Vegetables | Live Healthy Live Well

Ear-resistible Corn Season!

August 5 2025

There is no doubt we are in sweet corn season in Ohio! Every produce stand has a big pile of fresh picked ears waiting for you and every grocery store has corn on sale. But how do you know this corn will be the highlight of your meal? What can you make beyond corn on the cob?

We’ve got you covered! The Selecting, Storing, and Serving Ohio Corn fact sheet shares a variety of helpful tips for all your corn-y needs. Check out the corn and green chili salad recipe in the fact sheet!

Depending on which part of the state you are from, sweet corn season can begin as early as July 1 and may last until late September/early October or the first frost. When corn is fresh from the field, the husks should still be damp, bright green, and tightly wrapped around the ear. Tassels should be a bit sticky, but not black or crumbly. The ears should have rows of kernels that are bright-colored, plump and milky. Kernels with indentations or gumminess are signs of overripe ears. Also, keep an eye out for damage from pests and plant diseases.

Interestingly, the sugar in corn begins converting to starch at harvest making it highly perishable. The starch conversion can be slowed by keeping corn as cool as possible, preferably under refrigeration, and by using within 1-2 days from harvest.

How will you prepare your ears of gold? There are so many options! The first step is to carefully clean the ears under cool running water to remove any dirt. A quick boil in unsalted water and topped with butter, salt and pepper is classic. If you don’t want to boil, try steaming or grilling. Steam ears until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. To grill, place ears over direct heat to create some marks, then move to a lower heat area to finish cooking.

Mix up your seasonings! Try basil, cayenne pepper, chili powder, lime, paprika, cumin, cilantro, parsley, or seasoning blends. Traditional “Mexican street corn” might contain chili powder, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and cheese. You could also take your fresh corn and add it to something like salsa. This avocado and corn salsa from MyPlate calls for frozen corn, but why not use fresh corn? For many more ideas, check out this amazing list of nearly 100 recipes from IowaCorn and food bloggers. Of course, you could also can, freeze, or dry some summer sweet corn to use later.

Now that you’re all ears on sweet corn, go husk with confidence and serve up smiles—because nothing says summer like corn on the cob!

Written by: Kate Shumaker, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Holmes County.

Reviewed by: Caitlin Mathews-Smith, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Guernsey County.

Have a Salsa Party this Summer in your backyard!

April 26 2023April 21, 2025

Nothing is better than a fresh Ohio tomato grown in season! Add fresh onions, peppers, and cilantro and now it’s fresh salsa! Salsa is a versatile dish, used as a fresh vegetable dip for tortilla chips or added as a topping to grilled fish and meat dishes.

Consider growing a salsa garden this year. A salsa garden requires only four plants- tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and peppers. If your garden space is limited, skip the onions, and grow tomatoes, cilantro, and peppers.

Spring is the best time for planting a salsa garden. A salsa garden may be planted on a patio in containers, raised beds or in a garden. Be sure the garden spot receives at least six hours of sun daily. Start planting once the danger of frost has passed.

If you are container gardening, choose deep pots for tomatoes and peppers. Cilantro may be planted in a shallow pot, in a larger size as they need plenty of room to grow and expand. Be sure to use supports for the tomatoes and peppers whether in a container, raised bed or garden to prevent sprawling of the plants, avoids breakage and keeps pests and disease away. Use potting soil with a 50/50 blend of potting soil and compost.

Choose tomatoes with:

Thick flesh (limits moisture in salsa)
Different varieties to produce throughout the season.
Prune tomatoes regularly to prevent the plant from growing out of control.
Trim off the lower branches to encourage air circulation around the base of the plants.

Peppers are the most challenging of the group to grow with their finicky heat requirement. Here are a few tips for growing peppers for salsa:

Select between sweet and hot peppers or mix the two varieties according to your preference.
Peppers change color as they are ripe, pick them at any color stage.
Be careful with the seeds and pale colored flesh inside the hot peppers when they ripen. Be sure to wear single use gloves when handling hot peppers to protect your hands. These are extra hot and only add them to the salsa if you like the heat. Otherwise, clean out the inside of the pepper and wash your hands carefully.
Support your peppers to protect them from wind damage.

Cilantro

Grows well in a shallow pot that is larger allowing it space to expand.
Thrives in warm weather, bring the cilantro inside when it gets cold outside.
Harvest frequently to prevent the plants from flowering and going to seed.

Caring for your salsa garden:

Water plants when there has been no rain. Apply water at the soil level to avoid getting the plant foliage wet and water deeply to encourage plant roots to grow deep.
Plant marigolds around the salsa garden to keep pests off the plants.
Feed the plants with a good fertilizer once a month.

Health Benefits of Garden Salsa

Tomatoes, onions, lime juice are rich sources of Vitamin C.
Fiber is found naturally in plants and helps stabilize blood sugars.
Tomatoes contain lycopene which is linked to reducing the risk of cancer.
Hydrating tomatoes are 95% of water
Low in calories – two tablespoons of salsa is 10 calories or less
Healthy for your heart- cholesterol free as it is made from plants containing no cholesterol.

