Dining Divas

foodsandflavors ™ ~ Ashley Beard Freshening up

Your Kitchen Ingredients

Ashley Beard

WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Ashley Beard

Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Yadkin County Ashley_beard@ncsu.edu Follow along on Facebook at Facebook: @YadkinFCS

Spring is coming and the heightened urge to freshen up your space may start soon. You may be used to cleaning out your closets, rooms and cabinets but what about freshening up your kitchen ingredients? The ingredients you keep available can drive the choices you make when it comes to preparing meals.

Here are some key staples from The Med Way that are good to keep in your kitchen!

Dry or Canned Foods:

Canned vegetables no salt added Tomato paste or sauce Dried or canned beans Whole grains brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa Whole grain pasta Whole grain crackers Nuts and seeds Nut butter minimal ingredients, no/low added sugar, no/lo salt Chicken or vegetable broth no/low salt Canned tuna or salmon

Condiments & Spices:

Olive oil Canola oil Vinegars (balsamic, cider, red wine, white wine, sherry) Salt & Pepper

Dried Herbs & Spices:

Garlic Onions Limes & lemons

Frozen Foods:

Meats chicken, lean ground beef/turkey Seafood Vegetables Fruits

Refrigerator Foods:

Pre-washed salad greens Fruit Vegetables Hummus Eggs Low-fat milk Plain greek yogurt

It can take time adjusting to making these switches in the foods you keep in your kitchen. Try adding a couple of these into your cart the next time you are at the store and see if it will drive the choices you make in your meals. Empowering yourself in the kitchen by planning ahead to have nutritious ingredients is a great first step in creating a healthy lifestyle. Have you ever reached for a dressing or condiment at the store and then flipped the bottle over to look at the nutrition facts label? Sometimes my eyes bug out of my head at the added fats, sugar and sodium as well as all the ingredients I can not pronounce. Then I get defeated putting it back thinking I will now have to settle for a boring salad. By freshening up your ingredients you keep in your kitchen, you can make your own simple dressing at home with just as much flavor and satisfaction! Try out one of these simple dressing recipes this spring as you freshen up your kitchen ingredients! These recipes can be found on medinsteadofmeds.com. If interested in learning more about eating the Mediterranean “Med Way” please reach out!

Med House Dressing 1/3 cup (or 5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) olive oil 5 Tablespoons red wine vinegar (you can use white wine or cider) 1 Tablespoon olive oil mayonnaise 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons dried oregano

Place all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well. Serve immediately with your favorite salad or chill until serving

This dressing is great on any salad but try it with the rest of the Med House Salad ingredients: 2 heads of Romaine lettuce 1/3 cup thinly sliced pepperoncini peppers (or buy the pre-sliced) 1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard 6 Tablespoons olive oil Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid Shake vigorously. Serve immediately with your favorite salad or chill until serving.

Yogurt Cucumber Sauce 1 cucumber OR 1/2 European cucumber, peeled and seeded 1 cup nonfat, plain yogurt (Greek or regular) 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped fine OR 1 teaspoon dried dill 2 to 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice (or juice of 1 lemon) Salt to taste

Peel and seed the cucumber. Remove seeds so your sauce is not watery. Grate cucumber; Use medium or large size on box grater. (You can also grate using a food processor.) Mix all remaining ingredients. Start with 1/2 teaspoon salt and adjust if needed.

...shopping that is soothing to the soul

Connie Key‐Hobson, owner

candles, jewelry Christian products decor for any room/style embroidery, monogramming gifts for all occasions handmade items

Look for these tee shirt styles & more!

Check our Facebook Page

ConnieWings whispersandwings.com

We’re in our New Home!

6428 NC Hwy 67, Boonville, NC 336‐699‐6256

You had us at Carrot Cake Truffles not to mention the stacks of flavor after flavor of fudge. Barrels of old fashion candies, a wall of jelly beans, this place is a sweet tooth lovers’ dream.

While a candy store is not exactly our regular sit down meal visit, we’ll be back to the taste tempting creations waiting at Bear Creek.

