UI Extension, Bannock County

11/30/2019

Remember that you need to use up or freeze your Thanksgiving leftovers within 4 days. This means that Monday is your last day to eat the leftovers, and by Tuesday they should be in the freezer or discarded.

11/25/2019

When planning out your Thanksgiving dinner this year, remember that food should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you factor in time to get everything on the table, time to gather everyone around the table, and time to eat. By the time you finish eating, there may not be time to sit and talk for an hour before putting away the food. Always think about how long the food is left sitting out.

11/22/2019

Do you want to liven up your mashed potatoes - and add in even more nutrients? Try mixing in some other root vegetables, such as in this recipe.

11/20/2019

As we approach Thanksgiving, don't forget to defrost your turkeys. If you want to defrost in the fridge, large turkeys could take as long as 5-6 days to defrost, that means you may need to take your turkey out of the freezer this weekend! But if you forget, there are some other ways to speed up the defrosting process in a safe way.

11/07/2019

It is always fun to enjoy treats, especially during this time of year. But if you want a way to make those baked goods a little healthier, think about substituting applesauce for the oil or sugar. You can substitute it in a 1:1 ratio, and makes the final treat taste even more like fall! If you are substituting applesauce for sugar, just take out about 1/4 cup of the liquid from the recipe.

11/04/2019

This menu was created by starting out with current in-season fruits and vegetables. By starting out with in-season fruits and vegetables you can get healthy meals that are cheaper than normal.

10/31/2019

Happy Halloween from all of us here at the Extension office! Have a happy and safe day!

10/15/2019

Fall is Pumpkin Spice Season. But we can mix up the flavors a little more by using these different types of winter squash. What is your favorite way to eat squash?

09/19/2019

Learn how to make meals from foods in your pantry.

09/03/2019

Pear season is beginning. What is your favorite way to enjoy a fresh pear?

08/26/2019

It is the season for Summer Squash! This include so much more than just zucchini. How many have you tried?

08/10/2019

Today is the last day of the Bannock County Fair! Come out to the fair and stop by my booth to spin the wheel for activities and to win a prize!

07/30/2019

This week I have been at the Society of Nutrition Education and Behaviors annual conference. I have been learning a lot of cool things - today I am learning about lifestyle factors to prevent cancer. There are some genetic factors you can’t control to prevent cancer, but here are some lifestyle factors you can do to lower your risk.

07/16/2019

It is tomato season! Nutritionally tomatoes are considered a vegetable, and counts as part of the 4-6 cups of red/orange vegetables we are supposed to have every week. How do you like to eat your tomatoes?

06/27/2019

Checkout this great class about Health Insurance. It is free and online!

Updated info on this new flyer!

06/26/2019

Is a muffin just a not sweet cupcake? Although we start out with basically the same ingredients, muffins and cupcakes have several differences. Overall the main difference how they each control the amount of gluten developed. Cupcakes control the amount of gluten developed with lots of inhibiting ingredients such as fat and sugar. While muffins control the amount of gluten by mixing very little. The additional mixing in cupcakes allows them to become light and fluffy without much baking powder. Thus we can create two different products with very similar ingredients.

06/12/2019

Did you know that you can make a cheesecake in an electric pressure cooker? Come to our class on Tuesday July 16 to learn how to make the cheesecake and much more in your electric pressure cooker. Call us at the extension office, 208-236-7310, to register today and learn more.

06/11/2019

Both of these broccoli samples were boiled for the exact same amount of time. But the bright green (and mushy one) was boiled in basic water (water with baking soda) whole the brown (and firm) one was boiled in acidic water (water with vinegar). Now you know how to make your broccoli colorful or firm, depending on what you need.

06/07/2019

Strawberry season comes in June, even here in Idaho! Here are some great facts about Strawberries.

05/23/2019

Map the Meal Gap

As we are approaching the end of the school year, it is important to remember that for many children the meals that they get at school are the only meals they get. So summer become a scary time, where they and their families are not sure how they are going to eat. Resources such as the food bank are invaluable for those in this situation. Check out the information about hunger in Idaho at the Feeding America site. https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2017/child/idaho

Millions of American families & children face food insecurity. View Feeding America\'s interactive map of hunger rates in your community & across the U.S.

05/13/2019

We often worry about what not to eat. Instead our focus should be on what we should eat. Research has shown that most diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes) is the result of not enough fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, and whole grains. So, stop worrying about that cake you ate, and instead think about how to get more carrots and almonds.

05/08/2019

It can be difficult to get your kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. Statements, such as seen here, can help even picky eaters increase their fruit and vegetable consumption.

05/02/2019

Food is Medicine — Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force

Check out this great program to help food insecure families get more fruits and vegetables! http://www.idahohunger.org/screen-and-intervene

The Food Is Medicine Program is a partnership between the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force and the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho aimed at addressing the needs of food insecure individuals and families in Idaho.

04/29/2019

We are finally starting to see some fresh, in season, fruits and vegetables! Remember buying in season will mean higher nutritional value, better flavor, and lower cost! May brings us a lot of in season fruits and vegetables including: asparagus, cherries, leafy greens, cucumbers, peas, and several others.

03/22/2019

The average American eats 100 grams of protein per day. The average American only needs 55 grams of protein per day. This extra protein isn't a bad thing, except that we tend to fill up on this extra protein, instead of fiber. The average American only gets 15 grams of fiber per day, but we need to eat 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Here are some swaps to add more fiber into your diet.

03/14/2019

As we approach spring it is garden time. And time for all these great benefits!

03/01/2019

I am so excited for the Science of Meat class tonight! Since this Pork Picnic Roast will take too long to cook in class I started it ahead of time. This is a braised method used on tough cuts of meat. If you want to add veggies you can add them to the pot about half hour to an hour before the roast is done. You can also baste the roast (pour some of the liquid from the bottom of the pan over the top of the roast) every hour to help keep it even more moist!

02/27/2019

Last week at the Science of Flavors Class we learned how to use the Spices Cheat Sheet to create new ways to use spices. Using that sheet we can see that ginger, garlic, and allspice would make a great spice blend to put on beef. But now how do we know how to cook each type of beef cut? Come to the Science of Meat class to learn how to cook different types of meat. Class is on Friday March 1 from 5:30-7:30 and costs $10. Call us at 208-236-7310 to register today!

02/15/2019

Fruit makes great desserts! Here are a few great ways to have fruit as dessert this week!

02/11/2019

Do you struggle to create your own delicious tasting food without a recipe? Do you want to know how to better use flavors and spices? Then come to the Science of Flavors class!

02/08/2019

Do you want to get into food preservation but don't know how? Or, maybe you have been preserving food but often wonder if you are doing it right (and safe)? Either way, this is the course for you! This 5-week long course will help you preserve food with confidence.

02/05/2019

Just in time for Valentine's Day - The Science of Candy Making! Come learn how to make candies for your sweetheart, including chocolates. Call the Extension Office today for more information or to register.

02/04/2019

One of my favorite dishes is called chicken squares. It is chicken and cream cheese wrapped in a biscuit. But, recently, I have started putting vegetables into my chicken squares. Here are a few more ways to add more vegetables to main dishes. Always remember, you want half of your plate to be fruits and vegetables.

02/01/2019

3 Candies from 1 Syrup

All candy is mostly sugar and water. There are flavoring agents and different kinds of sugar used, but they have the same basic start. Here I start out with a simple sugar-water syrup, which I made into 3 very different sweets! At the Science of Candies class, on February 9, from 10-12, you will learn how to manipulate sugar to create several different kinds of candies, and get some hands on experience.
The class is $5/person (or come to the entire Science of Cooking series for $30). Call the Bannock County extension office at 208-236-7310 for more information and to pre-register.

01/25/2019

We have a lot of fun classes in the next few weeks! The Science of Cooking Series will help you answer questions you may have about food and cooking. We will learn about cooking from the perspective of science, and then we will apply what we learned by cooking and eating what we make. You can come to the entire series for $30, or you can call for pricing of individual classes. Call the Extension Office, at 208-236-7310, to register!

01/10/2019

Rutabagas, also known as winter turnips or swedes, are one of the few vegetables that are in season right now. They taste like a sweeter turnip, and can be prepared in many of the same ways as potatoes. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium and fiber.

