Folic acid and folate are members of the B vitamin family; folate is the natural form found in foods and folic acid is the synthetic form used to fortify foods and in vitamin supplements. Folate plays a crucial role in making, protecting, and repairing our DNA. In 1998 the US started fortifying enriched flour, cornmeal, pasta, and white rice and since then the incidence of neural tube birth defects (like spina bifida) has declined significantly. For this reason it is recommended that all women of child-bearing age get 400 mcg of folate daily to prevent these birth defects.

So what is the problem?

Many food companies are adding extra folic acid beyond the fortification required in the enriched grains used to make their products. Some cereals like Total, Kashi Heart to Heart, and Special K have 100% of the Daily Value (DV) of folic acid which is 400 mcg. The tolerable upper limit is 1000 mcg/day. So if you are taking a multivitamin and eating other fortified foods, you may be getting too much.  And too much folate can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency (this is a problem for the elderly who don't get enough B12 or don't absorb it efficiently). In addition, some recent studies  suggest that an excess may contribute to a slightly elevated risk of colon, breast, or prostate cancer.

How can you stay in the safe range?

• Don't worry about foods naturally high in folate like leafy greens, dried beans and lentils, and citrus fruits; you can't get too much in its natural form.    
• Choose whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and brown rice...these are not enriched with folic acid.
• Read labels of grain products carefully, especially cereal and protein bars which may be heavily fortified with folic acid. Switch to non-instant oatmeal. If you're taking a daily multi (which is still recommended for women of child-bearing age), choose foods which have less than 25% DV of folic acid (100 mcg). And watch serving sizes; you may be eating more than the serving size on the package. See the list below of folic acid in selected fortified foods...some of the numbers are very high!
• If you are a man or a woman past child-bearing age, consider taking your multivitamin every other day if you consume other fortified foods. If you decide to stop taking a multivitamin, consider taking a vitamin D supplement (~1000 IU daily).

Source: USDA National Nutrient Database, company Web sites. Nutrient amounts in fortified foods may change, so it is a good idea to check the nutrition label on the package to find out how much folic acid the food contains.

Serves 6.

· 4 c. organic nectarines, cut in 1-in. pieces

· 1 c. fresh organic raspberries

· 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

· 1/2 c. brown sugar

· 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

· 1/2 tsp. salt

· 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour

· 1/4 c. fine whole cornmeal

· 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar

· 11/2 tsp. baking powder

· 1/4 tsp. salt

· 3 tbsp. butter, cut in small pieces

· 1/2 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with butter or baking spray, or divide among individual dishes.

In a bowl, gently mix together nectarines, raspberries, lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix the butter into the flour by pinching with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter is evenly distributed. Add the buttermilk and stir until just mixed.

Top the fruit with dollops of the dough, letting the fruit show through. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the biscuits are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Note: You can substitute almost any fruit of your choice if you like.  

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories 230 Fat 7 g Sodium 485 mg Saturated fat 4 g

Carbohydrates 42 g Calcium 120 mg

Protein 3 g Cholesterol 16 mg Dietary fiber 4 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 fruit, 2 other carbs, 1-1/2 fats. 

This is a great way to use up the extra zucchini from your garden...even my mom and husband who say they don't care for zucchini loved it! 

Zucchini Gratin

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated 
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 large garlic cloves, to taste, minced
• 2 pounds zucchini or other summer squash, cut in 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice, cooked (or 1/4 cup short grain brown rice, cooked) 
• 2 eggs
• 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (fresh or dry)

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until it begins to smell fragrant, and stir in the squash. Cook, stirring often, until the squash is translucent but not mushy, 5 to 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the thyme, basil, and rice, and remove from the heat.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cheese. Stir in the zucchini mixture and combine well. Scrape into the gratin dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and the gratin is sizzling. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.  

Adapted from a Martha Rose Schulman recipe (Zucchini Tian) on www.SplendidTable.org

I had an abundance of cucumbers from my garden and crop share so I made several batches of this salad...this way the cukes keep for several weeks and they're great served with just about anything!

Marinated Cucumber Salad

Enjoy the last weeks of summer!