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EXTRACTS OF THYME October, November, December 2018

Fall Produce Picks

eatsmartmd.blogspot.com/2018/10/fall-produce-picks.html

Fall brings cooler temperatures and shorter days, but great produce at the farmers’ markets! Fall is a

popular time to visit local farms and farmers’ markets for the “perfect pumpkin” but there are so many

other great fruits and vegetables to choose from too. Stop by your local farm or farmers’ market this

week and try one of these fall produce favorites!

Broccoli

Broccoli is in season during the fall months. Broccoli is a great vegetable for an after school snack or

add to simple weeknight dinners. Broccoli can be eaten raw, steamed or roasted for added flavor. Try

a new recipe like Garden Stir-Fry or Veggie Quesadillas and see how your kids like it.

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Kale

Kale is a popular vegetable to add to smoothies, but there are many other ways to incorporate kale

into your regular meals. Sauté kale and add to scrambled eggs in the morning, include kale in Greens

& Beans for an easy weeknight side dish, or roast kale and make Kale Chips for a healthy snack on the

go.

Winter Squash

Many people shy away from winter squash because of the hard skin. To cook winter squash, poke a

few holes in the squash with a fork, then place in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Let the squash

cool and then it will be easier to cut or peel. Winter squash can be added to soup. For an added

twist, make Spaghetti Squash with your family and see if your kids think it taste like spaghetti!

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a holiday staple in many homes, but this is a great vegetable to make for your

family during the fall when they are in season. Try Mashed Sweet Potatoes, a great twist on a

childhood favorite that your kids will love! Another great recipe to try is Chicken, Sweet Potato, and

Carrot Packets – only 10 minutes to put all ingredients together for a great weeknight dinner.

Apples

Apples are a popular fruit for all ages, but have you tried new apple varieties lately? There are many

varieties of apples that can be found in Maryland. Have an apple tasting with you family and see what

variety of apple they like best. Cook with apples by making your own Homemade Applesauce at

home or make Apple Jack-O-Lanterns for a fun fall treat!

The fall offers so many wonderful fall fruits and vegetables! Your family may even find a new favorite

recipe or fruit/vegetable.

Volunteer Recap from Brianna Fachler-University of Delaware Undergraduate

I had a great experience this summer volunteering for the University of Maryland Extension here in

Baltimore County. I got out of my comfort zone and experienced a plethora of new things. I traveled to all

different counties in Maryland this summer and got out into the community. I did everything from going

to Police Athletic League Centers to help teach kids nutrition, to going to Women, Infant & Children

clinics’ farmers markets to promote fruit and vegetables through the Market to Mealtime program. I also

wrote some fact sheets about diabetes and food safety. I wrote blog posts including one about staying

hydrated in the summer. I even got to experience a canning workshop on pickling! I did whatever needed

to be done in the office in order to help out anyway I could. I loved being able to go out-and-about in the

community and interact with people from children to adults. I learned how important it is to get

information out into the community. There is so much to know about food safety and nutrition. I felt like I

was able to really make a difference by giving this information out to help people make healthier choices. I

was happy to be able to use knowledge I had learned in school in real life experiences. I am so grateful

for all of the experiences I had this summer with Shauna Henley and Amy Wolpert, and I cannot wait to

use everything I learned in the future.

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Walking for Wellness

eatsmartmd.blogspot.com/2018/10/walking-for-wellness.html

Walk Maryland Day is October 10,

2018. Walk Maryland Day is a day to

celebrate the official state exercise -

walking! It's also a way to promote

awareness about how walking improves

our health. October 10th is also Walk to

School Day. Help the entire community

come together to promote health and

safer routes for students to walk and

bike to school. These are great events to

help people be active and start walking

in your neighborhood. Think about

ways to be active every day, not just one

special day.

Why focus on walking? Well - walking is a great way to be active, you can do it

anytime, anywhere, and it does not require special skills or equipment. The health

benefits of walking may:

• Reduce the risk of diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

• Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

• Increase energy level.

• Decrease stress.

• Help prevent weight gain.

If you are new to walking, or haven’t been active in a while, start off slowly. Try 5 -10

minutes to start. Work up to 30 minutes per day. If you don’t have 30 minutes at once,

get creative and break up your activity into shorter sessions. For example start the day

by parking or getting off the bus/train 10 minutes away from your job and walk briskly

to work. At lunch, walk for 10 minutes around where you work, inside or out. End the

work day by walking briskly for 10 minutes back to your car or station.

Still not convinced you should stop reading this and go for a walk? Check out this list

of 100 reasons to go for a walk.

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Terry Serio Virginia Brown, DrPH Shauna C. Henley, PhD Extension Educator Extension Educator Extension Educator Food Stamp Nutrition Education Family & Consumer Sciences Family & Consumer Sciences Family & Consumer Sciences Carroll County Baltimore County Carroll County University of Maryland Extension-Carroll County Phone: 410-386-2760 700 Agriculture Center Toll-Free: 888-326-9645 Westminster, MD 21157-5700 Fax: 410-876-0132 If you have a disability that requires special assistance for your participation in a program, please contact the Carroll County Extension Office at 410-386-2760; fax 410-876-0132, two (2) weeks prior to the program. The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Maryland Extension is implied.

Please visit us online at http://extension.umd.edu/carroll-county