October WIC Kitchen: Falling for vegetables

Sep. 23, 2026

By Mary Wade Burnside and Anna Ash

An age-old question: Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable ? It’s actually both! Botanically, a tomato is a fruit because it grows from a flower and holds seeds. But we treat it like a vegetable because it has a savory taste and goes so well in main course dishes.
Tomatoes work in sandwiches, salads, casseroles and, of course, pasta, including this Tomato Spinach Sausage Pasta.
Tomatoes are great for hydration and a low fat low sodium snack. They are high in vitamin A, C and lycopene, which is an antioxidant that helps protect your cells. Tomatoes and pasta go so well together because the natural acidity and sweetness of tomatoes balances the rich, starchy blandness of the wheat in pasta.
And there is science involved! The pectin in the tomatoes, along with the juice, emulsifies with the cooking water of the pasta that has released starch from the pasta in it to create a natural sauce with little effort, which allows the natural chemistry of the ingredients to create a wonderful dish.
As pasta became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries in Italy, the local climate made fresh and preserved tomatoes an affordable and versatile match. And, this saying is really true: If it grows together, it goes together. That’s why spinach and basil are a great accompaniment to tomatoes.
Our other October recipe is mindful of autumn as harvest season is coming to a close. Corn and Zucchini Chowder provides an opportunity to use up any of the green summer squash that is readily available.
Corn provides protein fiber and B vitamins, while zucchini offers higher amounts of vitamin C and is much lower in calories. Corn has significantly higher carbohydrates, while zucchini has more water-rich nutrients, making this a great pairing for soups.
And as the days get cooler, these hot dishes, which can be served separately or together, provide warmth and comfort!

Tomato Spinach Sausage Pasta
Serves: 2
1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage meat (mild or spicy)
*4 servings of pasta (we used farfalle)
*2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
*7 oz (200 g) cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
*1 handful of fresh spinach
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Start by cooking the pasta al dente, according to the package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, sauté the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until almost cooked through. Add the garlic and a drizzle of olive oil to the sausage and cook until fragrant and the sausage meat is no longer pink.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the sausage and garlic, with a sprinkling of paprika and cayenne pepper. Once those have cooked, stir in the tomato purée and add spinach, letting it wilt.
When the pasta is cooked, drain and stir it into the sausage, tomato and spinach sauce. Serve the tomato spinach sausage pasta with lots of black pepper and chili flakes. Enjoy!

Corn and Zucchini Chowder
Serves: 2
*4 cups fresh corn kernels (about four ears)
*2 cups diced zucchini
*1 cup diced potatoes
*1 cup diced carrots
*1 cup diced onions
*2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
*1 cup milk
2 tbsp olive oil
*1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Sauté vegetables in a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions, garlic, carrots and potatoes. Cook until vegetables are softened, about five to seven minutes. Add zucchini and corn. Stir in diced zucchini and corn kernels. Cook for an additional five minutes.
Add broth and simmer. Pour in vegetable broth. Add thyme, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Blend and add milk. Using an immersion blender, blend the chowder until partially smooth, leaving some chunks for texture. Stir in the milk and cook for another five minutes.
Ladle the chowder into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
*Ingredients with an asterisk next to them are available through Monongalia County Health Department WIC. Call us at 304-598-5181 for more information.