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A Day for Everything

Did you know there are close to 1,500 national days, weeks and months each year when you can celebrate your favorite mail carrier, share your joy for apple pie, wear pajamas to work or practice random acts of kindness?

Here are several food-related days over the next few months that I’m marking on my calendar:

January 26: National Green Juice Day. Started to encourage people to keep wellness resolutions in the New Year. Grab a cold-pressed green juice from an organic, sustainable company like Evolution Fresh or make your own at home.

February 9: National Pizza Day. Approximately 3 billion pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year, and 17 percent of all U.S. restaurants are pizzerias. Celebrate the day with a pie, from thin crust to Chicago-style or deep dish.

February 24: National Tortilla Chip Day. Tortilla chips originated in a Los Angeles tortilla factory in the 1940s, when the owners found a way to make use of misshapen tortillas. Pick up some dips with your chips.

March 16: National Artichoke Hearts Day. One of my favorite vegetables, artichoke hearts (and leaves) are delicious, particularly when dipped in garlic butter. These oddly shaped veggies are a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C and magnesium.

April 2: National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. The first known reference to this iconic sandwich was published in 1901. An excellent go-to food for a quick lunch or energy boost before or after a workout.

National food days are a fun excuse to eat a particular food on a particular day. They’re also a way to expand our horizons by trying things we might not have considered. (Don’t like lima beans? Consider preparing some on April 20, National Lima Bean Respect Day.)

That said, you don’t have to wait for National Pear Day on October 25 to cook up some delicious, pear-based recipes. Try creations like Pear and Sweet Potato Soup, Grilled Pear Salad with Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese Grapes, and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Pears, Radicchio and Brown Butter.

We’ll also get you ready for National Breakfast Day on March 13 with several fast and flavorful options, including Orange Cranberry Almond Muffins and Spiced Coconut Chia Pudding with Toasted Hazelnuts and Pomegranate.

In honor of the unofficial National Seaweed Day, also on April 20, we share a unique way to make pesto, using sheets of nori, the seaweed most commonly used for sushi.

By the way, National Apple Pie Day is Sunday, May 13, when you’ll find me in the kitchen baking one of my favorite pies. Check out nationaldaycalendar.com for a full list of ideas on how you can celebrate something every day this year.

Rebecca Heaton, Editor

rebecca@livenaturallymagazine.com

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