WINTER IS COMING! Harvest Home Farmers’ Markets are closing.   Stock up NOW on fresh picked, locally grown veggies and fruits and save money! The following markets are open next week for the LAST TIME THIS SEASON: 125th St Market & West Harlem (Tuesday)  Coney Island (Wednesday and Friday), and Hunt’s Point (Wednesday).

Fresh veggies will last a surprisingly long time, IF treated right!

●      Brussels Sprouts: Stays crisp & fresh for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.  Low in calories, high in fiber, with minerals and antioxidants that help your body “run” better.

●      Apples: Last for 3 to 4 weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge.  Make applesauce and freeze it!

●      Squash: Can keep for several months and help strengthen your immune system.

-Buying: Look for hard outsides with no cuts or bruises and at least a 1-inch stem.

-Storing:

●      DON’T wash; wipe off any dirt with a dry cloth.

●      DON’T refrigerate. Squash actually spoils quickly in the fridge.

●      DO keep in a cool part of your kitchen. (On the counter is fine.)

●      DO check every week or so to make sure it is not getting soft.  Calabasas, Acorn Squash, and Butternut Squash will last for a couple of months; Spaghetti Squash for 4 to 6 weeks. 

Don’t forget root veggies!  (See tips)

Freeze for the future: Before freezing veggies, you MUST blanch them to keep flavor, color and most importantly, vitamins & nutrients. Blanching is dropping veggies into boiling water for a few minutes before plunging them into cold water to stop the cooking.  Cut your favorite veggies into 1-inch chunks. Check HERE for how long to cook and store in freezer bags.

Stock up NOW and save. Enjoy real taste even in the cold winter.

RECIPE: Spaghetti Squash with Enchilada Sauce

Tasty and low in calories, spaghetti squash is a great pasta substitute; only 42 calories per cup!

COOKING SPAGHETTI SQUASH

•Cook the whole squash on a pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a fork goes into the skin easily. Let it cool. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.

•With a fork, make long strokes from the top to the bottom.  Out comes long silky strands of "spaghetti!”

•Top with this Enchilada Sauce

INGREDIENTS: 

•1 Cup onion, chopped

•1 Cup corn

•1 red pepper, chopped

•1-2 tsp chopped jalapeno

•1 Cup cooked black beans

•1 Tbsp olive oil

•1 Tbsp chili powder and cumin

•1 tsp salt

•1 8oz can tomato sauce

•¼ Cup of cilantro

TO MAKE

•Cook onion in olive oil. Add jalapeno, corn, pepper.

•Cook for 5 minutes. 

•Add tomato sauce, beans, spices and salt. 

•Bring to a simmer and turn off. 

•Add cilantro and POUR OVER SPAGHETTI SQUASH!

TIPS: Keep the taste FRESH!

Freshening Up Broccoli & Cauliflower:

Broccoli: To crisp up, cut off part of the stem and stick it in a glass of cold water overnight

Cauliflower: Putting pieces in a bowl of water in the fridge overnight

Storing Root Veggies:

•Cut off greens: Use beet greens use in 2-3 days.

•Beets, parsnips & turnips: Store in the fridge in a paper bag with a few holes to keep out moisture.  Beets last up to 10 days; parsnips for 2 weeks; turnips for several months.

•Carrots: Cut off greens; store in water in frig for a month

•Sweet Potatoes: In a cool, dark place, store for 3-5 weeks

Peeling and cutting squash: Most squash has a really hard skin that’s difficult to cut through or peel off. Here’s a trick

•Cut off the stem. Poke a few holes in the squash with a fork.

•Place the whole squash in the microwave and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is soft.

•Let it cool and then cut or peel it

Bake or roast root veggies. Add them to stews or soup for extra nutrition and added flavor. Skip the frying and save calories!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

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