Welcome to your second ReFresh newsletter of the season! February is the bridge between winter and spring. The weather is changing with highs and lows and our cooking reflects the need for change also.
In this newsletter, you will find:
– the ReFresh calendar with dates of cooking classes
– Learn more about mushrooms and their health benefits in “Featured Bag Item” section.
– Learn how to grow your favorite tomatoes in the “Gardening” section.
– A few simple recipes that you can make with the fresh ingredients in your ReFresh bag!
– Check out the information for the Plant Swap, a Tango Class, Family Caregivers Center of New Mexico caregiver program, and Blue Door Neighborhood Center in the “Community Resource” section.
We hope you enjoy this newsletter and thank you for your participation as we work together to build a healthy local food system.
Text your questions, photos, and comments to: (505) 226-3707.
Featured Bag Item
What are mushrooms and what are their health benefits?
There are many types of mushrooms: oyster, shiitake, lion’s mane, portabella, cremini, button and more.
Fun Fact: Mushrooms are fungi, not a plant or an animal.
Mushrooms are high in:
B vitamins which help with energy, support brain and skin health and help form red blood cells.
Vitamin D is great for bone health and calcium absorption.
Phosphorus helps build strong bones and teeth.
Selenium helps the immune system and protects from cell damage.
Copper supports healthy blood vessels, bone and the immune system.
Potassium helps regulate blood pressure.
Storage Tip: Store mushrooms in brown paper bags for ventilation and reduction of moisture. They will last a week in the refrigerator.
Cooking Tips: Mushrooms can be sauted, grilled or added to soups and stews.
Cleaning Tip: It is best to gently wipe off the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel, mushrooms are like a sponge and will soak up water if you wash them with a lot of water.
Check out the recipe below that will be featured in the online cooking class this Thursday. Make sure to sign up!
Have more questions about food and nutrition? 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.
This salad provides a good source of fiber, which is good for digestive health, helps regulate blood sugar levels and promotes satiety (feeling full) and vitamins A which is important for vision and C which helps our immune system.
A blend of winning flavor, great for topping roasted pork or chicken. All add fiber and help your immune system, protecting you against chronic diseases with vitamins B, C and D.
Chicos are dried corn that are whole ears of corn in husk that are steamed or roasted in an outdoor adobe oven and then dried and removed from the cob. Chicos are high in fiber and a whole grain so digests slowly. It is low on the glycemic index, which means it does not cause blood sugar levels to spike drastically.
Location: Erna Fergusson Public Library or Virtual
When: Various dates and times
Website: www.familycaregivernm.org
What: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) recently opened a Blue Door Neighborhood Center (BDNC) in Albuquerque South Valley. You do not have to be a BCBSNM member. The center is a community-based health and wellness center where you can connect, and learn about health with various activities like cooking and exercise classes.
Location: 3925 Las Estancias Way SW, Suite A, Albuquerque, NM 87121
Special thanks to all of the farmers and food producers working so hard to feed our communities; our partner organizations who helped to recruit ReFresh families: Kids’ Cook, Together for Brothers, Mandy’s Farm, New Mexico Asian Family Center, and YES Housing; 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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