackson County, Lunda Community Center, Boys and Girls Club, Hansen’s IGA, local school districts, The Library and the community. www.JacksonInAction.org
To view a video of the recipe and printable recipe, go to www.JacksonInAction.org/recipes
Video is also available at www.brmh.net/recipes