Q&A

6 caBBage family

continued from page 5 slow-cooker black-eyed pea dish (with ham). This reduces the bitterness and makes them more tender.

KALE (Brassica oleracea, variety acephala) While I have enjoyed kale in various dishes, like quinoa stew or chorizo/kale/sweet potato hash, I have rarely eaten kale by itself. That changed when I learned how to make kale chips. To make them, simply remove the stem, wash & dry. Toss in olive oil. Then cook in an air fryer for about 6 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake your kale chips in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown. Sprinkle with garlic salt. The result is light and crispy. It reminds me of popcorn.

KOHLRABI (Brassica oleracea, variety gongylodes) Sometimes called “German turnip,” kohlrabi looks somewhat like a pale green turnip and is a popular ingredient in both German and Hungarian cuisine. Kohlrabi leaves are edible and can be used like other dark leafy vegetables. The main part that gets eaten, the spherical section, is actually an enlarged stem. The outer sections of this bulbous stem are tough and should be peeled and discarded. While it can be eaten raw, kohlrabi is usually cooked—roasted, steamed, stir-fried, or added to soup.

RUTABAGA (Brassica napus, variety napobrassica) and TURNIP (Brassica rapa, variety rapa) Rutabagas and turnips are so similar that people often get them confused. The most obvious difference is that rutabagas are much larger than turnips. Another difference is the color. Rutabagas are tan colored, while tur-

HWFC does not provide medical advice. Please check with a health care practitioner before treating any condition. See page 8 for all policies and full disclaimer. nips are white and purple. There is also a difference in taste. Turnips tend to be tangier, while rutabagas have a slightly sweeter flavor. At our house, you are most likely to see rutabagas boiled and mashed. My family affectionately calls it “dirt” due to the texture, but we would consider Thanksgiving dinner incomplete without it.

Cabbage and its cousins are a valuable

part of a nutritious diet because of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals they contain. However, many of these vegetables can cause discomfort from gas and bloating. This is due to the high fiber content. There are a couple of ways to avoid this problem. One is to spend extra time chewing, to help break down the fiber before it enters the digestive tract. Another solution is to take a product like Beano that contains alpha galactosidase enzyme.

Some of these vegetables may already be a regular part of your diet. Perhaps some of them are new to you. There are dozens of ways to prepare them, so even the familiar ones can be made more exciting and delicious. I encourage you to explore the many options that can be found on the internet.

Suggestion Box Q Q &

A A

Q: When is the café going to open again? A: Although we do not have a specific date set, we do look forward to reopening the café when it is safe to do so [see page 2].

Q: Please sell hard boiled eggs, i.e., in 2 to a package or egg salad (on rye?) [or] deviled egg ready. Thank U. A: This is an intriguing idea for us to think about.

Q: Could you consider stocking campari tomatoes? They are juicier and tastier—especially in winter. Thanks! A: We stock them when we can get them. They are available sometimes but not all the time. Q: Please bring back the Moroccan lentil balls. Thank you. A: They will return in another menu rotation. They are not discontinued and will return again.

Q: Justin (Bulk) was very helpful, searched multiple departments to locate what I needed. He was very informative. He went above & beyond. Thank you, Justin! A: Great job, Justin! He is a model employee.

Q: Great person in Cheese “Guinevere” went above & beyond finding me a better quality cheese than I was asking for. A: She’s been a Member-Owner for a number of years. She does know her cheese and loves to share her passion for it.

Q: I had a couple of price overcharges + Sarah handled them promptly. Just thought U should know. A: We’re glad that she was able to help you and fix your issue in a friendly and efficient way.

Q: Grateful you sell refillable dish soap! Any way to carry something other than Better Life? It does not work well nor create any suds! A: That’s good to know. Thanks for bringing that to our attention. Our previous brand became unavailable to us. There’s not a lot of options out there.

Q: Possible to carry more bagged lettuce options? I hate all the plastic containers! A: In addition to our bagged and triple-washed spinach, we now have Juniper Hill bagged lettuce. We expect to receive more bagged lettuce from our local farmers as the growing season progresses.