Eating Nuts Daily Can Boost Heart Health

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

A recent review of 60 studies found that eating nuts every day contributed to a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that eating just a handful of nuts each day, which is roughly equivalent to 30 grams, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 25%. The reason for this reduced risk, according to the study’s co-author Erik Arnesen, is because nuts have a beneficial effect on the cholesterol levels in our blood. And, as we all know, too much cholesterol leads to too much fat buildup in the arteries, which in turn leads to cardiovascular disease.

Plus, nuts are a perfect part of your holiday menu!

Looking for ways to incorporate more nuts into your diet and reap the heart health benefits that they offer? Try snacking on them plain, either raw or roasted and salted! Or, if you’d rather eat them alongside something else, check out the following recipes that feature a hearty serving of nuts from Fill Your Plate!

  1. Fill Your Plate – Pistachio Salad
  2. Fill Your Plate – Almond Cookie Dough
  3. Fill Your Plate – DIY Dark Chocolate Almond Bars
  4. Fill Your Plate – Orange Almond Salad
  5. Fill Your Plate – Pecan Pie Bars
  6. Fill Your Plate – Nutty Medjool Date Cheese Ball
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Tips for Using Honey in the Kitchen

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

A few years ago, my youngest brother got incredibly interested in raising bees and harvesting honey. He started with only one hive just for the fun of it, but fast-forward two years, and it’s now his own business! Thanks to his beehives, my mom and I have access to fresh local honey whenever we want! This has let us do so much experimenting in the kitchen, both with baking and cooking. Here are a few tips when it comes to cooking and baking with honey!

Do you know which is the better choice for your health- honey or sugar? (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

According to celebrity chef Carla Hall, there are different things to keep in mind when using honey in the kitchen, and they vary whether you are cooking with honey or baking with it.

Using honey in cooking is easy, just add it to foods however you like. A few things to think about however include:

  • The source of the honey. This influences the flavor and sweetness of the honey. Buckwheat honey is a good example of a not-so-sweet honey perfect for pairing with spicy or savory foods.
  • Use it to taste. If you’re using it in a marinade or dressing, use it to achieve your desired flavor!

When it comes to baking with honey, there are a few extra rules you need to follow to ensure the best possible outcome.

  • Sugar can’t be swapped for honey on a one-to-one ratio. Reduce the amount of honey by half a cup.
  • Increase the amount of baking soda in the recipe to help balance the pH of the honey.
  • Lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees to avoid burning the sugar in the honey.

 

Honey is an amazing ingredient to keep in your kitchen! It has such a unique flavor and sweetness that tastes amazing in so many different recipes!

We have lots of local beekeepers here in Arizona, so getting some raw, local honey is super easy! I’m a little biased, but Grande Honey Co. in Casa Grande produces some pretty awesome honey! For more honey producers around the state, check out the Fill Your Plate website!

 

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Let Arizona Agriculture Star at Your Next Holiday Party!

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

 

Besides gatherings with friends and family, or buying, wrapping, and opening gifts, the holiday season is also very well known for all of the delicious foods that come along with it! From the appetizers to desserts to the actual meal itself, many of the foods that are commonly served during the holidays are actually produced right here in Arizona! Below are some examples of holiday foods whose main ingredient is something that is grown here locally!

There is no better way to kick off a holiday party than with a big spread of various appetizers all made from locally produced ingredients. For example, you can never go wrong with a charcuterie board loaded with fresh cheeses, meats, olives, nuts, and fruits. Likewise, a vegetable tray full of an assortment of fresh Arizona veggies is always a good option. Or, for something a little more unique, try some Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with some dates from Yuma, Arizona.

After everyone has socialized for a little while and enjoyed some appetizers, it’s the perfect time to settle at the table for the meal of the evening. This is where Arizona agriculture can really shine! Arizona produces all sorts of protein options that can “star” in the main dish. Whether it be a beef roast, a ham, a turkey, or a rack of lamb, the options are endless. When it comes to sides, Arizona grows lots of vegetables that you can use in any of your recipes. The Fill Your Plate recipes page has LOTS of side dish ideas that all use Arizona-grown products! Check them out here.

And now for the best part, dessert! Thanks to Arizona’s dairy and egg producers, local agriculture products can be incorporated into pretty much any kind of dessert, whether it be cakes, cookies, trifles, cobblers, or brownies. An extra special dessert you can make whose main ingredient is dairy, try out this Eggnog Brownie Chunk Ice Cream from Arizona Milk Producers!

Whatever your menu for the night is, make sure to use products grown locally! Not only will they be fresh and delicious, but you’ll be supporting the farmers and ranchers who work hard to keep us clothed and fed!

For more holiday articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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Fancy But Easy Holiday Desserts

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Planning and preparing for a holiday party can be stressful. You’ve got to clean the house, rearrange the furniture, buy ingredients, and prepare food. Not to mention, you still have to take care of all of the other responsibilities of everyday life! To ease some of that stress of planning a party, Fill Your Plate has put together a collection of easy dessert recipes that look absolutely stunning, and will surely impress all of your guests!

With one or a few of these desserts on your table, your guests will think you spent HOURS preparing them because of how elegant they look, when really, they didn’t take you long at all. But who has to know?

To make these recipes even more special, try using Arizona grown ingredients as much as possible! Arizona produces some of the best dairy products, fruits, and nuts, all of which are featured in the recipes listed above! For more information on where to find Arizona grown products, check out some of the resources on the Fill Your Plate website!

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Fancy But Easy Holiday Appetizers

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Looking to stun your guests at your next holiday party? How about starting the night off with some delicious appetizers that look fancy, but really, were SO easy to make? With some pretty simple ingredients, some kitchen tools, and some creativity, you’ll have yourself a whole spread of beautiful holiday appetizers!

Here are some recipes that both look, and sound super fancy, but don’t take too much time or effort to make!

 

 

While these recipes are pretty delicious themselves, many of them can be made even better by using ingredients produced right here in Arizona! When you’re out shopping for your holiday preparations, make sure to look for Arizona-grown fruit, veggies, and dairy products!

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