For the third year in a row, FUTP 60 Ambassadors and Program Advisors from my school district rang the Salvation Army bell and handed out samples of the “veggie of the month” at a local grocery store! It’s really a lot of fun, and while we are doing some great community service by collecting money for a great cause, we are also spreading the word about FUTP 60 AND promoting great tasting vegetables all at the same time!
Each year our vegetable seems to get a bit more unique, which adds quite a fun challenge. The first year we handed out cauliflower samples, which was fairly easy. Last year we promoted parsnips. This year…get ready for it…jicama!
First I had to learn how to pronounce it. It is pronounced “hee-cah mah”. Then I did some reading about this vegetable since I had never heard of it. I learned that it is a round root vegetable which grows on vines. It has very similar texture to a turnip, but tastes closer to an apple. It has a thick and tough skin. It provides 1/4 of what’s needed daily in fiber per serving. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C and it can promote heart health! Here is the recipe we served for Jicama Apple Slaw: http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/planning-and-prep/recipes/jicama-apple-slaw-recipe
I hope you like it!
Courtney
Summit Ambassador
Wisconsin
9th Grade
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