Our Annual Meeting was held on April 9 at the Farm Bureau Building in Louisville. We had a very good attendance and everything went well.

We now have a new Board member, Jo Ann Stanford, Community Outreach and Intercultural. Welcome, Jo Ann. We know you will do a great job.

Thanks to everyone who helped in any way, at the American Red Cross blood drive held on April 30 at the Nazarene Church in Flora.

The H.E.A. Board held our May meeting on the 5th at the Clay County Homemakers Extension Office in Louisville. We had two guests from Cisne who belong to the Wayne County H.E.A.

Mary Lou Simmons-Cultural Arts brought many craft items to show some of the things they have done.

Rosalee Pearce-Gave a talk on Community Outreach and Intercultural. She told us about several programs they participate in.

Both ladies gave very interesting and helpful talks. We appreciate them taking the time to be with us.

Be sure to keep track of your volunteer hours. Debbie Borries, our new District Director, gave a very good explanation of how important this is at the Annual Meeting.

H.E.A. dues must be paid to Elaine Todd, 2nd Vice Chairman, by July 1, 2009. Mail $10.00 to:

Elaine's address is:

Elaine Todd
P.O. Box 370
Flora, IL 62839

Clay County H.E.A. Chairman,

Phyllis Hale

Strawberry Wrap
(1 serving)

Ingredients:

1-8 inch flour tortilla

1 Tablespoon low fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar

1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Instructions:
1. Microwave tortilla for 10 - 20 seconds, just until slightly warm.
2. Mix together cream cheese and honey/sugar.
3. Spread cream cheese and honey mixture on tortilla.
4. Top cream cheese with strawberries.
5. Roll tortilla and serve.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving) - Calories 170 ~ fat 6 g ~ calories from fat 50 ~ sodium 90 mg ~ total carbohydrate 26 g ~ fiber 4 g

Strawberry Pie (8 servings)

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cup cornstarch
4 cup sugar
1 3-ounce package dry strawberry gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 quart whole or sliced strawberries
1 9-inch baked pie shell
8 Tablespoons nonfat whipped topping

Instructions:
1. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin.
2. Add boiling water; boil 2 minutes, then cool mixture.
3. Pour berries in mixture and stir.
4. Transfer to pie shell.
5. Top with whipped topping.
6. Refrigerate until serving time.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving) - Calories 290 ~ fat 8 g ~ calories from fat 70 ~ sodium 300 mg ~ total carbohydrate 52 g ~ fiber g

Strawberries with Cinnamon Sauce (4 Servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt

2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

5 cups strawberries, washed and hulled

4 Tablespoons nonfat whipped topping

Instructions:

1. Blend yogurt, sugar and cinnamon until sugar completely dissolves.
2. Refrigerate sauce at least 2 hours.
3. Immediately before serving, slice strawberries into 4 dessert glasses.
4. Spoon cinnamon flavored sauce over strawberries.
5. Top with whipped topping.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving) - Calories 130 ~ fat 1.5 g ~ calories from fat 15 ~ sodium 45 mg ~ total carbohydrate 25 g ~ fiber 4 g

- Turkey cutlets are the leanest meat around. While 4 ounces of roasted, skinless chicken breast has 185 calories and 4 grams of fat (1 gram saturated), turkey breast has only 150 calories and 1 gram of fat (almost no saturated fat). In fact, turkey breast with skin even has slightly few calories than chicken breast without skin and about the same amount of fat. Because they are super-lean, turkey cutlets cook even fast than chicken or veal – saute them in a little oil or just grill them quickly.

- The rate of new cases of diabetes in the U.S. nearly doubled during the past decade according to the Centers for Disease Control. While about 25 million Americans have diabetes, about 54 million – that is one in four adults – have pre-diabetes, characterized by mildly elevated blood sugar. Most people who have diabetes know it, but it is estimated that fewer than one-sixth of those with pre-diabetes are aware of it.

- Dietary fiber has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and digestive problems, so it is not surprising that a large, long-term study has found that people who eat lots of fiber tend to live longer. For every additional 10 grams of daily fiber (the amount in about 3/4 cup of beans or two cups of vegetables), there was a 9% reduction in overall mortality rates, and a 17% drop in coronary death rates, regardless of factors such as body weight and fat intake. People in their fifties and sixties seemed to benefit more than those in their seventies and eighties.

- Bev Combs, Nutrition & Wellness Educator

- The mineral magnesium does hundreds of important jobs in the body – involving energy production, bone health, the functioning of the heart, nerves, and muscles, and the clotting of blood. Nuts, beans, seeds, fish, whole grains, and leafy greens are good sources of magnesium.

