Quick bites

Eggs - Dare to Compare

Not only are eggs an essential source of protein in your daily diet, they’re also making a statement on your plate. As you cruise through the dairy section, you’ll notice several varieties of eggs in addition to the usual white and brown variety. Here’s what the labels mean …

Organic. Hens are fed specialized feed grown without pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, herbicides and commercial fertilizer. (Note: In fact, no Canadian hens are fed hormones – the practise is illegal.)

Vegetarian. Hens are fed a special feed containing plant ingredients. (Note: all commercial laying hens raised for eggs are fed a plant, grain-based diet.)

Omega-3. These eggs are created by including 10 – 20% flax in the hen’s diet, which in turn results in eggs higher in omega-3 fatty acids than conventional varieties. (Omega-3 fatty acids may help lower blood triglyceride levels.)

Free Range/Free Run. True free-range eggs are produced by hens who are not raised in cages but have access to nesting boxes, open floor space, perches and outdoor runs. These hens are free to supplement their diets with anything they can find to eat.

Processed. Broken en mass by special machines, they are pasteurized before being packaged in liquid, frozen or dried form and often have added ingredients like preservatives.

Homework help

Need information about agriculture and food for school projects? We can help. Visit our Web site at www.growingalberta.com – you’ll find lots of neat stuff about everything agriculture from a-z.

Chocolate provides nutrients the body requires daily. A 1.4 oz. milk chocolate bar has 3 g of protein, and other nutrients, too: 15% of a daily supply of riboflavin, 9% for calcium and 7% for iron.

Turkey 101

Seasonal celebrations often mean – turkey. Here are a few tips to ensure your family can gobble a great meal safely.

Thawing frozen turkey

Refrigerator thawing. The trick? Plan ahead. Depending on the size of your turkey, allow 1 – 4 days for proper thawing in the fridge. Foods thawed in the fridge can be safely refrozen but can lose some quality.

Microwave thawing. Follow the producer’s directions when thawing in a microwave, but be sure to cook your turkey immediately thereafter.

Cold water thawing. Don’t remove the packaging and put the entire turkey, wrapping and all into cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until your turkey is thawed. Keep checking it to make sure you don’t have any leaks.

Food safety

Alberta’s Food Safety Info Line (1.800.892.8333) has a great tip sheet on turkey safety. Free copies are available by calling their office, on the toll-free line, Monday to Friday.

For more turkey tips and recipes please visit www.albertaturkey.com  – or call the Alberta Turkey Producers at (780) 465-5755.

Fall’s the time to take advantage of these tried and true root crops that are crammed with fibre, carbohydrates and low in fat.

Root vegetable renaissance

Potatoes. Potato varieties like red or gold range in waxy, mealy or crumbly texture. The flesh may be white, cream, pink, pale or deep, soft yellow. Waxy and crumbly types like Russet Burbank (white) and Russet Norkota, and Yukon Gold are ideal for mashing, sauteing, deep frying, roasting or baking. Mealy potatoes like Norland reds are ideal for boiling and salads. Make sure to cut out any eyes, blemishes, or damaged areas and cut deeply around the green patches. Handle potatoes as little as possible as they bruise easily which shows up as black patches when cooked.

Carrots. If you’re hunting for the bunched kind, look for young, firm, small carrots with the tops still attached. Remove and discard the tops and store carrots in a plastic bag for a week or more. When buying packaged types, rub the bag along a carrot to test for slipperiness. If it slides without resistance, pick another bag.

Beets. A great source of folate, potassium and vitamin C. Look for firm smooth roots without splits. Small- to medium-size beets taste best. Instead of peeling beforehand, boil the whole beet for 30 – 45 minutes, drain, cool and slip the skin off.

All Things Rhubarb

Earliest rhubarb records date back to 2700 BC in China where the bitter plant was cultivated for its medicinal qualities.

Nutritionally, it is low in calories and very acidic. Rhubarb is 95% water and has potassium and a modest amount of vitamin C. Although rhubarb can be tough and stringy, it does not contain a great deal of fibre (two grams per cup).

Here’s a tried and true recipe from Vegreville reader, Rose Seniuk …

Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients

• 5 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. Combine rhubarb with sugar in a 9” x 12” baking dish.
2. Combine rolled oats, brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chopped nuts in a mixing bowl.
3. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Sprinkle on top of rhubarb.
5. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Cheese: Alberta style

Peckish for Briestyle cheese, or a nice goat’s milk Gouda? Look no further than your local market for some authentic, Alberta-made cheese with global flair.

“Cheesemaking in Alberta seems to be experiencing a resurgence as producers try their hand at international varieties like brie, goat cheese and gouda,” states Fern Janzen, owner of Paddy’s International Cheese Market in Edmonton. Producers such as Eyot Creek, Natricia, Springbank and Sylvan Star are working to take their place on the dairy shelf and they are getting attention from Alberta consumers.

“We have a lot of people who will go out of their way to buy Alberta-made cheese because they want to support their local industries,” says Ryan Rivard, co-owner of Janice Beaton Fine Cheese in Calgary. “We always encourage people to try new varieties, but the first test is always taste. We also tell our customers to look for freshness and appeal by smelling – not too close of course! – as well as looking at the composition of the cheese. If it looks cracked, damaged or the rind or waxy cover is beginning to dry or shrink, then choose another type.”

For more information on exotic home-grown cheese, contact: Paddy’s International Cheese Market in Edmonton, T: 780.413.0867, Janice Beaton Fine Cheese in Calgary, T: 403.229.0900.