The problem of hunger in America was brought to national attention in the 1960s and continues to be a concern today. As Thomas Slater, executive director of the Food Bank of Central New York states: “It is a tragedy to see more and more people relying on emergency food assistance in a country of such wealth and a state with such agricultural abundance.”
To address hunger in Cayuga County, the Auburn farmers market is sponsoring Hunger Awareness Day Thursday, Sept. 18. Information about Cayuga County emergency food providers will be available, and each food pantry in Cayuga County will have a collection box for donations of produce purchased at the farmers market that day.
The food pantries in Cayuga County currently serve more than 1,800 families each month. The number of people relying on emergency food assistance is expected to increase with rising energy costs, job losses and reduced health insurance coverage. Of the central New York residents receiving emergency food assistance from food pantries and soup kitchens, 39 percent are from a household with at least one employed family member and 36 percent are children under the age of 18.
To reduce the dependence on emergency food assistance, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County offers Eat Smart NY, a program for adults with limited resources. Nutrition educators in this program demonstrate shopping and cooking techniques for preparing nutritious and low cost foods. The recipes featured each week in this column are from this program. For more information on Eat Smart NY and recent recipes, visit the nutrition section of the Web site at www.cce.cornell.edu/cayuga.
Many of our recipes include dried beans, such as kidney beans and black beans. Using beans in soups, salads, casseroles and tortilla fillings provides an inexpensive and nutritious protein source. Canned beans should be rinsed and drained to reduce the sodium content. Dried beans are less expensive and lower sodium than canned beans but must be soaked in water before using them in recipes. The fastest way to rehydrate dried beans is to cover them with cold water in a pan, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pan and allow to soak for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Lentils and split peas do not need to be soaked before cooking.
When preparing beans, be sure to:
** Use 3 cups of water for each cup of dried beans when soaking. 1 cup of dried beans will expand to 3 cups of cooked beans.
** Discard the water the beans are soaked in (or packed in if canned). This reduces the raffinose, which is an undigestible sugar that can cause intestinal distress.
** Test beans for doneness. They should be soft enough to mash with a fork.
** Wait until beans are tender to add salt or acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes.
** Refrigerate cooked beans if not using immediately.
To sample a recipe that is an inexpensive and complete meal in one pot, come to the Cornell Cooperative Extension table at the Auburn farmers market Thursday, Sept. 18.
Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator with the Eat Smart NY program at Cornell
Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County
The food pantries in Cayuga County currently serve more than 1,800 families each month. The number of people relying on emergency food assistance is expected to increase with rising energy costs, job losses and reduced health insurance coverage. Of the central New York residents receiving emergency food assistance from food pantries and soup kitchens, 39 percent are from a household with at least one employed family member and 36 percent are children under the age of 18.
To reduce the dependence on emergency food assistance, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County offers Eat Smart NY, a program for adults with limited resources. Nutrition educators in this program demonstrate shopping and cooking techniques for preparing nutritious and low cost foods. The recipes featured each week in this column are from this program. For more information on Eat Smart NY and recent recipes, visit the nutrition section of the Web site at www.cce.cornell.edu/cayuga.
Many of our recipes include dried beans, such as kidney beans and black beans. Using beans in soups, salads, casseroles and tortilla fillings provides an inexpensive and nutritious protein source. Canned beans should be rinsed and drained to reduce the sodium content. Dried beans are less expensive and lower sodium than canned beans but must be soaked in water before using them in recipes. The fastest way to rehydrate dried beans is to cover them with cold water in a pan, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pan and allow to soak for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Lentils and split peas do not need to be soaked before cooking.
When preparing beans, be sure to:
** Use 3 cups of water for each cup of dried beans when soaking. 1 cup of dried beans will expand to 3 cups of cooked beans.
** Discard the water the beans are soaked in (or packed in if canned). This reduces the raffinose, which is an undigestible sugar that can cause intestinal distress.
** Test beans for doneness. They should be soft enough to mash with a fork.
** Wait until beans are tender to add salt or acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes.
** Refrigerate cooked beans if not using immediately.
To sample a recipe that is an inexpensive and complete meal in one pot, come to the Cornell Cooperative Extension table at the Auburn farmers market Thursday, Sept. 18.
Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator with the Eat Smart NY program at Cornell
Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County
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