Jumpin' January!
Hello again Gleaners! Hopefully January’s cold weather hasn’t frozen your nose and toes too badly!
We’re back again to celebrate the rest of January’s delicious food holidays with some recipes and more information about seasonal produce!
National Pie day on January 23rd!
There doesn’t seem to be a better way to celebrate this day than with some incredible and semi-seasonal pastries to warm your heart and your home. And while the traditional pies like Apple and Pumpkin are incredible, there are definitely some amazing twists to be had with pies—the choices are almost endless! For instance you could try this delicious Cranberry Pear Crisp Pie that combines the best of a crisp and pie for a flaky delicious pastry. It’s sure to bring visions of Spring coming soon, or perhaps help you savor the flavors of the Holidays just a little bit longer!
If you’re in the mood for something more reminiscent of Fall but with a Summer twist then maybe Lemon Sweet Potato Pie is something you can try! This pie promises to give you a hint of citrus with the smoothness of sweet potato pie that’s sure to warm you and help you look forward to the coming year! It’s also a great use of in season sweet potatoes that can easily be stored and used all winter for delicious soups, pies and more!
If none of that suits, don’t worry there’s a delicious dessert alternative that’s convenient to help you celebrate both Pie Day and National Peanut Butter Day January 24th—Buckeye Pie! This sweet treat is perfect as we head into February and towards Valentine’s Day!
January 28th is Blueberry Pancake Day!
Most folks have fond memories of Pancakes for breakfast (and sometimes lunch and dinner!) as kids but pancakes are delicious at any time and changing up the fruit you add can make for an interesting and healthy meal! Blueberry pancakes are great, but what if you don’t have time to make them during the week and the busy rush to get to work, school, and elsewhere?
Blueberry Pancake Muffins may just offer you an answer to your problems and cravings! They offer an easy way to enjoy pancakes even when you’re busy because you can easily make a big batch and have them for easy breakfasts all week!
What about when you do have time? If you want to experiment with new options for pancakes on this holiday, what about trying Blueberry Oatmeal Yogurt Pancakes? These fluffy, healthy pancakes can help you start your day off great by including a few breakfast foods all together into one delicious package!
January 31st is National Hot Chocolate Day!
Is there a better way to round out cold month than with Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate doesn’t seem like it should need a recipe but the one for this Healthy Hot Chocolate is so adaptable that it can be changed and modified for anyone with any number of allergies!
Seasonal Produce Stop
Not much change in seasonal produce updates. In Pennsylvania, late January Produce includes 7,500 varieties of apples, celery, mushrooms, horseradish, potatoes, rapini (broccoli rabe—a leafy cousin to broccoli), Salsify (a woody root with a taste like oysters), shallots (delicate bulbs similar to onions with a sweet flavor), sprouts of all types (beans and alfalfa are very popular!), sunchokes (or Jerusalem artichokes, a native North American plant in the sunflower family), and turnips! Be sure to pick some of these up for yourself at a local market—most farmer’s markets are closed but some local producers still have stands up and are offering some of these and more delicious treats throughout the colder months!