Three Sisters Kitchen ReFresh Newsletter- 2-24-21

Welcome to your ReFresh newsletter! We hope you are having a fabulous February!
In this newsletter, you will find:
– Information about Tokyo Bekana and its health benefits in the “Ask a Health Educator” with Lisa.
– Tips to plant peas in the “Ask a Farmer” with Tiana.
– A few simple recipes that you can make with the fresh ingredients in your ReFresh bag!
– Community resources for free diabetes classes offered by the Bernalillo County Extension Office.
We hope you enjoy this newsletter and thank you for your participation as we work together to create a healthy local food system.
Next ReFresh distribution: 3/10/21
Text your questions, photos, and comments to: ‪(505) 226-3707‬.

Ask a Registered Dietitian
With Lisa Chen

What is Tokyo Bekana and what are its health benefits?
Tokyo Bekana is in the cabbage family. It is sometimes mistaken for lettuce because of the lightweight and loose leaves. Its leaves are tender and stems are crunchy and juicy. The taste is mild and sweet. Similar to other leafy greens, it is high in fiber and vitamin C, which is important for gut and heart health.

You can saute Tokyo Bekana with other hardy greens, such as kale, mustard greens, and chard, or add to a soup. Check out this sauteed greens recipe.
Do you have a question about food and nutrition for us to answer in future newsletters and Q&A videos? Send your questions to [email protected].
Disclaimer: The information shared by Three Sisters Kitchen (TSK) is for general informational purposes only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by a doctor or other health care provider.
Photo by Diabetes Food Hub

Ask a Farmer
With Farmer Tiana Baca

Check out these gardening tips for planting peas:
    

Recipes We Love!

  • This fresh crunchy salad is simple and fulfilling. Use tangerine juice to make the dressing. Besides enjoying it as a salad, you can add this dish to corn tortillas to make tacos!

 

  • Don’t know what to do with the cheese curds? This fried cheese curd recipe can be a quick snack when you are craving fried food. You can prepare vegetable sticks, such as broccoli and carrots, as another snack to go with the fried cheese curd.

 

Photos by 1) The Food Hero, 2) Food Network

Community Resources
With Blythe Maunders

Kitchen Creations, a free diabetes education class series taught by Registered Dietitian, has now switched to virtual classes through zoom! These courses aim to provide guidance in diabetes management while also providing tasty recipes and useful tips along the way. Click here to learn more and register for these free classes.

This week your Refresh bag will include many of the following delicious fresh and staple items:

  • Tokyo Bekana & baby kale from Vida Verde Farm*
  • Carrots from Schwebach Farms*
  • Living lettuce from Silver Leaf Farms*
  • Acorn squash from Agri-Cultura Network*
  • Pinto beans from Ness Farms*
  • Corn tortillas from Sabroso Foods*
  • Green chile cheese curds from DeSmet Dairy Farms*
  • Chile Colorado or Adobada chile mix from Fiesta On Wheels*
    Lilia Avila and Silvia Ochoa, owners of Fiesta On Wheels and graduates of Three sisters Kitchen’s Food Business Training Program, invite you to enjoy their wonderful spice mixes that they grew up with in Mexico. Use their product to make a flavorful sauce for enchiladas, burritos, a bowl of beans, eggs, or anything! Simply add water to the mix to make the sauce and enjoy!
  • Avocados, broccoli, jicama, and tangerines from Quality Fruit & Veg
* NM grown / NM made. We raise money to purchase these foods from local farmers and food producers as a concrete way to invest in our local food system and get delicious, fresh, local food to our ReFresh families. Keep an eye out for these local farms and food businesses when you do your food shopping. ReFresh boxes will always include local food items.

Thank You!

Special thanks to all of the farmers and food producers working so hard to feed our communities; our partner organizations who help recruit ReFresh families: Kids Cook!, YES Housing, Together for Brothers, SWOP, Centro Savila, Encuentro, and Mandy’s Farm; to the staff, volunteers, donors, and ReFresh families who make the program work, and to our partners at MoGro Mobile Grocery, who pack these beautiful ReFresh bags each week for us, and who do so much important work connecting communities to healthy food throughout New Mexico. There would be no ReFresh program without all of you – we love our partners!
– All of us at Three Sisters Kitchen
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