- One of the best ways to curb a craving for food is to drink a big glass of water. You may just be thirsty and not hungry. If you don't like water, add sugar-free flavoring, such as Crystal Light, or a shot of lemon or lime juice. The latter two also improve the looks of your skin and help fight colds.

- It is true that most crackers are loaded with refined carbohydrates, fat, and sodium, making them the nutritional equivalent to chips. But don't banish them from your pantry altogether – they can be a healthy addition to your diet. Munching on whole-grain crackers can help get you to your whole-grain servings goal of three servings per day. The key is to look for whole grain as the first ingredient in the product, and there should be a significant amount of fiber.

- Bev Combs, Nutrition & Wellness Educator

Question: I see "sugar alcohol" listed on some food labels. What is this?

Answer: Also called polyols, sugar alcohols are reduced-calorie sweeteners used in many "diet" foods – from candies and jams to baked goods and ice cream – as well as in sugar-free gums, cough drops, mouthwashes, toothpastes, and other products. Small amounts are found naturally in plant foods.

Though they resemble sugars and alcohol in chemical structure, sugar alcohols are actually carbohydrates that the body does not fully digest. Thus, they provide somewhat fewer calories than sugar. They are not alcoholic. You can usually identify them by their "-ol" endings – as in sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, and erythritol, for example. Added sugar alcohols are always listed by name in the ingredients list. If a product makes a "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" claim, however, sugar alcohols must be included in the Nutrition Facts panel, under Total Carbohydrate.

Because they are more slowly and incompletely absorbed, sugar alcohols have less effect on blood sugar – so in moderation, they are less harmful for people with diabetes. However, a person with diabetes should consult a dietician or diabetes health educator about using/how much is allowable in the daily meal plans. And with fewer calories, sugar alcohols may help in weight control, though foods that contain them are not necessarily low-calorie (or healthful) and none are calorie free.

A downside is that large amounts can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea, since bacteria in the intestines ferment what is not absorbed. And you may inadvertently consume too much, since they are in so many products. Some, but not all, products carry a warning not to exceed a certain amount.

- Bev Combs, Nutrition & Wellness Educator

Hopefully, you are familiar with MyPyramid guidelines about how many servings from each of the five food groups you should eat daily. However, knowing and doing are two different things. Many times our intentions are good but we don't follow through. Sometimes we just need simple ideas for healthy meals. Following are some guidelines for following MyPyramid for balanced lean choices at each meal. For more information, visit Mypyramid.gov.

For Breakfast choose from:

· Oatmeal, skim milk, orange/grapefruit

· Whole grain toast with light ham, strawberries, yogurt

· Whole grain cereal, skim milk, banana

· Yogurt with whole grain cereal, grapes

· English muffin, peanut butter, strawberries

· Melon, yogurt, English muffin

Beware of items that are high in fat, sugar, and sodium like bacon and eggs, waffles, pancakes (unless home made), sausage, omelettes, fast food breakfast sandwiches and large breakfast pastries.

At Lunch consider these ideas:

· Vegetable soup, whole grain bread/crackers

· Lowfat chili, rice, salad

· Bake potato, salad

· Stir fry dish with rice, veggies, chicken

· Turkey pita, lettuce, tomato

· Grilled chicken or fish, rice, salad

Choose from whole grains, baked potatoes or yams, veggies and a little lean protein or beans/legumes.

Beware of sodium-laden deli sandwiches, fried foods, bakery items, high-fat fast foods, processed meat and chips.

Dinner is easy even in a hurry with:

· Grilled chicken or fish, vegetable, brown rice

· Baked chicken or fish, salad, boiled potatoes

· Stir fry with brown rice, vegetables, lean protein

· Lowfat chili, rice, salad

· Pasta, salad

· Lentils and rice, broccoli

Choose from lean protein, whole grains, potatoes, yams, vegetables and salad.

Beware of fried foods, fatty meats, processed meals with a lot of salt.

Snacks:

Choose fruit, veggies, nonfat yogurt or milk. Beware of fried foods, chips and sweets.

- Bev Combs, Nutrition & Wellness Educator

It's oh, so easy, to use your credit card, but if you're not sure you can pay the bill in full when it comes, you're probably only buying trouble, said a University of Illinois Extension consumer and family economics educator.

"Using credit to pay bills often brings only temporary relief, and it can be more expensive in the long run. As a rule, the more a family borrows, the unhappier they are with their financial situation," said Evelyn Prasse. .

