leeks

When kids help make healthy food, they are more likely to try it. Show kids how to:

❁ wash produce under cool running water.

❁ measure and mix ingredients.

❁ slice or chop produce on a cutting board by cutting down and away from their fingers and body

■ Leeks are best used soon after harvest. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to two weeks.

■ Wash just before use. Leeks need to be washed well because soil is pulled up around the stem as they grow. There is almost always grit caught between the layers.

❁ Leeks can be eaten raw or cooked.

❁ Use sliced leeks in salads– green, pasta or potato.

❁ Add leeks to casseroles for a mild onion flavor.

❁ Roast leeks in the oven along with your favorite vegetables.

❁ Add leeks to soups or stews.

❁ Select firm, crisp stalks with as much white and light green as possible. (The dark green portion is not edible.) Avoid leeks with yellow or withered tops.

❁ Fresh leeks are generally available year round.