Food, Recipe and Activity of the Week - July 20, 2008
This week's features include:
Food - Sweet corn
Recipe - Black bean salad
Activity - Windsurfing
History
If you live in the Midwest, you know that it is sweet corn season once July hits. Nothing compares to the juicy burst of sweet corn on the cob! Iowa is considered America's Corn Belt, producing an estimated 1.88 billion bushels in 2003. If you have traveled across the state of Iowa, you have probably noticed the miles of corn fields. These corn fields make up approximately half of all Iowa farm land.
The Native Americans first introduced us to corn, cultivating corn kernels from seed-bearing grass long before the Europeans discovered the Americas. Corn flourished in regions of North, Central, and South America, and especially along the Ohio River Valley. After the first settlers came to the “ New World,” the Native Americans began teaching them how to grow, cook, and produce breads and other foods from corn. In fact, history tells us that if it were not for corn, the Pilgrims would have starved during their first year at Plymouth Colony.
Above information adapted from: Iowa Corn Growers Association and What's Cooking America
Availability / Selection / Storage
Availability - Midwest sweet corn is available late summer through early fall. However, Florida sweet corn can be purchased from December through May because their harvest season lasts from the fall through spring.
Selection - The first thing to inspect on an ear of corn is the husks. They should be tight, moist, bright green in color, and free of any brown or moldy spots. When peeling away a bit of the husk, the kernels should be plump yellow and packed in tightly. It is best if the kernels are small at the ends and larger in the middle of the ear. Large kernels at the end of an ear are a sign of overmaturity. The silk should be soft and golden, not brown and dry. It is also best to purchase sweet corn that has been kept in refrigeration or on ice as heat increases the rate of spoilage.
Storage - Ideally, it is best to eat sweet corn right after it has been picked or purchased from the grocery store. If this is not possible, sweet corn can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Cooking tip
Corn on the cob only takes a few minutes to cook when submerged in boiling water. Just bring a large pot of water to a boil, throw in the shucked corn, and wait for the water to come back to a boil. And the corn is done!
Nutrition
Besides tasting great, corn has many health benefits. Corn is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber, particularly soluble fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol. Corn bran also helps control blood lipid levels. A study done at the University of Illinois showed that men who consumed 20 grams (just under 1 teaspoon) of corn bran daily for six weeks, along with a low-fat diet, decreased their triglyceride levels by 13%. Another study at Cornell University showed that cooking corn increases its antioxidant level. Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals, which have been linked to heart disease and cancer. The bottom line is that corn is very good for you!
Corn Facts
- One medium ear of corn equals approximately 3/4 cup of corn kernels.
- A serving size of corn is 1/2 cup.
- Corn is America's number one field crop.
- Corn is used to produce ethanol, a fuel alcohol that is mixed with gasoline. Ethanol gas reduces the amount of pollution cars create, while allowing us to travel more miles on one tank of gas.
Nutrient Analysis of 1 ear of corn: calories: 77, fat: 1g, cholesterol: 0mg, protein: 3g, carbohydrate: 17g, potassium: 243mg, sodium: 14mg, vitamin A: 253 IU, vitamin C: 2mg, fiber: 2g
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained
- 1 1/2 cups corn (cut off the cob, frozen, or 1-15 ounce can with the juice drained)
- 1-16 ounce jar salsa
- Tortilla chips or flour tortillas
Instructions:
- Stir to mix first three ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Serve as a dip for baked tortilla chips or roll up into a flour tortilla.
Nutrition Information: 128 calories, 0 grams total fat, 27 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams protein, 5 grams fiber, 0 milligrams cholesterol.
Courtesy of the Iowa Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and Family Nutrition Program.
Windsurfing is a wonderful way to alone enjoy beautiful clear water and to let your mind and body glide away. It is also a sport where you can sail with a crowd of hundreds of other windsurfers and take part of a unique camaraderie. It is a fun and easy sport that can be enjoyed by people of different shapes and ages. Some people believe that you have to be physically strong to windsurf, but a 100 lb girl can windsurf just as well as a 200 lb guy. It is a matter of technique, right equipment, and proper conditions. If you are a beginner it is recommended to take a few lessons from reputable instructors, to learn the proper technique and to use the right equipment.
Windsurfing can be an expensive sport, however you can get a good setup for $500 and the wind is free. This is similar to snow skiing except you do not need lift tickets, or registration fees.
In order to surf there are some safety procedures that you need to pay attention to:
- Stay with your board, it is a good floating device.
- Prepare for the conditions (wet suit/dry suit, sunscreen etc.)
- Know the sailing site (weather, boat traffic etc.)
- Learn the International Distress Signal. If you are in serious need of help, sit on your board and keep raising and lowering your arms above your head and down to your sides. This signal is recognized worldwide as the sign for help when you are on the water.
Another factor to pay attention to is the wind. Before you sail you need to learn how to read the wind. First determine from which way the wind is blowing. You can do so by tossing sand or grass in the air and see which way it is blowing. The next step is to build yourself a wind clock. Twelve o'clock is from where the wind is blowing, which is referred to as upwind. Six o'clock is the down wind, and three to nine o'clock are the crosswinds. You can never sail upwind, thus if you need to go to a location that is in the 12 o'clock position you need to criss-cross back and forth forward to get there, to make sure that the wind is always blowing in your sail.
There are six steps to windsurfing:
Kneeling position - Place the board in the water and wade out to no deeper than the waistline. Place the board in the three to nine o'clock position and the mast in the six o'clock position.
Jump up on the board and stand on your knees with one leg on each side of the mast.
Uphauling - Keep the mast in the 6 o'clock position and stand up. Bend your knees and pull up the rig putting hand over hand.
Grab the mast and make sure the sail is not touching the water. This is the neutral position.
The Neutral Position - In the neutral position you can do your maneuvers. Keep you back straight, your knees extended and lean slightly backwards. Have one foot on each side of the mast and do not pull the mast too close to your body.
In this position you can turn the board. Leaning the mast forward will turn the board downwind (left), and leaning the mast towards the tail will turn the board upwind (right).
Ready Position - In the neutral position, let go of your backhand and put your back foot on the centerline. Place your front foot just behind the mast slightly pointing towards the front.
Maintain the sail in a perpendicular position.
Set Position - Pull the mast toward the centerline so that the wind is blowing in the sail. Pull until you can see through the sail window. Keep your upper body and shoulders parallel to the boom.
Place your front hand on the boom and hold your hands shoulder width apart.
Sailing Position - Slowly rotate your upper body to fill the sail with the wind.
Pull in the sail with your back hand. If you feel like the wind is going to tip you over, slightly let go of your back hand.
You are now surfing!