February is Heart Healthy Month, a crucial time each year to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, and why;
All tagged tammy kelly
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Tis the Season for the Daikon Radish
The Daikon radish is a winter vegetable usually sown in mid to late summer and harvested in the cooler months. The Daikon radish can be found in a variety of shapes and colors and boasts a characteristic crispness and snap when served or eaten raw, but totally changes to something more like a potato when cooked. It is said that the Daikon is much milder and less peppery than the familiar red radish.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: The Very Versatile Cauliflower!
Cauliflower is known as the culinary chameleon, making its way into your menu as cauliflower rice, cauliflower mashed potatoes, and even pizza crust. Cauliflower picks ups flavors from savory to sweet, and is super versatile for main dish, side or dessert. Here are some basic ways to use cauliflower in your recipes. You can vary any of these recipes in several ways.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: A Kale You Will Love
If you are a little leery of eating kale, thanks to one of our local farmers, I have found your answer to adding Kale to your diet. It’s Lacinato or Dinosaur kale is a dark green leafy vegetable. Dino kale has an earthy, nutty flavor. It doesn't have the same strong bitterness as other varieties of kale, though it is still there. The sweetness helps offset that and makes it more approachable.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Winter Dinners that are Fast, Easy and Healthy
Since darkness still lingers when you return from work and begin to prepare your family dinner, you want to cook something that is fast, easy and still super healthy! Meanwhile, celebrate that we get an additional 38 minutes at the end of the day during the month of January!!
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Fibermaxxing, is it right for you?
Gone are the protein obsessed, in case you haven’t heard, the current social media trend taking over Tik Tok is fibermaxxing. The practice of fibermaxxing is the about increasing or maximizing your fiber intake in order to boost digestion and overall health. It works best when you slowly integrate additional fiber in your diet. Dieticians recommend doing this by increasing your intake of whole foods, like beans, berries and whole grains.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Comforting Seasonal Soups for the Holidays
There is nothing more appealing on a chilly day than a warm hearty bowl of soup, and the holidays are the perfect time to enjoy one. With company coming soup is an easy filling option to make ahead or to quickly assemble. Pair with a grilled cheese or some saltine crackers and everyone will leave happy!
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Recipes from Super Saturday at the Lenoir County Farmers Market
It was a great day at the Lenoir County Farmers Market in downtown Kinston on November 22. The market hosted numerous extra vendors and special guests the Howard Sisters, Vivian Howard and Leraine Howard Tolston went Nuts! Each Chef shared a favorite recipe using nuts.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Become Familiar with Fennel this Fall
Fennel is one of the most underused vegetables in the fall, mostly since many people are only familiar with the form of the fennel seeds commonly found in spice blends. Most people are quite surprised when they actually first taste fresh fennel, its’ licorice like flavor takes some getting used to.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Turnips are Turning Up…at Your Local Farmers Market
I have never been the biggest fan of turnips, but I have discovered over the past few years that if prepared in the right way, they will take on a variety of unique flavors depending on your recipe. Turnips are often mistaken for a member of the root family, in reality the turnip belongs to the cruciferous family whose cousins are Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli. Even so, most often consumed is the bulbous root of the turnip.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Rooting for Rutabaga!
Rutabaga is another one of those “love ‘em or hate ‘em” vegetables, I am not on the love ‘em side but I know many who are. I have tried them every way I know how and roasting was the best but you must eat them hot! So, what do you do with a rutabaga?
Winning Recipes from the 2025 Lenoir County Agriculture Fair Casserole Cook-Off
In case you missed it, on Wednesday night October 1st, of the Lenoir County Fair Kelly Tyndall, Family and Consumer Science Agent for the Lenoir County Center of NC Cooperative Extension conducted the Casserole Cook-off.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Cook Up a Win Worthy Tailgate Spread
No matter which team you are cheering for, don’t let the absence of a trip to the stadium stop you from cooking up a win worthy tailgate spread. You will always come out a winner while serving up delicious food and drink for tailgating at home or at the stadium.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Fresh Figs – Get Them Fast
Sweet, juicy, and crunchy, it’s hard to think of a fruit that provides the unique goodness of a fresh fig. A fig's unique flavor makes it a wonderful treat all on its own, but when added to a recipe, the results can be very tasty.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Crispy Ripe Fresh Pears
Fall is the time to welcome juicy, sweet pears to your farm markets, and turn this healthy fruit in hot crisps, flakey pies, and hearty salads. Generally, pears are in season in Eastern North Carolina from about August to October. If you have a pear tree in your yard or on your farm, cherish it. The weight of the fruit combined with the strong winds brought in by hurricanes and other storms, can really do some damage pear trees, especially aging ones.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Watermelon, the Symbol of Summer
Can’t you always envision a fresh bright pink slice of watermelon whenever you think of summer?? There are hundreds of varieties of watermelon across the country, my favorite this summer has been the Black Jack, beautifully red, seedless and the perfect size! Growing in popularity and this summer’s star has been the very sweet yellow watermelon.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Celebrate National Farmers Market Week – Visit Your local Farmers Market
National Farmers Market Week, established 26 years ago, is celebrated each year during the first full week of August, August 3rd – 9th, 2025. This annual celebration was established by the National Farmers Market Coalition to highlight the vital role farmers markets play in the nation’s food systems.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Okra, the South’s Polarizing Vegetable
Okra is either one of those vegetables that you love or you simply love to hate. Known for its scrubby texture when overcooked, okra is actually crunchy, crisp, and absolutely delicious when handled properly.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Versatile and Vibrant: Easy Yellow Squash Recipes
It’s time for summer squash and you can find many varieties at the local Farmer’s Market! Squash and Zucchini have a taste and texture that can be adapted to many different types of recipes, from traditional Southern, to Italian or Greek Style. No matter the way you like to eat and prepare your squash, this spring and summer veggie packs a load of health benefits.
Cooking with Tammy Kelly: North Carolina peach season has arrived ahead of schedule
According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, due to our exceptionally warm weather a bumper crop of high-quality has arrived earlier than usual. Peaches typically peak during July, but many peach farmers are already selling fresh ripe early peach varieties. Warm weather tends to make the peaches ripen not only earlier but faster so don’t wait to pick your peck of peaches!!