This Week's Food

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine is one of the most popular lettuces. It has a mild flavor and a great bite to it. Romaine is most often found in Caesar salads, its sturdy leaves hold dressing really well. Because of its great texture, romaine provides a great base for any salad. Toss it with just about anything, top it with your favorite dressing and crunch away!

Rach's Recipe Ideas

Other Food Crew Favorites

Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese is one of the most popular Italian cheeses. Although most people only know the soft, cottage cheese-like form, ricotta comes in many different tastes and shapes. It can be smoked, or dried out to form a hard cheese. Most people recognize it when it comes in pasta dishes like lasagna or baked ziti but ricotta can also be found in Italian cheesecakes and cannoli. Who knew this yummy cheese had such a sweet side!

Salmon

Salmon is one of the most popular edible fishes, probably because they're so good for you! Their meat is high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, and is pink/orange in color. In Japan, they eat not only the fish, but also its eggs. Try it smoked, broiled, poached, grilled or roasted.

Mango

Mangoes are a sweet fruit that grow on trees. They are found in tropical climates, particularly in India, Southeast Asia, South America and the Caribbean. Mangoes are high in Vitamins C, A, E, B6 and other B Vitamins, which have led people to label them a "super fruit."

You can eat them raw, blended in smoothies or as a sweet counterpoint to any spicy or tangy dish.

Basil

One of the highlights of summer herb gardens is basil. The green leafy herb is aromatic and flavorful, and can be used in recipes or as a final garnish.

It is most familiarly used in Italian cooking in tomato sauce, on pizza, in panini and even on its own as pesto. Basil pops up in Thai cuisine as well … all the way across the globe!

Onions

Onions are one of the cornerstones of all Western cooking, despite the fact that they make some people cry.

Onions come in all different shapes, sizes, colors and even tastes - there are sweet ones, strong ones, green ones and ones no bigger than the size of a grape. If you think onions are too strong, try cooking them for a while. Because they have a lot of sugar in them, they actually become sweet!

Peas

Don't let their size fool you, these little guys are packed with B vitamins and Vitamin C. They're on many babies' "first foods" lists so even if you don't eat them now, you probably did at some point. Why not give them another shot? See how many you can pick up on your fork without them falling off!

Rach's Recipe Ideas

Black Beans

Most beans are a great, inexpensive source of protein, which makes them a staple of many vegetarian diets. Black beans are also a great source of antioxidants.

They are very popular in Latin American foods, served as a side dish in Cuba or in a burrito in Mexico. Mash'em, eat 'em cold or smothered with cheese ... pick your pleasure!

Zucchini

How many other foods do you know of that start with a "Z"? Zucchini is low in calories and packed with folate, potassium and vitamin A. And, it's a great time to try this new food because they flourish in summer. They come in all different sizes - the biggest one on record weighed a whopping 65 pounds!

Mushrooms

They might not necessarily be a "new" food but why not use this as a chance to get non-mushroom eaters (grown-ups included) to try them? There are hundreds of different kinds of mushrooms, and they come in all different colors. Try a few and see which ones you like the best!

Prosciutto

Prosciutto (pronounced pro-SHOO-toe) is an Italian dry-cured ham. It's made by curing individual hams for three whole years and is a favorite in pasta dishes, as a stuffing in meats or as part of an antipasto platter.

One of the best ways to eat prosciutto is wrapped around chunks of ripe melon. It's the perfect summer snack!

Roast Beef

Even though it's a simple food, many parents can't get their little ones to eat meat. So in response to all of their requests, we've added Roast Beef to the New Food Crew list.

Roast Beef was traditionally served at Sunday dinner, as meat was rather expensive and the dish took a while to prepare. These days, you can find it at banquets, delis and buffets ... and not just on Sundays!

Avocado

Although they're not sweet, avocados are considered a fruit and technically they're a berry! They grow on trees in Mexico and South America and are high in fiber, potassium and vitamins. They are also high in fat - but it's the good kind (monounsaturated), so feel free to have at 'em!

Gnocchi

It's a funny looking word but it's quite easy to say, once you get the hang of it (it's pronounced: n'YO-kee). Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings. Italian cooks use them as an alternative to pasta, serving them with tomato sauce, pesto or butter, and usually with lots of cheese on top!

Polenta

This simple boiled cornmeal shows up on tables in many different countries, and in Italy it's known as polenta! In England, it's porridge. In the American South, it's grits. It might not be an entirely new food because most people probably ate it when they were a baby. It just has a fancy Italian name in these recipes.

Eggplant

English people call it an "aubergine" but on this side of the Atlantic, it's an eggplant. Did you know it's really a big berry? Eggplants come in all sizes and colors - there are white, yellow, even striped ones, but the most popular are the deep purple ones you see in the grocery store.

Arugula

This green, leafy plant is popular in France and Italy. Its seeds are used to make mustard, while the greens add flavor to salad, pasta and all sorts of dishes. The leaves can be eaten hot or cold, so rip off a piece and give it a try!

Chorizo

If you like sausage, try some chorizo! This spicy treat is a pork sausage that is eaten almost daily by people in Mexico, Spain and Portugal. Look for the fresh kind at the meat counter or the cured version (like salami) at the deli. Olé!

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans, which is fun to say! Grown mostly in India, West Asia and countries around the Mediterranean, chickpeas are an excellent source of folic acid, potassium, magnesium and other vitamins.

Artichoke

The best time to eat artichokes is in the spring, when they're at their peak. The flower bud of a tall garden plant, they may look unfriendly but are delicious to eat - you just have to know how. Peel the leaves and slide them through your teeth. They'll fill you up with potassium, folic acid and calcium!

Asparagus

It grows in the ground and is ready just in time for spring. The tall, slim stalks are packed with vitamins B and C, and lots of iron. And did you know? Asparagus can be green, white or purple!