MARCH 2009: SAINT PATRICK'S DAY


Director of Food Service at Mann Packing Company and family owner, Gina Nucci is featured here with her fiance, Chef Kevin Hinks at niece Jessica Reyna's pre-school in Salinas, California. In Gina's spare time she also serves on the Board of Directors and as president for a local organization, HELP. HELP is a local Monterey County non-profit organization that works with schools, parents and employers to promote nutrition, education and physical activity in the community for the elimination of childhood obesity. HELP Choose Your Life Gina and Kevin led the class in making Hawaiian cupcakes (featured in February's newsletter recipe) made with Broccoli Cole Slaw, as a lower calorie, healthier alternative to regular cupcakes.


St. Patrick's Day is Celebrated March 17th
St. Patrick has been celebrated for centuries as the patron saint of Ireland. Legend credits St. Patrick with banishing the snakes from Ireland and introducing the shamrock as the lucky symbol of the Irish. We celebrate this day with corn beef, cabbage, Irish potatoes and sometimes even green beer! We sing the praises of the white potatoes, as they are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol and are high in potassium. But did you ever think of trying a sweet potato instead? Like the white potato, it is low in calories, has no fat or cholesterol, high in potassium and the bonus is it is rich in vitamin A, something the white potato lacks. The sweet potato is emerging as a "superfood" because of this added value. Try one of these side dishes with your St. Patrick's Day celebration. You won't be disappointed! Sweet Potato Recipes

Broccoli Sprouts May Reduce Asthma: Study
By Stephen Daniells, 03-Mar-2009
A naturally occurring compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against asthma and other conditions due to respiratory inflammation, says a new study.

Consumption of broccoli sprouts led to a two- to three-fold increase in levels of antioxidant enzymes linked to the protection of human airways against oxidative tissue damage, which leads to inflammation and respiratory conditions like asthma, according to findings published in Clinical Immunology.

"This is one of the first studies showing that broccoli sprouts - a readily available food source - offered potent biologic effects in stimulating an antioxidant response in humans," said lead researcher Marc Riedl from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The tissue of cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, contain high levels of the active plant chemicals glucosinolates.
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Asthma Diet Tips
There are 23 million people in America that suffer from asthma. According to Jean Carper of "Eatsmart Magazine" diet can help fight asthma inflammation. She advises:

- Eat a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish, olive oil, whole grains and legumes.
- Reduce the intake of red meat.
- Children who eat high fruit diets including oranges, apples, tomatoes and grapes showed a 71% decrease in asthma related episodes.
- Keep your weight within the correct range for your age and height. Obesity will only increase the amount of asthma attacks.
- Eat food with omega-3 fats (sardines, salmon & tuna). 5 grams of fish oil daily helped prevent asthma symptoms after exercising.
- Studies show pregnant women who eat nut products (nuts and peanut butter) everyday increase the odds of their children developing asthma by 50%.


Mann's Special Spring Promotion
Starting March 1st Mann is offering $1 off when you purchase 2 packages of either Mann's Stringless Sugar Snap Peas or Mann's Gourmet Snow Peas with the on-pack coupons offer. Promotion Information Both of these items are delicious eaten raw as a snack, added to salads, prepared in a main dish or as a side dish.
Thai Chicken With Snow Peas
Stringless Sugar Snap Peas




Spring Cleaning for Your Health
Daylight saving time has started for most states, the weather is starting to warm up and spring will officially arrive on March 20th. Here are a few tips to make the transition from Winter to Spring healthier and happier:

-Take a look at your scale and commit to shedding any extra pounds you accumulated in your winter hibernation.
-Go outside and get some fresh air. It is time to swim, bike ride, hike and plan that camping trip. 30 minutes of daily exercise is the best way to start getting in shape.
-Ease the kids into soccer and baseball and make sure they warm up.
-Spring is also the biggest season for allergies, so make sure any old expired allergy medication is discarded.
-In the kitchen check spices and canned goods for expiration dates, and discard any out of date product. Also, check the expiration dates on your fresh produce.
-Women's makeup also expires. It is recommended to discard mascara after 3 months. Bacteria accumulates in the container and can cause eye infections.
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Oven Roasted Sugar Snap Parmigiano

The Women & Men Behind Mann!
Mann Employee Profile
Employee: Hugo Cazares, Director of Field Operations

Some people say Hugo Cazares is the world's foremost expert on growing Broccolini® and they're probably right.

As Director of Field Operations for Mann Packing, Hugo is responsible for all of the Broccolini® and broccoli that the company produces. But it's not like he had a manual to follow. Hugo learned everything about growing Broccolini® from the ground up. He had good mentors in his dad, Rudy Cazares, who worked for Mann Packing for almost 50 years along with Bill Ramsey, but when it came to Broccolini®, Hugo started when Mann first started growing the crop 10 years ago.

"My dad said we have this brand new vegetable (Broccolini®), no one has it but us, and we need someone to run the field operations and he asked me if I wanted to be part of it," Hugo said. "It was automatic, almost natural to join the company since it was such a part of our lives."
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Consumer Questions & Answers
We are always happy to answer your questions. Just send us an email and we will answer them personally, and post the most frequently asked questions in the newsletter.

Question #1: Your package states "Steam in Bag". Can I eat it raw or steam only part of it on the stove or in the microwave ?

Answer #1: Our steam feature is only a suggestion. For those who want quick one-step convenience and will be using the entire package at one time, we developed this special microwavable film for you. All of our fresh veggies are ready to eat raw right out of the bag, steam for a side dish or add to your favorite recipes.

Consumer Quote: Received from Melba in Carson, California. "LOVE, your Broccoli Cole Slaw, I use it everyday to add extra veggies to my lunch. I use it with Lean Cuisine meals, soups and salads. Can't say enough! It's helped me stay on track with my weight. LOVE IT!

Thanks to Melba and all of the other consumers out there that are the reason we are celebrating 70 years strong this year!

If you forgot Valentine's Day last month and ended up in the doghouse, like our friend here Lucy, try redeeming yourself by offering to either make dinner on St. Patrick's Day or take over some of the spring cleaning. You could make a delicious spring salad with our Broccoli Cole Slaw or Stringless Sugar Snap Peas.

Sincerely,
Susan Cameron
Mann Packing Co.
Fresh Vegetables Made Easy!