CLEARFIELD -- A dash of garlic salt can add just the right amount of flavor to a summer squash.
Patty Langlois, a nutrition educator with the Utah State University Extension Service's "Food Sense Nutrition Education" program, is sharing such tips as she dishes on vegetables for participants in a free class.
"People can gain more nutrition from food and eat better," she said. "There are so many people eating fast food these days. It's not healthy for them. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a better choice. It is healthy living."
The classes started this month to provide options to help people get more use out of vegetables and start eating more healthfully.
One class, "Viva Vegetables," is offered from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month. It features a different vegetable each time and tells participants about selecting, preparing, storing and cooking with vegetables.
The second class, "Food Sense Basics," is being held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 16.
"We have the space here, so we wanted to let them come in and teach," said Melissa Haynes, Clearfield's fitness program coordinator.
"It's a good fit. We want to offer something to the community that is free and educates people about nutrition."
While the vegetable class gives people insights about the sometimes-avoided foods, the food sense class highlights nutrition, delving into meal planning and other helpful topics.
Langlois hopes people will enjoy the vegetable classes she teaches and start incorporating more vegetables into their diet.
"We have all sorts of tips to help people eat better," she said. "We want to help people eat more nutritionally."
On Aug. 2, she was focused on everything related to squash.
She told people that selecting the perfect squash involves looking for squash with glossy skin that isn't hard or tough, has no bruises and is not mushy. If it's mushy, it's too mature.
She also warned that the larger ones should be avoided because they are often stringier and less tender.
But once those vegetables are home, there are many ways to enjoy them, including baking, microwaving, stir-frying, sautéing and freezing.
Just start by cleaning and cutting the squash into quarter-inch-thick slices. From there, you can put the pieces into a microwavable dish with 3 tablespoons of water, wrap it and cook it for four to seven minutes. Remember to stir the pieces at the halfway point.
If one doesn't want to microwave, Langlois said, sautéing is a good option. Cut it the same way and sauté it for three to six minutes with the skin on.
No matter how people choose to eat squash, she said, it pairs well with many main dishes, from chicken to pot roast. And she said this vegetable is at its peak now as it starts flourishing in gardens around the state.
"There is always a lot of squash in Utah," she said. "It is really popular."
Langlois hopes people take her advice, not just on squash, but on the other vegetables that will be featured.
"We want people to have more variety when they cook at home," she said. "It will help them eat more nutritiously."
Comments