Amazing April!
Welcome back to the blog Gleaners! Hopefully you’re having an incredible start to spring! We’re here to start of April right with more exciting food holidays and information!
April is Pecan and Soy Foods Month!
Pecans and Soy can be absolutely incredibly delicious!
Pecans are a softer tree nut that is extremely versatile for anything between cookies to salads to being cooked up in delicious stir frys! Be cautious with this nut because it is a tree nut and there are many folks with allergies! Pecans are great for helping to lower blood pressure and provide a good source of calcium, magnesium and potassium!
Soy is also a beans are a legume (like peanuts!) and can come in a variety of forms (meat substitutes, dairy substitutes, appetizers (edamame, anyone?)). Soy has a bunch of benefits, much like pecans, but be more cautious about consuming too much—soy has estrogenic and anti-estrogenic properties meaning that it can have effects in changing hormone cycles and weight! It is very nutrient dense source of protein, and it can be safely consumed several times a week or more to provide it’s benefits but be careful not to eat too much all at once!
April 2nd is Peanut Butter Day!
Peanut butter is delicious! From the icing on cakes to the PB&J we all experienced as a kid, this treat can be enjoyed in almost every part of your day (not going to lie here, most of us are guilty of eating it straight out of the container on a spoon—there’s no shame!). Peanut butter can be a great option when you have a balanced diet (it can be a little fatty!) but it is rich in protein and magnesium which can help protect the heart and manage blood sugar and weight! There are a million delicious recipes for peanut butter that can be bought at the store but you can also make your own (crazy good!) peanut butter for other recipes! Check those out here:
April 4th is International Carrot Day!
International Carrot Day is a time to celebrate spreading knowledge of the carrot and it’s incredible attributes (and colors—look how amazing they are!). Orange carrots were domesticated supposedly, in honor of William of Orange by the Dutch though there is no firm evidence that this is for sure the reason. Carrots are loaded with fiber to help keep blood sugar under control and they have vitamin A and Beta-carotene to help lower diabetes risk and improve eyes. They can also strengthen bones with calcium and vitamin K!
April 7th is Burrito Day!
Burritos are an versatile Mexican dish consisting of a flour tortilla tightly wrapped around a filling of various ingredients generally made of protein (meat or substitute), beans, cheese, rice and salsa. The origins of this dish is unknown but it’s amazingly portable and has spawned several regional variants including the breakfast burrito, the chimichanga, the smothered (wet) burrito [covered in enchilada sauce). They are classified as burritos based on the use of a flour tortilla vs the corn tortilla used in other variations. Celebrate this day with a look at the recipes below to explore the many ways you can put this together!
April 8th is Empanada day!
I know what you might be asking yourself: What the Heck is an Empanada!? They’re similar to pies and are typically filled with cod or chicken (think of a pierogi or a ravioli). Don’t let the typical filling fool you either—these can also be stuffed with pie fillings or other sweets to make a delicious dessert! They’re made by folding thinly rolled disks of dough over into a semicircle with filling inside and crimping the edges. The dough is often made with wheat flour but sometimes with corn or cornmeal or even plantain or potato base. The art of making them perfectly is to hold dough in one hand and fill it with the other and then crimping the edges with your fingers—but we won’t judge if you need to use a table or some other means to make these tasty treats!
April 9th is Chinese Almond Cookie Day!
If you’ve never had these delicious treats prepare your taste buds for some incredible flavors and crunchy treats! These cookies don’t have a set origin date or place despite being named Chinese cookies but it’s thought that they were adapted from Chinese walnut cookies which come from the 16th century in the Ming Dynasty (Recipe for that here). Whatever the origin, these tasty treats are meant to symbolize luck or coins and are meant to bring prosperity and good fortune. What better way to celebrate prosperity than with COOKIES! Give these delicious cookies a try on this day to hopefully bring prosperity and luck into your year (and growing season—it can’t hurt, right??).
April 12th is Grilled Cheese Day!
Grilled cheese is the ultimate sandwich to dip into tomato, vegetable and a variety of other soups as a delicious addition to a meal! They have so many variations and different ways to make them and dip them that the possibilities and combinations can take years to try all of! It seems every country seems to have their own version: France with the croque monsieur (ham and cheese grilled between bread), India with Paneer Naan (think flatbread with delicious cheese that kind of resembles pizza), or South Africa with Braaibroodjie (sandwiches with sharp cheese, tomatoes or onions and chutney) that are cooked over coals). No matter what variety of foods and ways to make it or even variations in names, this delicious treat can be enjoyed no matter what you decide to make it!
Just in case you’re wondering, the secret to that amazing crunch is room temperature butter!
The Season is HEREEE!
Planting season and sometimes harvest season has now begun! Here’s what’s in season near us in PA!:
Apples
Asparagus-This can come in green but also white, purple and wild varieties!
Chives
Fiddleheads
Horseradish
Lamb’s Quarters-These are wild foraged leafy greens with a lot of protein, fiber, omega fatty acids and vitamins A and C.
Mint
Morels-These are a wild, cone shaped mushroom that have honeycomb texture and are a carefully guarded secret—if you find a morel patch, don’t share that info! It’s part of the fun to search for them!
Mushrooms
Nettles
Oregano
Parsnips
Pea Shoots
Potatoes
Purslane-This can be foraged or purchased at your local farmers market (You may see it growing in sidewalks or in your yard too!). It’s slightly tart and lemony which makes it great in salads!
Ramps-These are delicious, peppery and pungent crosses between onions and garlic!
Sage
Sorrel
Spinach
Sprouts
Tarragon
Tomatoes
Watercress