Dapoerkita

Our family is in the habit of going to a local farmers' market during the summer and fall to get farm-fresh fruits and vegetables. I admit that I have to work a bit harder during the off- season, when seasonal produce is less plentiful, to make sure that my plate is just as colorful. For overall health, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is essential year-round.

A good starting place in your quest for color is the freezer case. Frozen melon cubes, berries, peach slices and even pineapple chunks are available year-round. Frozen spinach is one of my favorites for convenience-it is washed, cut and ready to be tossed into a soup or pasta dish. From a nutritional standpoint, it has just as much vitamin A and fiber as fresh-cooked spinach.

Next, stop in the canned fruit and vegetable aisle. "Our studies show that the nutrition value of canned fruits and vegetables is comparable to fresh and frozen varieties," notes Barbara Klein, Ph.D., professor of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana. Dr. Klein points out that the canning process does not affect the amount of fiber in fruits and vegetables. Canned pumpkin, apricots, carrots and other orange fruits and vegetables are a rich source of vitamin A. "In fact, vitamin A levels in canned pumpkin are much higher than in fresh cooked because canned pumpkin is less watery and more concentrated," says Dr. Klein.

Finally, visit the cereal aisle. New technology for freeze-drying fruit enables cereal makers to add berries and other types of fruit to their products. A bowl of Total® with Strawberries is a great way to brighten up breakfast. Top with sliced banana, slivers of dried apricots or a medley of dried berries. Dried fruit is a concentrated form of fresh and retains healthy nutrients like fiber and potassium.

Here are a few simple ways to add color to your plate:

• Toss sliced radicchio, red onion and yellow peppers into a green salad.

• Sauté frozen spinach together with minced onion; top with pine nuts, golden raisins and a dash of balsamic vinegar.

• Simmer slices of yellow and red apples and pears with a dash of apple cider and maple syrup until soft. Top with crushed Whole Grain Total® for added flavor and crunch.

• Add frozen mixed vegetables to your favorite soup.




in Food and Beverage

The next time you're planning a picnic, don't forget the pickle's place at the table when preparing your menu. Consider this potato salad recipe for your next gathering.

Red, White and Blue Savory Potato Salad

Serves 8 to 10


6 large red potatoes, unpeeled

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

4 small green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green part only)

6 slices maple-smoked bacon

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (or one 4-ounce package)


Dressing

11/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup minced Del Monte® Organic Sweet Bread & Butter Chips

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed (ground or whole)

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook potatoes until fork tender. Drain; set aside. Cook and crumble bacon, reserving two tablespoons of drippings. In a medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients. If thinner dressing is desired, add small amounts of liquid from the pickle jar.

While potatoes are still warm, cut into small chunks. In a deep glass bowl, layer 1/3 potatoes, eggs and onions. Top each layer with 1/3 portion of dressing. Repeat two more times, ending with dressing. Top with crumbled bacon and blue cheese.

And now there is an organic choice of pickles. Del Monte® offers the first line of USDA-certified organic pickles, available in supermarkets and retail outlets offering natural and organic foods nationwide.

A favorite among many, pickles tempt the taste buds, pack a zesty punch and, perhaps best of all, kids love them. With no fat and few carbohydrates or calories, pickles make a great snack or addition to any meal.

"Pickles are a great treat throughout the year, but it doesn't get much better than adding fresh pickle slices to a burger, or better yet, just eat whole pickles straight from the jar," said Jeff Tuttle, chief marketing officer for M.A. Gedney Company, producer and marketer of the Del Monte® line of pickles. "And, our online cookbook provides plenty of choices for great pickle recipes that are sure to be a hit at any picnic."




in Recipes

Everyone loves to eat cake, which is nicely and perfectly decorated. But due to lack of decorating skill ones wish is not fulfilled up to the maximum level. Check out for some cake decorating tips that can help to make your cake more delicious.

Cake decorating tips and Ideas


Baking cakes can be difficult but decorating them can be more challenging. While decorating a cake one has to take into consideration number of factors like flavor, texture and design of the cake. Its very important that you know from where you have to start the cake decoration. This article can help you with some useful tips that can help you on your way to decorating sweet masterpieces.

• It's very important that you allow the cake to cool down after it is baked. Give yourself at least 30 minutes before starting to apply frosting on the cake.
• You can use a whipped cream frosting to smoothen the decorating process.
• It would be advisable to start from the corners of the cake - they are hardest to frost
• Frost the sides of the cake with lots of icing and steady hands. Start icing with thin layers before moving to the thicker ones.
• Apply dollops of icing in the corners and in the middle of the cake.
• Make sure the knife only touches the frosting part and not the cake.
• You can apply icing to the cake as necessary. Be careful not to smear the icing that you already applied.
• Use strokes to spread the icing on the cake. If the icing is difficult to spread try dipping your knife in hot water, which makes the icing spread faster.
• Style the frosting once it is applied by using a fork across the top of the cake to create a lattice effect. You can also use a knife to create swirls along the top edges of the cake.





in Food and Beverage