01/09/2019

When you are planning dinner how do you typically start? Most of us start by thinking about a meat or a grain. Let's change the way we think, and instead start by thinking about vegetables.
This meal plan starts by looking at how many cups of vegetables we should have from each category. Then we choose a variety of vegetables for each day. Next we can choose meats and grains that will go well with those vegetables.
You will notice that we don't quite have enough starchy, red/orange, and other vegetables. That's okay, this is just the dinner menu. Those vegetables can be added for lunch, breakfast, and snacks.

01/08/2019

January is a hard month for fruits and vegetables here in Idaho. There is very little (if anything) that can grow in this area during the middle of the winter. While not much can grow in Pocatello, Idaho right now, places not too far off, such as California, January is actually the perfect growing season for: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, citrus fruits, parsnips, and rutabagas. If you are ready for it to be spring and just need some fresh fruits and vegetables, focus on these choices to find the best deals and the freshest options.

Rutabagas, also called winter turnips, are not used as often as other similar vegetables such as broccoli or potatoes. But they are an excellent winter vegetable to cook up. They can be mashed or roasted just like a potato. Or you can make them into a creamy soup (similar to cream of broccoli soup).

The main thing you need to know about Rutabagas is that when you get them from the grocery store they have typically been covered in a wax. So you can't simply cook it up without peeling it, like you would a potato. And it doesn't peel easily with your potato peeler. Instead you need to use a knife and cut off the skin and wax. After that you can boil it, slice it, or bake it however you want.

12/26/2018

Look at this delicious dish made using an electric pressure cooker! And it only needs to cook for 8 minutes! Come learn how to make this dish (plus an entire meal) at the Cooking Under Pressure class on January 22 from 5:30-7:30. Call now to reserve your spot! Price is $10/person.

12/06/2018

Where do you go to get your nutrition information? There is so much misinformation out there, one day they are saying one thing and the next the complete opposite. Did you know that your Extension Educators are here to help you better understand all of the nutrition information you see? We use research tested knowledge to inform you each and every day. We know how to read and understand this research. The next time you hear a food or nutrition claim, give your local extension educator a call or send them an email, we can look into the research behind that claim to determine just how legit it is.

12/03/2018

Home - FCSDay

Today is national "Dining In" day. One easy way to eat healthier is by committing to eat together as a family at home at least 2-3 times per week. https://www.aafcs.org/fcsday/home

The site home page

11/26/2018

Safe Thanksgiving Leftovers

Today is your last day to safely eat your Thanksgiving leftovers! Check out this blog post to learn some more safety tips when using your Thanksgiving leftovers.
https://eatsmartidahointhekitchen.com/2018/11/26/safe-thanksgiving-leftovers/

Today is your last day to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers unless you are freezing them. Here are a few safety tips to remember when using up your Thanksgiving (and any other) leftovers: Leftover…

11/16/2018

Come to the Science of Baking class to learn how to make paper thin phyllo dough like you see here. Not only will you learn how to make this, and other baked goods, but you will also learn the science behind why it works!
The class is on Saturday, December 8 from 10:00-1:00. $5/person or bring your entire family for $15. There will be fun for everyone! Call the extension office at 208-236-7310 in advance to register. But hurry, spots are filling up fast!

11/13/2018

A great way to plan your meals is by starting out with the in season fruits and vegetables. Then decide what you want to have with those fruits and vegetables. This makes the focus of your meals fruits and vegetables instead of meat or grains and you will also save money by buying produce in season.

You can find what fruits and vegetables are in season using the Seasonal and Simple app, created by the University of Missouri Extension.

11/07/2018

Tomorrow is my class “An Introduction to a Plant Based Diet”. We will be trying popcorn seitan. I started preparing the seitan today, as seen here. Today I marinated the wheat meat in balsamic vinegar, pepper, garlic, and onions. Then I boiled it in a broth and tomato sauce mixture. Tomorrow I will bread it and bake it up.

Unfortunately, it is too late to sign up for this class, but if you’d like to be first on the list to sign up next time give us a call and we will put you on the list for the next class!