"Here are 10 tips for using credit wisely," she said.

1. Know how much credit debt you can handle. It shouldn't be more than 15% of your monthly take-home pay.

2. Shop around for the best offer and interest rate.

3. Think of credit as the use of future income.

4. Don't get a credit card just because they're giving something away.

5. Establish a credit budget and keep track of all credit purchases.

6. Pay bills on time so you won't have to pay late fees or jeopardize your credit history.

7. Pay bills in full each month so you won't have to pay finance charges.

8. If you can't pay in full, at least pay more than the minimum amount due. Debts will be paid off sooner, and you'll save money.

9. Use credit only when it's necessary. Don't use credit to buy what you can't afford.

10. Get a free copy of your credit report once a year and make sure it's accurate.

For more tips on saving money in these tough economic times, including preventing foreclosure, which bills to pay first, how to talk to creditors, saving food dollars, handling stress, and more, visit U of I Extension's "Getting Through Tough Financial Times" website at http://www.ToughTimes.illinois.edu.

Source: Evelyn Prasse, Extension Educator, Consumer and Family Economics, eprasse@illinois.edu

If you have limited yard space but like the taste of home-grown fruit, try integrating small fruits into your landscape plan. Several of the small fruits lend themselves nicely to landscape use.

"Of all the small fruits, strawberries are the best landscape subjects," says David Robson, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. "They have shining green leaves throughout the growing season, attractive white flowers and red berries. Plus, they add a little fall color."

Strawberries are easily tucked into a corner of the flowerbed or shrub border and can be used as ground cover or as edging for a flower border or walk. They can also be grown for specimen value in pyramids or barrels, or even grown singly in pots to be placed in selected garden spots.

Next in preference for landscape use are blueberries. When properly placed and cared for, Robson says they are one of the most attractive shrubs available. The blueberry plant has dainty white blossom clusters in the spring, beautiful glossy green foliage all summer and attractive blue fruit. The foliage also has splendid fall coloration. After the leaves fall, the graceful lines of the bright green or reddish branches provide color interest that lasts throughout the winter.

Blueberry plants quickly grow to maximum size and, if properly maintained, remain about the same size and shape for years. They rarely outgrow their original location and function. Furnish about the same acid soil and growing conditions as for rhododendrons and azaleas and you can grow blueberries in shrub borders, as specimens, in corner plantings or with other shrub groupings.

Grapes are excellent home garden fruits that easily fit into the landscape. The vines grow rapidly to produce an abundance of attractive dense foliage and fruit that may vary from green to red to dark purple, depending upon variety and season. The shredding bark on an old trunk and the bright tan color of previous season's canes also add winter interest.

Grapes can cover an unsightly fence or screen an undesirable view on a standard arbor. You can put grapes on a semi-arbor against an expanse of blank wall, or on a standard trellis as a natural fence or boundary planting.

Robson says that raspberries are more difficult to fit into the average landscape plan. The thorns on many varieties and the suckering (spreading) habit of some species make confinement in the original location difficult. But, they can make attractive summer hedges or screens when trained along a fence. You can also support them by a trellis or a single post in a group of plants.

Currants and gooseberries are fine landscape subjects but are rarely planted in Illinois. They deserve the attention of home gardeners who enjoy their fruits because home production is now practically the only way to obtain them. The bushes do not spread beyond their allocated space—growing 3 to 4 feet high and about as wide. They have small, attractive leaves that provide a variation in texture in the home landscape, and they make excellent conversation pieces when heavily laden with their yellow or red fruit.

Elderberries, serviceberries and highbush cranberries are other small fruits of dual purpose that also deserve consideration as landscape subjects.

For more lawn and garden information, visit the SI Gardening website, http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/hort

Source: David J. Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture, drobson@illinois.edu

May 2009

Major Lesson (PACKAGE LESSON): "Creating an Heirloom-Quality

Family Cookbook"

Minor Lesson (PACKAGE LESSON): None

June 2009

Major Lesson: None

Minor Lesson (PACKAGE LESSON): "Protect Your Family from E. Coli"

July 2009

2009-2010 dues ($10.00) are to be sent to Elaine Todd, P.O. Box 370, Flora, IL 62839 by July 1, 2009. Make check payable to Clay County Homemakers Extension Association.*

*Anyone who cannot be a member of a unit is eligible to become a "mailbox" member and receive H.E.A. materials. Membership dues for mailbox members are $10.00 per year.