Make salsa with your fresh grown harvest. It is easy and delicious. Here is a great recipe for fresh salsa. Anothe recipe to try is Pico de Gallo. Enjoy growing an easy salsa garden this spring and have a salsa party this summer!

Written by: Beth Stefura, OSU Extension Educator, Mahoning County, stefura.2@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Margaret Jenkins, OSU Extension Educator, Clermont County, jenkins.188@osu.edu

References:

MyPlate | U.S. Department of Agriculture

https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/salsa_garden.pdf

https://extension.uga.edu/content/dam/extension/programs-and-services/school-gardens/documents/3-Economic-Grow-A-Salsa-Garden.pdf

Sweetpotatoes – Versatile and Nutrient Rich

October 28 2022

At a recent professional development conference for the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences in Raleigh, North Carolina I was able to take part in an in-depth tour of a family operated produce farm in Princeton, North Carolina. While I attended many great sessions at the conference, it was a tour “Locally Sweet: Understanding Local in a Global Food Market” that I told everyone about when I returned to Ohio. We were fortunate to have a tour of the Kornegay Family Farms & Produce facility by Kim Kornegy LaQuire. At this multigeneration operated family farm they grow sweetpotatoes, watermelon, corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat, and butternut squash on 6,000 acres. Kim told us that she is a farmer “who sits behind a desk.” She runs the farm’s human resources, payroll, labor compliance, public relations, and food safety programs. Her brother does more of the physical farming labor.

If you are questioning my use of “sweetpotato” It is not a misspelling. According to the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commision, sweetpotato is one word. Sweetpotatoes are native to the Americas and different from yams. Yams are typically imported from Africa and have a white flesh. Sweetpotatoes can be a variety of colors including the typical orange to yellow, white, or even purple. Both vegetables can vary in size, but yams have been known to grow much larger – up to 100 pounds even.

North Carolina produces more than 65% of the nation’s sweetpotatoes. The farm I toured distributes sweetpotatoes globally across the United States, to Canada, and even Europe. The conference I attended was in September – during sweetpotato harvest, which lasts from early-September to the end of October. Sweetpotatoes are harvested by using special equipment that slides under the potatoes in the ground and pulls them to the surface. They are then gathered by hand into buckets, then dumped into large crates for transport and storage. Sweetpotatoes are cured after harvest and often stored for up to a year in huge climate-controlled storage buildings. When it is time to pack them in boxes for distribution, the potatoes are washed, sorted for quality, and packed into large 40-pound box for shipping. Unusual shaped, large, or small sweetpotatoes are sent to facilities where they are canned or turned into fries or even tater tots. Slightly damaged sweetpotatoes will become food for livestock.

The ideal sweetpotato can fit easily into your hand. One cup of cubed sweetpotato contains 114 calories; 12% of the daily recommendation of potassium; 27 grams of carbohydrate; 4 grams of fiber; Vitamins B6, C, A; and magnesium. After selecting your perfect sweetpotato from the garden, farmers market, or grocery – store them in a cool, dry place for the best quality. Avoid storing in the refrigerator where they will develop a hard core and bad taste. Sweetpotatoes are very versatile and can actually even be eaten raw like a carrot stick. My favorite uses are cubed in my chili or taco meat (just try it – it gives a sweet taste and cuts the acid of too much tomato), roasted, or as a cranberry sweetpotato bake that I will show below. My whole family requests this dish for holidays, over the marshmallow or sugar topped versions. I typically cut everything up for it the night before, and then place it all in a slow cooker first thing in the morning. Frees up oven space that is a premium. For other sweetpotato recipes check out https://ncsweetpotatoes.com/recipes/ where the options are almost limitless.

Writer: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.

Reviewer: Misty Harmon, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County.

Sources:

The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission, https://ncsweetpotatoes.com/.

Kornegay Family Farms & Produce, https://kornegayfamilyproduce.com/.

Much to Discover About North Carolina’s “Dirty Candy”, Coshocton Tribune, E. Marrison, https://www.coshoctontribune.com/story/news/local/coshocton-county/2022/09/25/much-to-discover-about-north-carolinas-dirty-candy/69509036007/.

Diving into Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

April 28 2022

Meat substitutes, such as tofu or soy protein, have existed since the 1960s and often resemble the meat they are replacing. However, plant-based meat alternatives have become more common on your grocery store shelves and often do not resemble meat. As they are more widely available, you might be curious about adding them to your menu rotation. Here are a few suggestions for trying a meat substitute:

Consider making your own. Often these plant-based “meats” are made of familiar ingredients such as cauliflower, beans, mushrooms, or tofu. You can make your dishes meatless by substituting things like chicken for chickpeas. Or you can try making your meatless burger by combining vegetables you enjoy with black beans and rice. This lentil burger from Celebrate Your Plate is easy and full of simple ingredients.

