October 10 — Kids: If you love preparing egg-white omelets — and other egg-white recipes — but struggle to separate the yolk from the whites, here’s a simple approach that is also a fun science experiment: 1. Crack eggs and place them in a container. 2. Grab an empty plastic water bottle and easily extract an egg yolk by sucking up the yolk. 3. Slightly crush the bottle creating some suction action. 4. Place the bottle directly over the yolk, then “release.” 5. Finally, “squirt” yolk into your bowl and leave the whites behind. Neato, right? Click here for more Cooking Tips for Kids.
Did you know:
- Asian pears are round, crunchy, and sweet fruit, quite different from what many tend to mean when we think of this word. They are, however, gaining in popularity, although their season is quite limited.
- In the US, the most commonly grown variety of pears is the Bartlett. In fact, it accounts for about 70% of the US market, and the majority are grown in California, Washington and Oregon. Many never see the stores and are quickly sold to large canning companies. In fact, Americans can more of this fruit than they eat fresh. In Europe, it’s less common to can the fruit, and it is often eaten fresh for dessert. Its sweetness makes an excellent contrast to sharp cheese.
- The Bartlett pear actually comes in green and red varieties. The fully ripe Bartlett may be somewhat yellow, but the Red Bartlett develops its color prior to being fully ripe. Similarly, the D’Anjou, often just called the Anjou, can be either red or yellow, or like an apple. It can have a red blush when fully ripe. Sources: usapears.org, wisegeek.org
How do you know if your pear is ripe? Click here to find out!
- Antioxidants are molecules that inhibits a chemical reaction involving the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state.
- Quercetin belongs to a group of plant pigments called flavonoids that give many fruits, flowers, and vegetables their color — which means it’s often in the skin of a fruit.
Did you know: Pears — with the skin on — have both, so eating them can helps prevent cancer — and it can help reduce blood pressure. So don’t peel your pears! And here’s more good news: Pears are a hypoallergenic fruit, so if you have food sensitivities can usually eat pears with no adverse effects. Eating three or more servings of fruits a day, such as pears, may also lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. Click here for Edible Education’s recipes for cooking with pears.
October 7 — If you love math, or if you are struggling to master your arithmetic homework, here’s a fun way to eat and study at the same time. Whip up some Fruity Fractions.
Here’s what you’ll need: 1 mini pita (or a slice of your favorite bread), 1/4 pear thinly sliced, 1/2 slice of muenster cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and olive oil for brushing.
Here’s how: Brush the bread with olive oil, then cut into quarters (1/4) or eighths (1/8). Cut your pear in half (1/2) and then in half again to make quarters (1/4). Now place a half slice (1/2) of muenster cheese to each pita triangle, and top it with the slice of pear. Lightly drizzle a small amount of honey over pita. Bake in toaster oven at 450 F for 5 minutes or until the pear is soft and the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!
October 6 — If you love pears (and who doesn’t), and from our Cooking Tips posted so far this October you know the benefits of eating pumpkin, you are going to love this month’s recipe for Creamy Squash and Pear Soup.
Did you know: Pears are one of the highest-fiber fruits, offering six grams per medium-sized fruit, helping you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams. Pears also contain vitamins C, K, B2, B3, and B6. And you can get all of that in a neat little sweet green package. Impressive, right?
Did you know: Adding pumpkin to your daily regimen will account for nearly 20% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C. It’s widely believed that vitamin C is pivotal come cold and flu season. Pumpkins are also a great source of vitamins A, C, E and B — and it is full of the many minerals the human body needs on a daily basis, like fiber, potassium, calcium, copper and zinc. Click here for some yummy pumpkin recipes that you can make after school today!
October 4 — Want an after-school treat that’s also good for you? Try one of our October recipes: Pumpkin Milkshake. As it turns out, pumpkin gives you even more energy than a banana because a cup of cooked pumpkin has more of the refueling nutrient potassium (564 milligrams vs 422 from a banana).
Did you know: Potassium helps restore the body’s balance of electrolytes after a heavy workout — or a busy day at school — and it keeps your muscles functioning at their best. For more delicious pumpkin recipes, click here.
October 3 — Do you love eating pumpkin seeds? Good news, because according to the USDA nutritional database, 1 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds has only 285 calories, 11.87 grams protein, 12.42 g fat, and 11.8 g dietary fiber. That’s good stuff!
That’s not all: That same cup of roasted pumpkin seeds has 168 milligrams of magnesium, which your body needs for regulating muscle and nerve function, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and blood pressure, as well as making protein, bone and DNA. Source: Mother Nature Network
Best of all, it’s easy to roast pumpkin seeds. Here’s how: Spread the seeds our on an oiled baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until they are dry and slightly crispy. Then add about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and top with your favorite spices (salt, taco seasoning, cinnamon and sugar, or whatever else you like). Then return to the oven for about 20 minutes until the seeds are golden. Yum!
October 2 — Pumpkin Muffins are more than just yummy breakfast food. Pumpkins pack some powerful perks — like keeping your heart healthy, and improving your vision. That’s because a cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A (which aids vision), particularly in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health. To add more pumpkin to your diet today, check out our pumpkin muffin recipe here.
October 1 — This month at Edible Education, we celebrate pumpkins and pears. The reason is simple. We focus on the fruits and vegetables that are in season each month. So be sure to check out our recipes that feature these delicious ingredients: Pumpkin Muffins, Fruity Fractions, Creamy Squash and Pear Soup, and a Pumpkin Milkshake.