Conley Publishing - Special Sections
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1171034
By Dave Fidlin Special to Conley Media Fall might be the final phase of Wisconsin's tradi- tional outdoor growing sea- son, but it offers up a bounty of fruits and vegetables in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Apples, squash, broccoli and, of course, pumpkins are a small sampling of what will continue to sprout up and be readily available at local farmers markets well into the early autumn months. Making the incoming crop of produce stretch through the desolate winter months can be challenging — but most definitely not impossi- ble. Freezing, roasting and canning are a few of the options available for prolong- ing the life of freshly picked produce. Depending on the method chosen, nutrients can be retained long after the pro- duce has been picked, said Liz Riesen, a clinical dietitian at Ascension's Elmbrook Memorial Office facility. "Freezing is always a good option," Riesen said. "When you do this, you retain a lot of the nutrients." Riesen said she frequently encourages people to cut up fall vegetables and freeze them for dishes that can be prepared throughout the win- ter months. Soups and stir fries are a few examples of how produce can be used months after it has been picked or harvested. To make the most of freez- ing fruits and vegetables into the frigid winter months, there are a number of tech- niques people can use to ensure the produce maintains its quality upon thawing, said Ellie Duyser, a dietitian with Froedtert Health. Duyser said blanching pro- duce is a good way of retain- ing the fresh-picked quality of a particular fruit or veg- etable. The process involves placing the produce in boiling water and subsequently run- ning it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Freezing produce immediate- ly afterward, Duyser said, helps reduce quality loss over time. "By doing this, you retain the vibrant color," Duyser said. "It also has a crunchier texture, and makes the cook- ing preparation a little easier later on because you've already done some of it." When cutting up produce for freezing, Duyser also rec- ommends laying it flat to pre- vent the fruits and vegetables from coalescing together and losing some of their quality. While freezing is one of the most effective ways of main- taining nutrients, Riesen said roasting also has been a technique that keeps the all- important vitamins in tact in most produce. In some instances, Riesen said, roasting actually increases nutrient levels. "Vitamin C tends to decrease (in roasting)," Riesen said. "But vitamin A actually increases. You see this a lot when you're roast- ing vegetables like carrots." Throughout the area, organizations and communi- ty parks and recreation departments are offering classes on how to make the most of fall produce. "There are a lot of great classes out there on how to make great meals," Duyser said. "You also can learn some of the different tech- niques, like canning, which requires a little more skill." FALL 2019 / HEALTH & WELLNESS DIRECTORY 4 & ABLE OF CONTENTS T Make the bounty of fall produce last through the winter Frozen vegetables add a touch of summer taste to meals ■ Blood pressure monitoring . . . . . . .Page 12 ■ Boot camps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8 ■ Daily medication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10 ■ Dry eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 9 ■ Fall produce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4 ■ Flu season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7 ■ Opioid epidemic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11 ■ Product labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 14 ■ Stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13 ■ Teen fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6