October Recipe: Latin American Mixed Vegetables

Latin American Mixed Vegetables

This recipe uses butternut squash, an ingredient native to Latin America. Not only will you get a healthy dose of fiber from the squash to clean your digestive system, you will also get Vitamin C from the other ingredients.

Makes 8 Servings at 1 cup each


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. package of frozen butternut squash
2 can of black beans
1 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 zucchini
1 green pepper
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: jalapeno, deseeded and minced


Equipment:
Large bowl
Frying pan
Cutting board
Knife (use with adult supervision)


Directions:

Prep:
1. With an adult's help, carefully cut the onion into smaller pieces.
2. Finely mince the garlic.
3. Cut the zucchini, tomato, and bell pepper into smaller pieces. Keep separated.
4. Rip the cilantro leaves into smaller pieces.

Cooking:
1. Heat oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add squash and zucchini. Sauté until crisp-tender
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Simmer until hot. Serve warm.

What can you eat this recipe with?

October Harvest of the Month: Winter Squash

October is time for harvest, and one harvest that makes October special is the Winter Squash. You may be wondering, "Winter squash? But it's not even Winter yet!", and yes, it is only Autumn, but please believe that this hard-shelled fruit is ready to help your body this season!



Many people think of pumpkins during this month. Did you know that the pumpkin is a variety of the Winter Squash? Other varieties include:
- spaghetti
- banana
- acorn
- turban
- butternut
- buttercup
- hubbard

These varieties of Winter Squash all come in different colors, from deep orange to tan to green! This means that squash can help our bodies in different ways.

ORANGE fruits and vegetables help keep eyes healthy.

TAN fruits and vegetables help keep the heart healthy.

GREEN fruits and vegetables help bones and teeth strong.

On top of all that, Winter Squash contains:

- Vitamin A to help our eyes today

- Fiber to scrub our stomachs and digestive system clean

- Vitamin C to keep us healthy and give us immunity from sickness

You can even buy butternut squash already cut and cooked in the frozen section!

Whether you put it in a soup or a saute, Winter Squash will give you the nutrients you need to keep healthy as the weather changes. Check back for delicious and easy recipes using this harvest of the month!

Source: Harvest of the Month

Harvest of the Month: Tomatoes

Welcome back to school!

Now is the perfect time to cook with tomatoes! If you have a garden, you might have tomatoes ripe and ready to harvest now. If you don't have a garden, take a trip to the local farmer's market or the grocery store to get a taste of this delicious fruit!














Fresh tomatoes from the Schafer Park School Garden.

Tomatoes are high in Vitamin C to protect our bodies from getting sick. Vitamin C also prevents bruises and is great for your skin and your heart!

Did you know.....that the tomato is a FRUIT? Tomatoes have seeds inside, making it a fruit. What other fruits do you know with seeds inside?

If you have cooking in the classroom at your school, you might have tasted this recipe that uses fresh tomatoes and other healthy fruits:

SALSA FRESCA
(Makes about 10 1/2 cup servings)

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium tomatoes
2 bell peppers (red, yellow)
1/2 small red onion
1/2 bunch of cilantro
2 limes
1 clove garlic
1 bunch green onion
1 jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt and pepper to taste

Using fresh ingredients is best!

EQUIPMENT:
Large bowl
Big spoon
Knife
Cutting board

Remember to have adult supervision when using a knife. Always "Claw and Saw".

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut tomatoes into small squares and add to bowl.
2. Take the seeds out of bell peppers and cut into small squares. Add to bowl.
3. Cut red onion into small squares. Add to bowl.
4. Pluck cilantro leaves from stem and rip into small pieces. Place in the bowl.
5. Squeeze limes over the bowl. Squeeze all the juice out.
6. Mince garlic and add to the bowl.
7. Have an adult cut the jalapeno and take out the seeds and add to the bowl.
8. Add salt & pepper to taste.
9. Stir, mix, and serve!

This salsa can be served with many different foods:
- tortilla chips
- tacos
- burritos
- baked fish
- steak
- rice
- pasta
- salad
- and more!

ITALIAN BRUSCHETTA
Serves 8 (4 crackers with 1 Tbsp each)
It's kind of like pizza-flavored salsa. Made with fresh tomatoes and basil, bruschetta is a popular summer Italian appetizer. Try it atop of flatbread or pizza or use it like salsa on tacos or quesadillas. Right now, tomatoes are at the peak of their season in Hayward, and the school gardens are bursting with all sorts of varieties and colors.

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 tomatoes
1/2 bunch fresh basil
1/2 small onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh pepper to taste
32 crackers, flatbread, or melba toasts

Optional: splash of balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash produce.
2. Peel and chop onions.
3. Peel and finely mince garlic cloves.
4. Finely chop tomatoes.
5. Rip basil into small pieces.
6. Sauté onions and garlic with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
7. Mix tomatoes, basil, cooked onions and salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl.
8. Spoon tomato mixture onto cracker or flatbread and serve.

Adapted from Harvest of the Month

The Next Generation of Farmers

Did you know that Tennyson High School has a farm?

During the school year, under the direction of Miss Molly, farm interns help maintain the one-acre area, planting, digging, composting, and harvesting a few days a week. Interns have planted fruit trees, various seasonal fruits and vegetables, and even a native plants garden. Thanks to the farm interns, this patch of land has transformed from an empty grassy field to a place alive with beauty!

For the end of the school year, Miss Molly planned a field trip to Santa Cruz to visit two very inspirational farms. Interns had a closer look at life in agriculture...check out the photos!

