SAMPLE SUMMER:

DOVER (June 15, 2015) - Fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful during the warm summer months, but finding quick and easy recipes can be challenging. The state of Delaware invites people to "sample summer" and receive fun and easy recipes at a special lunch prepared by The Hospitality School, a nonprofit organization that trains adults who are unemployed and in temporary jobs in the culinary arts and hospitality, and assists in job placement.

Tickets are now available for the July 16 "Taste of Summer" Sampling Lunch at de.gov/planthope. The lunch, featuring fresh local produce, is at the Delaware Health and Social Services (DHSS) cafe located at 1901 N. Dupont Hwy., New Castle, DE 19720. It is open to the public.

Between 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., attendees can choose from any of the six sampling stations, a full salad bar, homemade breads and muffins, and fruit-infused water. The culinary students' menu includes these mouth-watering recipes:

• Sweet corn and zucchini fritters
• Stir fry vegetables with Basmati rice
• Turkey Florentine stuffed cabbage rolls
• Zucchini lasagna
• Seasoned green beans with red potatoes
• Pasta primavera

Dine in, at outdoor picnic tables, or take out. Tickets are $8.00 if ordered by July 9. To order, visit de.gov/planthope. Tickets are $10.00 at the door. Proceeds benefit the Planting Hope Urban Farm on the DHSS Campus.

Most of the produce used for the lunch will be harvested from the Planting Hope Urban Farm and other local farms. Recipes of the prepared meals will be shared and the DHSS Farmers' Market will be open.

The "Taste of Summer" Sampling Lunch is sponsored by the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA), the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), and The Hospitality School.

"By consuming at least five fruits and vegetables daily, Delawareans can reduce their risk of preventable disease such as diabetes and cancer, " said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. "Diets high in fruits and vegetables also provide our bodies with essential nutrients and help achieve healthy weights. But sometimes, it can be hard to know what fresh foods can be prepared quickly and easily. The 'Taste of Summer' lunch is a perfect way to eat a tasty lunch and pick up some new recipes."

"We'll show you how easy it is to make delicious, affordable, and nutritious meals with local produce," said Faith B. Kuehn, DDA Plant Industries Administrator and Planting Hope project manager. "Fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available from Delaware farmers' markets and roadside stands, as well as from household and community gardens." A complete list of First State markets and farm stands is available at the Delaware Buy Local Guide, de.gov/buylocal.

For more information about the "Taste of Summer" Sampling Lunch, call Faith Kuehn at DDA at 302-698-4587.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.