Read the labels on meatless products carefully. Meatless products are often higher in fiber, calcium, and iron compared to traditional meat. Some of these products may also be hiding more sodium than regular meat. Also, some meat alternatives are prepared with coconut oil, which is higher in saturated fat. When looking at the label you will need to consider your personal health goals. Whatever your nutritional goal maybe, be an informed consumer and check the label.

Trying a variety of brands and products may help you find a meat substitute you enjoy. Brands will have different tastes and textures.

Don’t forget other meatless options. Foods such as eggs, lentils, beans, tofu, nut butters, cottage cheese, edamame, noodles made from legume flour, and some mushrooms can also be a good substitute in dishes for meat.

Start with recipes you like and consider small swaps. Try lentils instead of meat in your favorite chili. A meatless crumble that resembles the look and feel of ground beef could be used in a taco recipe. Trying a new substitute for a familiar food may help make the transition to meatless alternatives easier.

Written by: Alisha Barton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Miami County. Barton.345@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Amanda Bennett, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Ohio State University Miami County. Bennet.709@osu.edu

Sources:

Curtain, F., & Amp; Grafenauer, S. (2019, October 30). Plant-based meat substitutes in the Flexitarian age: An audit of products on supermarket shelves. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893642/

Is meatless meat worth a try? (2022). Strive, Spring 2022, 4.

Lentil burgers. Celebrate your plate. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://celebrateyourplate.org/recipes/lentil-burgers

A Season for Every Vegetable

April 15 2021

“Finish your vegetables before you can leave the table” was a daily mantra my mother had for me at our dinner table. It always seemed like it was her objective in life to force those vegetables that simply could not compare to the extremely over-sweetened treats that had spoiled my taste buds. I never understood why I had to eat her under-seasoned steamed carrots or corn, and now my mother is still unable to give a solid explanation why she wanted me to eat my vegetables. She had been told from her mother to eat her vegetables and this has been shared from mother to child over time. The more I have learned about nutrition, the more I understand just how important vegetables are in our diet.

Eating the same steamed vegetables can be boring but using seasonal vegetables and making dishes with many colorful vegetables are much more enjoyable. One dish I enjoyed trying with vegetables as the star was a vegetable galette. Of course, when making a dish with many vegetables it is more economical, convenient and tasty to use vegetables that are in season. A salad with out-of-season tomatoes will simply not compare to fresh tomatoes grown in the summer. Before trying a new vegetable, be sure to check if they are in season. Eating vegetables in season means that your diet will change throughout the year and you will have new and different recipes to try out!

Vegetables not only provide many different flavors and color to a dish; they are also a vital part of a healthy diet. Vegetables provide important nutrients like: fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can have a positive impact on our health. High fiber foods like vegetables have been shown to decrease cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar, and increase fullness. Trying out different seasonal vegetables and using them in different recipes is a fun way to eat healthier.

About the author: Landon Griffin is a senior Nutrition and Food Science-Dietetics dietetics student at Middle Tennessee University with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Performance from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He works as a dietetic aide at NHC Healthcare and on the MT Nutrition Team. In fall 2020, he will attend Eastern Illinois University for a Master of Science Nutrition and Dietetics. In the future, he wants to work with athletes to help them reach their full potential through nutrition.

Author: Landon Griffin, senior dietetics student at Middle Tennessee State University, future dietetic intern at Eastern Illinois University

Reviewer: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County, carter.413@osu.edu

Sources:

Maynard, D.N. and G. Hochmuth. 1997. Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers 4th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York. Retrieved from: https://extension.psu.edu/seasonal-classification-of-vegetables

Retrieved from: https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables

Holly Larson. March 1, 2021. EatRight. Retrieved from: https://www.eatright.org/food/vitamins-and-supplements/types-of-vitamins-and-nutrients/easy-ways-to-boost-fiber-in-your-daily-diet

Vegetables That are Healthier Cooked

February 8 2021

Most people consume vegetables to reap the nutritional benefits. While most vegetables are better raw, there are a few you should cook instead. Cooking releases nutrients that your body can more easily absorb. Here are a few vegetables you may want to cook before you consume them.

Asparagus. This springtime vegetable is full of cancer-fighting vitamins A, C and E. Cooking asparagus increases it levels of phenolic acid, which is associated with reduced risk of cancer. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and enjoy!
Carrots. Our bodies seem to use more easily the beta carotene in cooked carrots than in raw ones. Cut into rounds, steam, and serve with a little honey or cinnamon.
Mushrooms. Microwaving or grilling can increase antioxidant activity. After heating them up, slice and add to a salad or sauté and add to an omelet.
Tomatoes. Lycopene is better absorbed when the food item is heated up. This may protect against cancer and heart disease. Slow roasted in the oven at 200 degrees and added to a sandwich sounds delicious.
Spinach. Oxalic acid may block the absorption of calcium and iron from raw spinach. Heat is known to break it down. Blanch spinach and served under grilled fish with salsa.

Written by Beth Stefura, OSU Extension Educator, Mahoning County, stefura.2@osu.edu

Reviewed by Margaret Jenkins, OSU Extension Educator, Clermont County, jenkins.188@osu.edu

References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30983210/

https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-raw-cooked-veggie