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PORTLAND, Maine

SNAP-Ed nutrition educator appears on ‘WABI’ to discuss how to shop, cook, and eat healthy on a budget

On October 22, Maine SNAP-Ed nutrition educator, Sara McConnell, from Healthy Acadia in Washington County, appeared on WABI with anchor Joy Hollwell to promote local Maine Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) programming and demonstrate how to make a healthy low-cost recipe.

McConnell featured a simple recipe for roasted root vegetables (provided below), which are in season this time of year. To wrap up the segment, McConnell shared a few of her quick tips for using this recipe as more than just a side dish with dinner.

Maine SNAP-Ed is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administered by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and implemented statewide by the University of New England’s School of Community and Population Health through contracts with the Healthy Maine Partnerships. Maine SNAP-Ed educates low-income families on low-cost, healthy eating and active lifestyles.

For more information on the Maine SNAP-Ed program visit: maine.gov/snaped. For tips on how to shop, cook, and eat healthy on a budget, find the Maine SNAP-Ed program on Facebook (facebook.com/MaineSNAP-Ed).  

Watch part 1 and part 2 of the segment on WABI.

Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe:

- Ingredients Needed: 4 cups root vegetables (sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, and/or parsnips), 2 medium carrots, 1 medium onion, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon oregano.

- Directions: (1) Preheat oven to 350°F. (2) Cut vegetables into chunks all the same size. (3) In a bowl, toss vegetables with oil and seasonings. (4) Spread evenly on baking sheet. (5) Roast until tender (about 1 hour).

Quick Tips:

- Prepare vegetables and toss with oil and seasonings ahead of time. Keep vegetables in closed container in refrigerator until ready to cook (1-3 days).

- Depending on how much time you have, cut vegetables smaller, and turn the heat up to 425°F.

- Freeze leftover cooked vegetables for use at another meal (up to 6 months).

- Add to soups, stews, or top salads with leftovers. 

- Have leftover vegetables with breakfast. Makes a great side dish for eggs.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.