Our next food in our “Eating the Alphabet” journey is iceberg lettuce! Iceberg lettuce is a part of the vegetablefood group on MyPlate. When purchasing iceberg lettuce, you should rinse the lettuce head after you buy it. After rinsing, you should dry it on a paper towel. You should also eat it within 1 week of purchase and keep the lettuce refrigerated in a plastic bag.

Iceberg lettuce is a great example of a healthy food. It is fat free and saturated fat free, as well as low in sodium and calories. Diets that are low in sodium can reduce your risk of high blood pressure; high blood pressure can be harmful to your health . Also, diets that are low in saturated fat could reduce your risk of heart disease. Heart disease is a dangerous health condition that can have a significant negative impact on your health.

Here is a recipe for Mushroom Steak Fajitas that uses iceberg lettuce:

Written by: Allison Herendeen

Sources: www.fruitsandveggies.org

Hummus is a wonderful spread that can be added to a meal or served as a dip to create a fun, flavorful variation! Hummus is made from chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, a type of dried pea or bean. Hummus is a great addition to any diet as chickpeas contain fiber, folate, and potassium, like vegetables, but also are an incredible source of plant protein providing the body with iron and zinc. There are tons of different flavors of hummus to cater to all types of tastes including roasted garlic, roasted pepper, sundried tomato, everything but the bagel, and even chocolate! Hummus can be added to your diet in a variety of ways, but here are some ideas on how to eat hummus!

Written By: Kate Wilson

Sources:

https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/protein-foods/beans-and-peas

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/top-10-ways-enjoy-hummus/

Guavas are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber is important because it helps keep our stomachs full and our digestive systems moving. One medium guava contains up to 3 grams of fiber! To fuel your body with even more fiber, you can blend whole guavas with the skin on in shakes, smoothies, and juices. To make a guava juice or smoothie all you need is two ingredients: Guava and water! Follow this recipe below!

Written by: Bella Regna

Sources:

https://www.eatright.org/food/food-groups/fruits/go-tropical-with-super-fruits

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/guava-juice/

Feta cheese, like all cheese, falls into the dairy food group. While oftentimes people think that cheese is unhealthy for you, it is important that everyone consumes some amount of dairy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Dairy provides our bodies with many beneficial nutrients including calcium, phosphorus, protein, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, D, and B12! All these nutrients help maintain healthy blood pressure levels and bone strength. It is super important to watch the type of dairy you are putting into your body and steer towards low-fat or fat-free options.

Feta cheese is a very versatile source of dairy. Compared to other cheeses, feta is a healthier option as it is low in calories and fat. It also contains high amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin B which are important to keep your bones strong and healthy. Feta can be crumbled and mixed into many different things to add an acidic flavor. Here are some fun ways to include feta in your diet!

Written By: Kate Wilson

Sources:

https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/dairy

https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/hummus-and-feta-sweet-peppers/

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/fruit-feta-salad-recipe/

Eggplants are a very versatile vegetable, that is used in cooking all over the world. You will see eggplants in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian food! Eggplants can be made in so many ways, such as grilled, broiled, baked, sauteed, microwaved, stewed, or pickled. The vegetable can be sliced in half and filled with meat, rice, nuts, or other vegetables. Most of the time, you’ll find eggplants as round as a Hen’s egg, ranging from dark purple, white, or striped. Roast some eggplant and add it into your weeknight pasta dish with this recipe below:

Dates are fruits that are very naturally very sweet and have many health benefits. Dates are often used as sweeteners n smoothies and baked goods but can also be added to cereals and salads. Some of the health benefits of dates include reducing risk of cancer, and high blood pressure, and being a good additive in low–sodium diets. Dates are fat-free and rich in fiber, potassium, niacin and vitamin B6. Fiber helps aid in digestion. Potassium helps strengthen muscles, break down carbohydrates and moderate heartbeats. Niacin turns food into energy and improves nerve function. Vitamin B6 breaks down proteins, builds muscle and is good for hair and nail growth. One of the more common dates is the “Medjool Date”. Dates grow on palm trees. 

Date Caramel Stuffed Brownies 

Brownie Directions 

Ingredients 

• ¼ cup butter 
• 4 oz of chocolate chips 
• 1 ½ cups of sugar 
• 3 large eggs  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 ½ cup all purpose flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1 box Medjool Dates 
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. Line a 8x8x2 inch baking pan with parchment paper and coat spray with cooking spray
3. Melt butter and chocolate chips together in a saucepan or microwave until smooth. 
4. Allow it to cool. Once cooled, add in sugar, then eggs one at a time. Mix until well combined. 
5. Add vanilla.
6. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
7. Add the flour-baking soda mixture to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.
8. Spread half of the batter into the pan, and bake for 15 minutes. 
9. While baking, prepare the date caramel mixture*.
10. Allow to cool for an additional 15 minutes, until the top begins to get firm. Once cooled, spread the date-caramel over the top of the brownies.
11. Then add in the rest of the brownie mix, followed by the pecans sprinkled on top.
12. Bake for 25 minutes, until set. Allow to cool before cutting and enjoy.

*Date Caramel Directions 

1. Blend pitted dates and salt together, adding in 1tsp of hot water at a time until a creamy, caramel texture is reached.

Written by: Kailee

Sources: 

https://fruitsandveggies.org/fruits-and-veggies/dates/ 

https://fruitsandveggies.org/expert-advice/date-tree-look-like/  

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/top-10-reasons-enjoy-medjool-dates/  

https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/date-caramel-stuffed-brownies/  (image and recipe)