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Growing Together:
Food, Family and Friends
This month, we explore the frequent symbol of good nutrition: apples! Try the delicious recipe, a fun craft and some flavorful apple testing possibilities.
Check out the Field to Fork resource page to learn more about gardening, food preparation and preservation - plus more information about apples.
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Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist
Kim Bushaw, M.S., Family Science Specialist
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EAT
March is National Nutrition Month. Besides trying some fiber-rich tasty apples, what else can you do to celebrate National Nutrition Month? Work with family members to set a goal and plan some menus. Go “beyond the table” to explore the various forms of apples at the grocery store, including dried, sauce and fresh!
Here are a few ideas.
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Give family members a role in meal planning and let them pick out different recipes to try. How about homemade applesauce or baked apples for dessert? See www.ag.ndsu.edu/food for details.
- Plan to eat more meals together (without technology) as a family during National Nutrition Month.
- Bring out the flavors of food by trying new herbs, spices or citrus fruit such as lemon or lime. Sprinkle cinnamon on fresh apple slices to bring out the natural sweetness.
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Here's another approach to nachos that can be a snack or dessert.
Apple Nachos
1/3 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds, unsalted
2 tablespoons hulled, unsalted sunflower seeds
3 medium apples (red or green), cored and thinly sliced (about 12 pieces per apple)
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot water (extra if needed)
1/4 cup reduced-fat, smooth peanut butter (or substitute soy, sunflower or other nut butter)
1 tablespoon honey
In a small bowl, combine dried cranberries/raisins, almonds and sunflower seeds. Core each apple and thinly slice into about 12 pieces each. Layer half of the apples onto a large plate or platter. If the apple slices will be sitting out for a while, sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Using a microwave oven or teapot, bring water to a boil. In a small bowl, combine hot water, peanut butter and honey. Use a spoon and stir until mixture is smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle the peanut butter mixture over the plated apple slices; sprinkle with half the cranberry mixture. Layer the remaining apples on top and repeat with remaining peanut butter and cranberry mixture. Serve immediately.
Makes eight servings. Each serving has 167 calories, 7.4 grams (g) fat, 4 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber and 66 milligrams sodium.
This recipe is courtesy of the American Heart Association www.heart.org
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Connect
Although the apple trees in our area are a long way from producing fruit this time of year, there are still plenty of varieties in the store to try. Purchase a golden apple, a green Granny Smith, some red varieties and invite your family to a taste test before dinner tonight. School-agers and older can clean and slice the apples and arrange and label them. Who likes which type of apple? Where were each of these grown? What would you use each for?
If you have a fruit tree, or just a favorite tree in your neighborhood, consider taking your family picture there each year on approximately the same date. Pick a date that is easy to remember. A birthday, anniversary or holiday. You will see how your family and the tree changes over the decades.
North Dakota is listed as one of the top 5 windiest states. Try making a wind chime for your garden or for a gift. Check out your recycle bin, garage, a thrift store, or your kitchen to find old metal utensils, silverware, cookie cutters, keys, etc. for one type of sound. Make earthy sounds with bamboo tubes and driftwood. Use wire or monofilament line to hold your creations together. Together, enjoy the process of figuring out how to make enjoyable sounds and balance all of the parts and pieces so the chime fills your garden space with joy every time you hear it.
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About 2,500 apple varieties are grown in the U.S. according to some estimates. Of course, we don’t have that many to choose from in the grocery store. Many foods are available only seasonally, and that is when they are at their best quality and usually, price. Check out the apple information and many recipes on the NDSU Extension Field to Fork website. How about some “apple smiles” as a snack? Make your own dried apples or apple fruit leather. | |
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The NDSU Extension does not endorse commercial products or companies even though reference may be made to tradenames, trademarks or service names. NDSU encourages you to use and share this content, but please do so under the conditions of our Creative Commons license. You may copy, distribute, transmit and adapt this work as long as you give full attribution, don’t use the work for commercial purposes and share your resulting work similarly. For more information, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/creative-commons.
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