Meet me in the kitchen

By AJ Murphy

Fresh feels good

Fresh fruits and veggies are vibrant and colorful. And they make you feel good. When you fill your plate with produce, you get more vitamins and minerals. So you can stay healthy and energized. Take advantage of the fresh fruits and veggies grown on local farms. It’s good for your health, your family and your community.

Support local farms

Buying fruits and veggies from local farms helps support your community. And it’s the easiest way to get the freshest produce. The food doesn’t have to be shipped or sit in storage. And you’ll see more choices than you would at the grocery store.

Cook farm fresh comfort food

You don’t have to stick to salads and side dishes to eat more fruits and vegetables. They can be a big part of your main meal. And you don’t have to sacrifice taste either. Try these recipes to enjoy that comfort food taste with a healthy spin.

Simple veggie stir-fry¹

Try this speedy stir-fry for an easy way to fill up on veggies, even when you’re short on time! You can change it up with seasonal produce to keep dinner feeling fresh. This recipe serves four.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 spring onions
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1 piece fresh ginger (peeled and chopped)
1 carrot (matchstick cut)
1 red pepper (matchstick cut)
1 zucchini (matchstick cut)
1 1/3 cups sugar snap peas
4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

Directions:

Heat a large pan on high and add vegetable oil.
Add spring onions, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then reduce the heat.
Be careful not to brown the veggies ... keep the heat down!
Add carrot and red pepper, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add zucchini and sugar snap peas, stir-frying for another 3 minutes.
Toss the ingredients using a spatula.
Add teriyaki sauce and cook on high heat for a further 2 minutes. All the vegetables should be cooked, but not too soft.

Sweet potato and banana pancakes²

You can have pancakes, and eat your veggies, too! The sweet potato in this batter cuts down on sugar. And it adds protein for a stack that packs a healthy punch. This recipe serves four.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed baked sweet potato
1 egg
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 banana (diced)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
Add the sweet potato, egg and milk, and mix until smooth.
Add the cinnamon. Stir in the diced banana.
Place a large pan over medium heat and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Drop large spoonfuls of batter onto the pan — pancakes should be about 3.5 inches wide. Cook until bubbly, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown.
You can also top with slices of banana or other seasonal fruit.

¹BBC. Easy vegetable stir-fry. Accessed September 11, 2018.

²Sugar J. These 100-calorie pancakes contain a secret ingredient. POPSUGAR. April 12, 2014. Accessed September 11, 2018.

About the author

AJ Murphy is an evocative young writer who grew up in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood. AJ began his writing career at Alaska Ice Rinks Inc. in Anchorage, AK, where he also drove a Zamboni and took care of outdoor hockey rinks.