Cooking with Flavor
Everything we eat and drink matters. Too much saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars can negatively affect our health, so we want to limit these. Luckily, we can still use spices, herbs, and even fruits and vegetables to add flavor in a healthy way. But with so many different seasonings, it can be hard to keep track of how to use each one, so here we’ll be highlighting a fresh herb: basil!
What is Basil?
• A warm weather, fragrant herb with oval-shaped, bright green leaves
• Popular ingredient for pastas, salads, sandwiches, and pesto
• Low in calories, but high in Vitamin K, an important nutrient for blood clotting and bone formation
Save Money
Fresh herbs may seem expensive, especially if they spoil before you can use them. Here are some options to save money and time:
• Use dried basil–dried seasonings require little preparation, last longer, and are often inexpensive.
• In the summer, grow your own!
• Use SNAP benefits to buy potted herbs and seeds from your local store or farmers market.
In the Kitchen
Here are some tips for optimizing your fresh basil plant:
• Pick brightly-colored leaves in the morning to preserve the powerful plant oils
• Treat cut basil with the stems like a bouquet of flowers and place in a glass of water
• Cover with a plastic bag and leave at room temperature or refrigerate
In the video, follow along with SNAP-Ed NY Nutritionist, Caitlin, as she demonstrates how to buy, store and prep basil as well as how to make pesto!
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Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:
Mail:
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
Alexandria, VA 22314; or
Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
Email:
FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov
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