Bear Creek Candy Kitchen 165 North Main Street, Mount Airy Monday-Thursday 9-5 • Friday 9-6 Saturday 8-6 • Sunday 9-3 www.bearcreekcandy.com

Mayberry Market

& Souvenirs

182 N. Main Street Downtown Mount Airy

28 different vendors Mayberry souvenirs • gift items • home decor boutique clothing • jewelry & accessories • pottery jams • ciders & candy • baby boutique • masks Downtown Dog Co. • handmade soaps & more!

Open Monday - Sunday 10am to 6pm 336-719-2363 • MayberryMarkets.com

Consignment clothing and bargain basement including furniture and household items

SPRING

1313 North Bridge Street Elkin, NC 28621 336-835-2013

Monday-Friday 9-5 • Saturday 9-4 • Closed Wed

Laura Mathis

Laura Mathis

Sweet Basil

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum), a plant of the mint family Lamiaceae, is one of the most popular herbs to grow today. It is a tender low-growing herb that is grown as a perennial in warm, tropical climates such as India where it has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. More than 150 basil varieties are grown worldwide. Popular varieties include Cinnamon Basil, native to Mexico, Lemon Basil, and Purple Basil.

Basil, best known as an herb for many Mediterranean dishes, is very versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. Include fresh basil to add flavor to summer salads, drinks or ice cream (yes, ice cream). Most of the

Try Mrs. Laura’s Herbal Shortbread! Old fashioned shortbread in unique herbal flavors. Made with: Non-GMO flour, real butter, pure flavorings, and dried herbs. For more information: www.herbalaccents.net or call at (336) 998-1315.

time, basil should be used fresh. If using dried basil in recipes, generally it is best to add at the last moment as it looses its flavor quickly.

Basil is easy to grow either in pots or out in the garden. It needs plenty of sunshine, adequate water, and pruning to keep it productive. Most basil gets quite large in the garden. It takes a sizable root system to support that top growth. Potted basils require at least a 6-inch container. In our area, basil is grown as an annual and does not tolerate our cold winters. Its leaves are very tender and will quickly wilt if touched by frost. To harvest, pick basil at its prime, preferably early in the morning when the concentration of essential oils is highest. Its flavor is most intense when the flowering spikes are just beginning to show. It’s better to preserve that distinctive basil flavor through freezing rather than drying; basil flavors lose their complexity upon drying. To freeze basil, place washed and dried leaves on trays in the freezer. After several hours, they may be crumbled and kept frozen in airtight jars or bags. You could also make a thick puree by blending basil with a little water and then freezing it in ice-cube trays. When the cubes are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag and store frozen until needed. Easily add them to soups or your favorite recipes.

As with most Herbs, fresh basil has many health benefits. 100 grams of fresh basil leaves contain astoundingly 175% of daily required doses of vitamin A, known to have antioxidant properties and essential for vision health. It has vitamin K, which is essential for the production of clotting factors in the blood and plays a vital role in the bone strengthening. Basil also contains a good amount of minerals like potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron. Latest studies revealed that basil has antiviral and antioxidant properties and that it may be useful in cancer treatment. You don’t have to grow basil just for its culinary uses; these amazing plants can add beauty and interest to your garden or patio area. When you’ve collected all the leaves you want to use, allow your plant to flower, providing additional interest. Sweet Basil with green leaves will grow stalks of scented white flowers while purple leafed varieties such as the Cinnamon Basil will have sweet scented pink flowers. As an added plus, basil contains chemicals which repel insects. Certain experiments showed that basil is toxic for mosquitoes.

To make Strawberry Basil Lemonade simply blend a handful of strawberries, a cup of lemon juice and 6 basil leaves together and add to water with your favorite sweetener and enjoy!

Gravy & Biscuit Mixes

Let us help you with your charcuterie board!

302 East Main St., Historic Elkin

At the intersection of Main St. and Standard St., (336) 835-1426

Wednesday–Friday, 9am–5pm Saturday 10am–4pm

Candies and Jar Goods

Locally Owned by Jimmy and Amy Gardi who invite you to visit.

Your Pennsylvania Dutch Bulk Food Store

follow us on

We accept all major credit cards. Large variety of sugar free drinks

Jim Collins

Jim lives in WinstonSalem. He is a great cook who knows Yadkin Valley Wines and, his way around a kitchen!

