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The Three Sisters - Corn, Beans and Squash

Are you ready for a corn-ucopia of knowledge?

Whether you celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day, the transition to fall foods has us thinking about the Three Sisters. Who are these sisters you ask? According to Iroquois legend, corn, beans, and squash are three inseparable sisters who can only grow and thrive together. Read on to learn more about why!

This tradition of interplanting corn, beans and squash in the same mounds, is a sustainable growing system that provided long-term soil fertility and a nutritious diet for an entire community. Corn, beans and squash were among the first important crops domesticated by ancient Mesoamerican societies. Corn was the primary crop, providing more calories or energy per acre than any other. According to Three Sisters legends, corn must grow in community with other crops rather than on its own – it needs the beneficial company of its sisters. So the next time you take a look at any of these delicious veggies - remember to look out for the other sisters!

If it looks like a fruit and it acts like a fruit, is it a fruit? No! We've embraced the flavors of our Veggie of the Month, rhubarb, to create delicious new compote to accompany some of our breakfasts and
snacks - Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Compote. The combination of these three items makes for a delicious sweet treat. As May is the most popular harvest time for Rhubarb you can expect to see this item appearing on your menus this month, but in the meantime, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the vegetable at home by checking out our recipe below for a Strawberry Rhubarb Salad with Mint.

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Veggie of the Month: Broccoli

We're no stranger to broccoli! This delicious veggie has appeared on our menus since our founding in 2005 but we're always innovating to incorporate fresh veggies into our meals in fun and exciting ways. The upcoming new menu item, Broccoli Cheddar Bites, is no exception. They are savory snacks, perfect for keeping kids satisfied throughout the day While you'll start to see this popping up on our menus, you can also prepare recipes with broccoli in your own home such as our Broccoli & Chickpea Farfalle Salad.

Carrots are the quintessential, simple vegetable for kids on-the-go while apples are the classic, go-to fruit. Imagine combining the two together in one salad and you have a crowd favorite! When the sweet-sour flavors of the apple are paired with the sweet-heartiness of the carrots it makes for the perfect light and refreshing dish: Carrot Apple Salad. The carrots play the leading role in the color profile of the salad and are what gives the recipe the added crunch and nutritious elements that are hard to beat!

The Sweet Potato, a naturally sweet treat!

Si mply prepared—mashed, baked, folded into waffles, or made into gluten-free baked fries—sweet potatoes are a nourishing addition to any meal. Sweet potato flesh a nd skins can come in different colors—white, yellow, orange, red, and purple.

Is it a Yam or a Sweet Potato?

You may have heard there’s a difference between sweet potatoes and yams. This is true. The difference is sweet potatoes are a root vegetable, whereas yams are tubers—a thickened part of the stem.

In some parts of our country, "yam" is a slang word for the sweet potato! This pref erence may have stemmed from a shift when Southern farmers wanted to distinguish between their sweet potatoes and the more well-known varieties of the day. The word Yam actually became trademarked in associated with Southern sweet potato varieties that were ora nge, soft and sweet.

What is Edamame?

Edamame means “beans on a branch” in Japanese. They are green soybeans that are a popular protein packed snack commonly eaten in Japan. They have a nutty, sweet flavor and slightly crunchy texture that kids crave. The most fun way to eat edamame is straight from the pod. You can suck the beans out like a vampire. Or you can squeeze the pods to pop the beans into your mouth. Either way, they're the ultimate finger food.

What is Soy?

Edamame is made from soybeans. Basically it's boiled "baby" soybeans, picked while still tender and cooked just before they peak.

Soy nuts are created by soaking soybeans in water, then baking them until they have a nutty, crunchy consistency. and begin to turn hard.

Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the remaining curd into white blocks that can be firm or creamy.

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning ingredients made from fermented soy beans, salt and Koji, made from the fungus Aspergillus oryzae) Miso is a thick paste used for flavoring sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with soup stock called Miso Soup.

Eat your beets!

With their jewel red tones and earthy flavor, beets are one of the most dazzling colored root vegetables. Beautiful and nutritious, with a natural sweet taste, beets are a wonderful complement to a child's well-rounded menu. Plus, when mixed into foods, beets can turn any dish into a brilliant pink color that's fun to eat.

Check out these creative ways to sneak beets into your family's menu.

Butternut squash is not only extremely popular but is also one of the most widely available forms of winter squash. They've already made their way onto our menus in a simple, roasted form but we're also trying to be creative in how we incorporate seasonal veggie focused items. They are incredibly versatile to be used in food and they're lots of fun to look at too - varying in shape from cylindrical to bell shape, its smooth tan exterior, yet sometimes speckled, hides deliciously sweet and buttery orange flesh.

These little green gems are true to their name, full of natural sweetness and pack a crunch kids adore. Scroll down to see the facts you don't want to miss about this end of summer treat and a few resources on how to incorporate the food into your classroom and kitchen lessons this month.

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Veggie of the month: Corn

Ready for a corn-ucopia of knowledge? Sweet summer corn is truly something special. It's the kind of corn that's lined with row upon row of plump, firm kernels in varying shades of yellow and white that explode with sweet, fresh flavor the moment you take a bite.

Corn (scientific name Zea mays), called maize in Spanish, has been a staple ingredient in South, Central and North America for thousands of years. First domesticated over 8,000 years ago, corn has been a traditional food for Native Americans and is eaten in the diets of people living all over the world, including many populations in India, Mexico, Italy and nearly every nation in Central America.

Did you know...?

Corn is grown throughout the warm summer months on stalks of “ears”
Corn can be found in different varieties, including red, pink, black, blue, multicolored and pruple (like our Organic Biodynamic Purple Corn Flakes).
The possibilities are endless! Corn is used around the world to make polenta, flour, fritters, soups, sauces and even eaten raw.
The nutritional value of corn has helped support growing populations, especially living in impoverished areas, for many years.

The Three Sisters - Corn, Beans and Squash

Veggie of the Month: Rhubarb

Veggie of the Month: Broccoli

Veggie of the Month: Carrots

Veggie of the Month: Sweet Potato

The Sweet Potato, a naturally sweet treat!

Is it a Yam or a Sweet Potato?

Veggie of the Month: Edamame

Veggie of the Month: Beets

Seasonal Highlights: Butternut Squash

Veggie of the Month: Sugar Snap Peas

Veggie of the month: Corn

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