After a beautiful drive down the coastline, the first stop was the Homeless Garden Project. At this farm, homeless are hired to help with farm work, giving them an opportunity to earn some money, receive job training, and have a friendly place to work and eat.


This farm had ducks roaming the grounds. Ducks are a great, natural way to keep the insects off of the crops.
Lavender is a light purple fragrant flower that can help relax anyone who smells it.

Most of the workers were harvesting lavender. Much of the lavender is dried and used for resale either in bunches or in wreaths. The interns had a chance to help harvest and they even got to take some home!


Can you guess what fruit this is?

Strawberries!! This fruit is full of Vitamin C to keep you from getting sick. These strawberries are ORGANIC, meaning that there were no harsh chemicals or pesticides used.

Farming together can build healthy bodies and healthy friendships.

Interns visiting the greenhouse, where many plants start their journey.

Frogs are kept in the greenhouse as a natural way to get rid of bugs!

After the Homeless Garden Project, interns had a healthy picnic at Natural Bridges State Beach.

Next stop: Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems at UC Santa Cruz.
This is where Miss Molly learned most of her farming techniques. To be an intern at this farm, one must be committed to the farm for 6 months.

Miss Leah, who used to work for HNLCP, now is a farm intern. Here she shows the interns the CSA box.

CSA stands for:
Community Supported Agriculture

Since the farm harvests so many fruits and vegetables, locals in Santa Cruz can sign up and pay for a CSA box which they can pick up every week! This means that the participants are getting fresh, local, seasonal, and organic produce and they know where it comes from!

This is what was in the CSA box at that time. What could you make with those ingredients?

A few interns looking at the big field.

It wouldn't be a farm field trip without getting a little work done. Here students are plating Quinoa, a protein-packed plant that has edible seeds. Protein helps builds strong muscles! The seeds can be cooked just like rice.

These students are planting amaranth, another plant with edible seeds. You can even cook amaranth leaves!

A fresh burgundy amaranth plant in the ground.

Do you want to learn more about farming? The center is opened daily from 8-6PM, so if you happen to be in Santa Cruz, stop by for a visit!

Remember, you don't need a huge plot of land to grow your own vegetables. All you need is a few small containers, seeds, soil, water, and most important....patience!

A Soda Free Summer

As the weather gets warmer, keep your body cool with plenty of liquids.
An ice-cold tall glass of water will always do the job to keep you feeling refreshed.
But if you feel the need for something cold and sweet, don't pick up a can of soda...
because this summer is a SODA FREE SUMMER!



Are you up for the challenge?

Visit the Soda Free Summer website. There you can find healthier drinks to keep your body cool and some sugar facts that will make you rethink your drink.

Did you know that one 20 oz. bottle of Coca-Cola has 16 teaspoons of sugar in it? Try to measure that one out!

Drinking too much sugar in soda can:
- make you feel quickly energized until your body "crashes"
- cause weight gain
- ruin your teeth
- even cause diabetes!

Stay healthy by drinking:
- WATER!
- low-fat milk
- soy milk
- 100% fruit juice (juice has plenty of sugar too, so don't drink too much!)
- fresh fruit smoothies
- and more!

Keeping your body healthy isn't the only reason to stay away from soda this summer. If you commit to a soda free summer, you could win a $500 healthy grocery shopping spree! Click here to fill out the commitment and raffle form. Think about all the fruits and vegetables you could get! Good luck!

What's Cooking at the Farmer's Market

Farmer Eleazar with farm-fresh strawberries.

Farmer's markets are the best places to find the tastiest seasonal produce growing right now in California. When you shop at the farmer's market, you are not only buying the freshest and most nutritious produce around, but you are directly supporting local farmers!

Longwood, Burbank, and Park schools are lucky enough to have a certified farmer's market on campus, making it easy for students, families, and even teachers to buy fresh, organic produce.

Chef Eva and Chef Shira made the following quick and easy recipe with produce all from the farmer’s market at Longwood Elementary School! Click on the link below for the recipe.

Summer Swiss Chard Rolls

Look at these photos from the Burbank farmer's market:

Chard...as colorful as a rainbow!

We got the beet!

What can you cook with this produce?

Check out the farmer's market closest to you:

Hayward Farmer's Markets

Downtown Hayward Market
Saturdays 9AM - 1PM
Main Street, between A and B Streets

Kaiser Farmer's Market
Wednesdays 10AM - 2PM
27400 Hesperian Blvd.

Park Elementary School (beginning mid-July - August)
Tuesdays 1-4 PM
411 Larchmont Street

Longwood Elementary School (during school year)
Tuesdays 1-4 PM
850 Longwood Avenue

Burbank Elementary School (during school year)
Tuesdays 1-4 PM
353 B Street

Burbank Smoothies

To celebrate warmer weather, healthy bodies, and the end of the school year, students from Burbank made Tootie-Fruitie Smoothies in cooking class. While the smoothies were blending up, cooking teams worked together to come up with their own smoothie recipes, complete with creative smoothie names. There were many interesting, healthy ingredients, including grapes, watermelon, carrot, and cantaloupe.

If Burbank school had a smoothie shop, here's what the menu would look like:

My Fruitie Smoothie
Coodee
Strawberry Blast
Tennyson Smoothie
Fruit Passion
Blueberry Blast
Universe Smoothie
Super Fruit Splash
Groovy Smoothie
Pink Fruitie Smoothie
Tropical Smoothie
Pink Skittle
Super Super Crazy Smoothies

Do any of these smoothies sound yummy to you? Can you guess what ingredients are in each recipe?

Did your cooking team come up with one of these recipes?