Barbeque

Southern Style Ribs and Barbeque Sauce

Some days you just have a hankering for some good old barbequed ribs, but it’s too messy outside to light the grill. One day I was messing around and I came up with this idea to make them inside. I must have gotten it right, because my wife just loves them and the neighbors like them, too. I trimmed the excess fat off because she doesn’t like the fat. Just for those messy days, I keep some extra packs of southern style ribs in the freezer. For that grilled taste, you can take the cooked ribs outside and brown both sides on your grill just like you did under the broiler. Recently commercial barbeque sauces have been giving me indigestion for several hours after I eat them. Below is a recipe for barbeque sauce I came up with that doesn’t give me indigestion. Try it, you might like it. It also goes great with chicken.

Jim’s Barbeque Sauce 2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup Worchester sauce 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 Tablespoons honey 1 Tablespoon hot sauce (Texas Pete or Tabasco) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and gently simmer the sauce until dark, thick and richly favored, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a clean jar and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for several months.

Barbequed Southern Style Ribs 2 pounds southern style ribs trimmed of excess fat 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt Dash paprika Dash cayenne pepper Barbeque sauce (recipe below or your own barbeque sauce)

Rinse the ribs under cold running water. Blot dry with paper towels. Trim ribs of any excess fat. Put 3 cups of water in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add garlic & onion powders, black pepper, salt, paprika & cayenne pepper. Stir well and add the ribs. Add more water if needed to cover the ribs. Bring pot to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until the ribs are tender. Turn oven to broil. Place ribs on a sprayed baking sheet with oil. Spread barbeque sauce on each rib. Broil until brown on top. Remove ribs, turn over, cover with barbeque sauce again. Return to broiler; brown other side. Remove and enjoy.

Kitchen Tips

Q. What containers are safe for microwaving foods?

A. Glass, ceramic and plastic utensils labeled for microwave oven use are safe. Microwave plastic wraps, wax paper, cooking bags, parchment paper and white microwave-safe paper towels should be safe to use. Do not let plastic wrap touch foods during microwaving.

Also do not use plastic cold-storage containers such as margarine tubs, take-out containers, whipped topping bowls and other one-time use containers. The containers can warp or melt, possible causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.

Never use thin plastic storage bags, brown paper or plastic grocery bags, newspapers or aluminum foil in the microwave oven.

We just want to say thank you... We really appreciate you shopping with us!

Quality without Question

Chicken, Steaks, Burgers, Pork. We offer the freshest cuts of meats, fresh breads and sides.

USDA PRIME and Choice Meats Inspected Daily

for specials and updates!

133 Old Buck Shoals Road • Mount Airy

Ryan Guthrie

WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Guthrie

in a busy Mom’s Kitchen

Lemon Dill Chicken Salad

At the first signs of Spring and warm weather, light and fresh meals just seem to match the fresh energy of the season. This chicken salad is so quick to put together as you can use leftover chicken or even a rotisserie chicken in a rush. The citrus and tangy dill, plus a crunch of almond are refreshing and delicious for a quick lunch or easy weeknight dinner. I love to make tortilla rollups for my son, served with a side of red grapes, while I enjoy a lower carb version in lettuce wraps. This recipe is also great to take to gatherings on mini croissants or with crackers.

Serves 5 2 cups of cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded 1/2 cup sliced almonds 2 stalks finely chopped celery 3 green onion stalks, chopped 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup mayonnaise 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper to taste

Toss together chicken, almonds, celery, onion and dill in a mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl stir together mayonnaise, dijon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and stir together. Cover and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Your Get-Away Place!

Huge selection of snacks and picnic supplies

DINE SHOP RELAX

Men’s and Women’s Tee Shirts

Our popular Grilled Club Sandwich & Chicken Salad Croissant, just two of the amazing sandwiches from our deli Umbrellas

RUCKSAC AntiTheft Back packs!

Clean Eating, Nutrition Class starting in March! So you can Feel Better and Look Better in time for the Summer!

Local Family Owned • Made-In-USA Products!

541 West Pine Street, Mount Airy, NC 336‐755‐2340 millcreekgeneralstore.com Monday‐Saturday 9:30am‐6pm • Sunday: Closed