• Use the clear plastic lids that you get from carryout or party trays on the bottom of your outdoor plants, instead of buying plastic saucers.
• When you get to the end of a bag of chips, or they get stale, use a rolling pin and crush them and freeze them. They are wonderful on casserole dishes, especially a tuna noodle dish. (Do the same with crackers, pretzels, stale bread, croutons, and cereal.)
• If you don't like tuna, but need another recipe for a change. Buy the tuna helper box meal and add a can of chicken instead of the tuna! Yummy!
• Use a plastic knife to cut brownies. It makes a cleaner cut and less mess!
• For a refreshing beverage, toss some cucumber strips into a pitcher of cold water.
• To soften hardened dried out prunes/ dates, put a slice or two of apple into a sealed container with them for several days. They should be revived and chewy.
• To soften hardened brown sugar, put a slice of bread in a bag. The brown sugar will soften within a couple of days, and then discard the bread. In a hurry, just grate the clumps using a hand grater or put in the microwave for a few seconds.
• Craft Project for Kids: Have on hand various sizes/shapes of pasta, glue, and some glitter! They can create beautiful snowflakes, angels, etc.! Glue the projects on sheets of wax paper so you can peel the wax paper off after the project dries.
• When roses need cutting or pruning, it can be a prickly task. So try this easy hint to avoid getting hurt. Hold the stems with a spring clothespin to keep the thorns from sticking you. Ta-da!

With the increased interest in vegetable gardening, this site offers new gardeners the essential information for planning, planting, maintaining, harvesting and storing vegetables. You can visit the site at http://urbanext.illinois.edu/tog/

Now is the time that Farmers' Markets are opening across the state. Buying produce from local growers is a good way for you to support the local economy and to eat healthier. Soon local strawberries, asparagus, fresh spinach and other greens, and some other early foods will show up.

Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C and potassium and can add color to your dishes. They taste sweet and add some crunch to your foods. A dish of plain strawberries is good. Another way to serve strawberries is to put a serving in a bowl and top them with low-fat, sugar-free vanilla yogurt. That way you will also get some of the calcium you need, too.

Buy strawberries that are firm and shiny with a healthy color. Strawberries that are dark or dull are usually overripe. Strawberries bruise very easily. One bad strawberry can affect the whole container! Wash the strawberries before removing the hull and just before you will be using them. Rinse them under cold water – do not soak strawberries!

Spinach will also be one of the early arrivals at the local market. Spinach is an excellent source of folic acid, vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium. It is a good source of Vitamin C and iron. Fresh spinach makes a delicious fresh salad.

Most of the spinach in our supermarkets is prewashed. This is due to the fact that spinach grows best in sandy soil that clings to the plant. Thoroughly wash spinach just before using it. Wash it by immersing the leaves in a large bowl of water and shaking the leaves gently. Do not soak spinach.

Make a main-dish salad with lots of mixed vegetables with the fresh spinach and try some of the newer low-fat dressings. Add cooked chicken, ham, or other protein source for a complete meal. As the summer progresses, more fruits and vegetables will be available. One key to make sure to get the most nutrients from your fresh fruits and vegetables is to limit the amount of time you keep them in storage.

First-quality fruits and vegetables can deteriorate in the refrigerator, losing vitamins and nutrients. Plan to buy only what you will use in a few days. That goes for all produce. Research shows that the longer a food is stored, the greater the nutrient loss. Fragile produce like berries, tomatoes, peppers, etc. should be stored for only two or three days. Bagged greens deteriorate quickly after opening – use them up in a day or two.

Check Your Fruit and Vegetable Knowledge (True or False):

1.) T F Eating fruits and vegetables every day can help you fight off disease.

2.) T F Green vegetables are the most nutritious.

3.) T F Preparing fruits and vegetables at home always takes too much time.

4.) T F Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables for good health.

Fruit & Vegetable Knowledge Answers:

1. True – fruits and vegetables are a good source of many vitamins and minerals that help keep us healthy. Research shows that people who eat a diet that contains generous amounts of fruits and vegetables are likely to have a reduced risk of chronic diseases.

2. False – no one food contains all the nutrients your body needs. To have a healthy diet eat fruits and vegetables of many different colors to get a wide range of nutrients.

3. False – many fruits and vegetables need only a quick washing before you eat them. Look for recipes that take only minutes to prepare.

4. True – even though we talk about needing to eat more fruits and vegetables, most Americans don't get enough. If you want to check how well you are doing go to: www.mypyramid.gov

- Shirley Camp, Extension Educator

LOW FAT JAM MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons jam or preserves
Mix all ingredients, except jam. Do not over-beat. Fill muffin tins prepared with vegetable cooking spray or paper liners 1/3 full. Top with 1/2 teaspoon jam or preserves. Spoon enough batter over top of preserves to leave each 2/3 full. Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes.