March 2016 - Coal City Unit District #1

MARCH
2016
Summer
is right
around the
corner! A
healthy
body isn't
found with
a pot of
gold at the
end of a
rainbow.
Let this
newsletter
help you
to be your
best self!
CCUD#1 Wellness Newsletter
3/7
• CasmirPulaski
Day-Noschool!
3/11
• FitFridayPotluck
3/16
• EarlyDismissal
• Grades9-12P/T
Conferences4-8pm
3/25-4/4
• SpringBreak!!!
March
Mexi-Madness!
Mexican
Cuisine to
spice up your
week night
dinners!
Crock Pot
Chicken and
Black Bean Taco
Salad
INGREDIENTS:
2 (16 oz total) skinless, boneless
chicken breasts
1 tablespoon reduced sodium taco
seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
1 cup chunky salsa
For the Salad:
6 cups chopped romaine or red leaf
1/4 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese
blend
1/2 cup zesty avocado cilantro
buttermilk dressing
DIRECTIONS:
Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with taco seasoning
and cumin. Pour the beans over the
chicken and top with salsa.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4
hours, or until the chicken
is tender and easily shreds
with 2 forks. Shred the
chicken and combine with
the beans and sauce, keep
warm until ready to eat.
Makes 3 1/2 cups.
To make the salad, place 1
1/2 cups lettuce on each
plate, top with 3/4 cup
chicken and bean mixture,
1 tbsp cheese and 2 tablespoons zesty avocado buttermilk dressing.
CROCKPOT ROPA
VIEJA WITH
CUBAN STYLE
RICE
Ingredients
For the ropa vieja
1.5-2lbs chuck roast
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 (6 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
For the Cuban rice
1 head of cauliflower, stem removed and roughly chopped
3 thick sliced of bacon, diced
1 (4 oz) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pull out your handy dandy crock pot.
Add your onions and peppers to the bottom of
the crockpot.
Plop your chuck roast on top and cut
4 deep slices into the chuck roast and
push your garlic cloves into the roast.
Now add all your spices and salt and
pepper. Then add your tomato sauce,
diced tomatoes, capers, and bay leaf to
the rest of the crockpot.
Place on low for 6-8 hours or high for
5-7 hours.
When your ropa vieja is almost done,
it’s time to cook your rice
Add your chopped cauliflower to a food
processor with the shredding attachment. And rice all the cauliflower up.
Add your diced bacon to a large
saucepan and cook down up bacon has
browned and cooked almost completely
through.
Then add your cauliflower, tomato
sauce and spices to the saucepan. Mix
thoroughly then cover.
Let cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring randomly to help incorporate all
the flavors.
Once your ropa vieja is done cooking,
use a couple fork to shred your beef in
the crockpot. Serve ropa vieja on top of
cuban cauliflower rice.
One-Pot Chicken
Fajita Pasta
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut
into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 large white onion, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups less-sodium chicken broth
1 (10-oz) can Mild Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes &
Green Chiles
7 oz pasta (use gluten-free pasta for GF)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 scallion, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 oz diced avocado (from 1 small)
DIRECTIONS:
Season chicken with 3/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin,
1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp chili powder and 1/4
tsp garlic powder. In a large deep nonstick
skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over high heat.
When the oil is very hot, add the chicken and
cook until browned, stirring about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Reduce
heat to medium, add the remaining teaspoon
of olive oil to the skillet. When the oil is hot,
add the onions, bell peppers, and remaining
1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4
tsp chili powder and 1/4 tsp garlic
powder, 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until soft, about 10
minutes. Add minced garlic, and stir
until fragrant and well combined,
about 30 seconds. Remove from heat
and transfer to the plate with the
chicken. In the same skillet, add the
broth, diced tomatoes and uncooked
pasta. Stir to combine and bring to
a boil, then cover, reduce heat to
medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes until pasta is tender and liquid
is mostly absorbed. Add the chicken
and veggies back into the skillet
and stir to combine until heated
through, about 2 minutes. Mix in the
sour cream and top with scallions
and cilantro. Serve with avocado on
top.
Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans
1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
10 oz package frozen corn kernels
2 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
4 oz can chopped green chili peppers, chopped
1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning or
homemade (see below)
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn,
tomato sauce, diced tomato, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker and
mix well. Nestle the chicken in to completely
cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on
HIGH for 4 to 6 hours. Half hour before serving,
remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to
slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro
and your favorite toppings!
Crock Pot
Chicken Taco
Chili
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
8 oz reduced fat sour cream
16 oz jar mild salsa
1/2 packet taco seasoning
2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded fine
2 large tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
2.25 oz sliced black olives
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour
cream, salsa and taco seasoning and mix well
with an electric mixer. Spread on the bottom
of a large shallow glass dish. Top with shredded
lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and black
olives. Serve with baked tortilla chips.
Skinny Taco
Dip
Picadillo Tacos
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef
½ white onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2/3 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/3 cup green olives, halved
1/3 cup raisins (optional*)
6 Must B Nutty tortillas
roughly chopped cilantro, to garnish
lime wedges, to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add ground beef to brown and
break into pieces.
Once almost cooked through, add onion,
bell pepper, oregano, cumin, bay leaf and
salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and
let cook for about 10 minutes.
Then add tomato sauce, tomato paste,
broth, vinegar, olives and raisins (if you
are using raisins), mix well then cover
and cook for 25 minutes, stirring frequently.
To soften must b nutty tortillas, place on
hot skillet or on gas range to brown on
both sides. Remove bay leaf, then add picadillo to tortillas, squeeze fresh lime juice
on top and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Salsa Verde Slow
Cooker Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, sliced
6 to 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
24 oz jar roasted salsa verde
4 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken
breasts
2 Tablespoons Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato paste (for sauce)
DIRECTIONS:
Add the sliced onion and smashed garlic to the
bottom of the slow cooker. These are going to be
the base flavor of the dish.
Place the chicken breasts on top of the onion and
garlic.
Pour the jar of roasted salsa verde over the chicken.
Add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to the slow
cooker.
Add the remaining spices: paprika, cumin, coriander, sea salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
Zhuzh around (meaning mix around!) all of the
ingredients in the slow cooker. You want to make
sure you have enough liquid, but keep in mind
that the onions (veggies, in general) and the
chicken will give off some liquid. Add about 1/3 to
1/2 of chicken broth for good measure.
Cover and turn the slow cooker on HIGH for 6
hours, but check on the chicken after 4 hours.
At 4 hours, remove the big chunks of chicken and
allow the liquid to continue to reduce down for 2
more hours.
Once chicken is cooled, shred by hand or by
using 2 forks.
For the sauce:
Take the liquid from the slow cooker, 1/2 at a
time, and add to a Vitamix (or similar blender). When blending a hot liquid, only fill your
blender halfway to avoid splattering that hot
liquid everywhere. Don’t forget to remove the
centerpiece from the blender to allow steam
to escape. Use an old kitchen towel (or two!)
to cover the open hole of the blender, while
still allowing steam to escape.
Then, pour the liquid into a cast iron dutch
oven. Simmer and reduce the liquid. This will
create more of a sauce texture.
You could easily leave it the soup texture
and add the chicken back in, some more veggies and call it a chili!
Once reduced, whisk in the tomato paste.
This will add a great flavor, but you will
want to season with more salt and pepper, to
your own taste. Continue to whisk until well
combined. Cover and allow to simmer until
desired consistency.
Carne Bistec
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs sirloin tip steak, sliced very thin
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
cumin to taste
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin or chopped
1 very large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin or chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Season steak with salt and garlic powder.
Heat a large frying pan until VERY HOT. Add 2 tsp of oil then half of the steak and cook
less than a minute on each side. Set steak aside, add another teaspoon of oil and cook
remaining steak. Set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, add another teaspoon of oil and add the onions. Cook 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and cumin and reduce heat to
medium-low. Add about 1/4 cup of water and simmer a few minutes to create a sauce,
add more water if needed and taste adjust seasoning as needed. Return the steak to the
pan along with the drippings, combine well and remove from heat.
Serve over rice or for a low carb option with a sunny-side up egg on top.
Ingredients
6 poblano peppers, seeded
1 lb ground beef
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (6 oz) can diced green chiles
2 tablespoons Cholula (or other hot sauce)
½ tablespoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
Fat of choice, for cooking
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Heat up a large skillet with some fat over medium-high heat.
Add your garlic until the smell becomes fragrant, then add your diced onions. Let the onions cook down until they become translucent.
Add your ground beef to cook down.
Once your ground beef is turning brown, add
the rest of your ingredients, minus the poblano
peppers.
While the flavors meld, cut the tops off of the
poblanos and rinse the inside and out to get rid
of the extra seeds. Cut a slit down the side of
them and stuff them with the cook meat.
Place them on a covered baking sheet (cover
with foil) and bake for 20-25 minutes of until
the poblanos begin to blister and soften.
Then eat them. Let it sit for a minute.
Paleo Spicy
Mexican Stuffed
Poblanos
Foodie Favorites
WHAT IS
MATCHA?
It’s a special form
of green tea!
Matcha literally means “powdered tea.” When you order traditional green tea, components from the leaves get infused into the hot water,
then the leaves are discarded. With matcha, you’re drinking the actual leaves, which have been finely powdered and made into a solution,
traditionally by mixing about a teaspoon of matcha powder with a third cup of hot water (heated to less than a boil), which is then whisked
with a bamboo brush until it froths.
Unlike traditional green tea, matcha preparation involves covering the tea plants with shade cloths before they’re harvested. This triggers
the growth of leaves with better flavor and texture, which are hand selected, steamed briefly to stop fermentation, then dried and aged in
cold storage, which deepens the flavor. The dried leaves are then stone-ground into a fine powder.
It offers health benefits
Because matcha is made from high-quality tea, and the whole leaves are ingested, it’s a more potent source of nutrients than steeped green
tea. In addition to providing small amounts of vitamins and minerals, matcha is rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been
tied to protection against heart disease and cancer, as well as better blood sugar regulation, blood pressure reduction, and anti-aging.
Another polyphenol in matcha called EGCG has been shown in research to boost metabolism, and slow or halt the growth of cancer cells.
It contains caffeine
Because you’re consuming whole leaves in matcha, you may get three times as much caffeine than a cup of steeped tea, about the amount
in a cup of brewed coffee. Matcha aficionados say that compared to the caffeine buzz from coffee, matcha creates an “alert calm” due to a
natural substance it contains called l-theanine, which induces relaxation without drowsiness.
MATCHA
MAGIC
It’s easy to remember the ingredients: MATH (Matcha, Apple Cider Vinegar, Turmeric, Honey). Matcha gives a
boost in the morning but not too much. Apple cider vinegar has been known for it’s immune boosting properties
and promotes alkalinity and pH balance of the body. Also, it’s acidity helps with gallbladder pain. Turmeric contains curcumin which is a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. And lastly the local
honey has antiseptic properties and is helpful for allergies.
INGREDIENTS:
½ teaspoon matcha
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon local honey
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix all ingredients in a coffee cup.
Add boiling water and mix well.
Sometimes it settles on the bottom so you may need to mix again while you are drinking it.
MINTY
BUTTERED
MATCHA
It has the health benefits of matcha, coconut oil, peppermint and grass fed butter. It’s a little like a bulletproof coffee but with
Matcha and mint.
INGREDIENTS
½ t - 1 t Matcha powder
8 oz water
1 drop pure peppermint essential oil (or ½ t peppermint extract)
1 teaspoon grassfed butter
1 teaspoon coconut oil
sweetner to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil your water
Add all ingredients to your blender.
Blend on high for a few seconds until it’s foamy.
Pour and enjoy!
LEMONGRASS
GINGER
COCONUT
MATCHA
INGREDIENTS
8-10 oz boiling water
1 drop of PURE lemongrass essential oil*
2 teaspoons of coconut oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
½ -1 teaspoon of matcha tea
sweetener to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Put everything in a high speed blend and whiz on high for a minute.
Pour and drink in the aromatics in this drink and reap the health benefits!
Note: If you don’t have any PURE lemongrass essential oil you could always steep a piece of lemongrass in the water and use
that instead. Make sure to take the lemongrass out of the water after you’ve steeped it.
* Please note that your essential oil must be pure and food grade to be ingested. Please check with the manufacturer if you
are unsure or just substitute fresh lemongrass.
HOT
CINNAMON
BUTTERED
MATCHA
INGREDIENTS
8 oz boiling water
½ teaspoon matcha tea
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice
INSTRUCTIONS
Add all ingredients to your high speed blender and blend on high.
Pour and drink.
Enjoy!
MOCHA
MACA
MATCHA
This is the perfect energizing drink to start your morning; especially when a smoothie just doesn’t seem
appealing.
INGREDIENTS
½ teaspoon matcha powder
½ teaspoon maca powder
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 cup water or almond milk or a combination of the two
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon turmeric
sprinkle of cinnamon and cayenne to taste
sweetner to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil your water.
In a blender add your boiling water and all the ingredients.
Blend on high until frothy.
Pour and enjoy!
John’s Favorite
Motivational Quotes
Just some quotes to
help you pick
yourself up when
you feel like
crawling into a
dark cave and
never coming out :)
March 2016
Food and Fitness for a Healthy Child
Coal City Community Unit School District
Food Service Department
Fitness forecast
This time of year, the
weather can change from
day to day—cold
to warm, snowy
to clear. Have
your child look at
the weather forecast to see which days will be best for
playing outside this week. Then, she
could mark the calendar with ideas.
(“Monday: Go to the playground.”
“Tuesday: Have a long-jump contest
in the basement.”)
Healthy eating is linked
to success in school. In
fact, students who eat nutritiously
have better attendance, fewer visits
to the school nurse, and higher test
scores. To help your youngster eat a
healthier diet, stock your refrigerator
and pantry with nutritious foods, and
try not to buy junk food.
Use open gyms
Open gym times offer a great opportunity for your child to shoot hoops,
play volleyball, or run around with
his friends and family. Check to see
if your youngster’s school gym, or a
nearby middle or high school gym,
is open to families after school hours.
Or look into open gym hours at your
local community center. Note: Parental supervision may be required.
Just for fun
Q: What does a
snail say when
it’s riding on a
turtle’s back?
A: “Whee!”
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Let’s play nutrition!
March is National Nutrition
Month. Celebrate by building nutrition knowledge
with these fun activities.
When your child knows
more about healthy foods,
he’ll be more likely to
choose them for meals
and snacks.
Name a food
Quick, think of a healthy
food! In this fast-paced
game, take turns coming up
with a nutritious food — in
ABC order — for breakfast, lunch,
or dinner. The first player holds a ball
and says, “I love ______ (artichokes) for
breakfast.” He tosses the ball to the next
person, who says, “I love ______ (broccoli) for lunch.” Keep going, and see
how many you can name. Then, choose
a few of the foods to eat this week.
Design posters
Showcase good nutrition with homemade posters. First, brainstorm healthy
eating tips, and come up with fun slogans to use. You could suggest “Start
your engines with breakfast!” and your
youngster might say, “Milk is the best!”
Picturing portions
Overeating often comes down to
portion sizes: They’re just too big.
Share this handy list to help your
youngster eyeball healthy portion sizes:
• 1 serving of meat or chicken = palm
of your hand
• 1 serving of fish = checkbook
• 1 hamburger (no bun) or meatloaf
slice = deck of cards
• 1 oz. cheese = your thumb
• –21 cup cooked rice = cupcake wrapper
Decorate your posters, and display them
for everyday reminders of ways to stay
healthy.
Know the group
Focus on food groups with this twist
on bingo. Each player makes a 5 x 5 bingo
card with these headings: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein, and Dairy. Next, he
writes a matching food in each column
and also writes the words on separate slips
of paper. Give all the slips to a “caller,”
who mixes them up and reads them out,
one by one (toss out any duplicates). If he
calls an item on your board, mark it. The
first one with five across, down, or diagonally yells “Bingo” to win.
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter = Ping-Pong ball
• –41 cup nuts = golf ball
• 1 serving of cooked pasta = –21 baseball
• 1 baked potato = computer mouse
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Healthy Ideas for Middle and High School Students
March 2016
Coal City Community Unit School District
Food Service Department
FAST
TAKES
Try interval training
Interval training—or
switching between different paces while
exercising—is a great way to build
endurance. Have your child try this
routine: To warm up, run at an easy
pace for 10 minutes. Then, sprint for
30 seconds, return to baseline for 30
seconds, and repeat 9 times. Cool
down with another 10 minutes of easy
running. This approach works well for
walking and swimming, too.
Did You
?
Our
bodies
need about 20 minutes to realize that
we’re full. Encourage
your tween to eat slowly so her brain
has time to catch up with her stomach. Enjoying pleasant conversations
between bites is a nice way to pace
meals so she can better recognize
when she’s full.
Know
Nutrition at your fingertips
It’s simple for your teen to check
nutrition information on a smartphone. Apps like Fooducate let him
scan the food product code or look it
up by name right at the store. Details
pop up on everything from the calorie
count to trending recipes. Tip: Find
other nutrition apps by searching
“healthy eating apps.”
Just for fun
Q: Why couldn’t the athlete listen to
his music?
A: Because he
broke the
record.
© 2016 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
More cooks in the kitchen
There are so many benefits to
cooking with your child. Perhaps the greatest one is that it
gives you a chance to teach
him healthy habits he can
use his whole life. Consider
these ideas.
Find favorites
A good place to begin is
with familiar meals. Ask
your teen or tween to list
five favorite meals, and then
make one together each week.
As he gets more comfortable in the
kitchen, he could take on more responsibility. For instance, have him fix dinner for his siblings on nights you work
a late shift.
Be creative
To keep things interesting, suggest that
your teen choose a theme when he cooks.
He might select an ingredient, such as garlic or lemons, to include in each dish. Or
maybe he’ll center his meal on a country
like Italy or Japan. Also, you could encourage him to put his own spin on recipes,
perhaps making pasta into a pie or tucking
roasted vegetables into sandwiches.
Use shortcuts
Show your teenager how cooking can
fit into his busy schedule. He might use
frozen onion pieces or cut-up vegetables
from the grocery store salad bar to save
chopping time. Or he could start with a
rotisserie chicken rather than raw meat.
Tip: Let your child invite friends to help
with prep and stay for dinner.
Idea: Look for a cooking class you can
take together through your local recreation
center or at a cooking school.
Lights, camera, action!
Here’s another idea to get your tween or
teen excited about homemade meals — film
her own cooking show! Try these steps.
1. Ask your child to choose a recipe.
2. Have her measure all the ingredients into
separate small containers before you start to
film. Tip: You can explain this is something professional chefs do — it’s called mise en place (French for “put in place”).
3. As you film, your teen should describe the cooking techniques. (“Now I’ll brush
the marinade onto the fish fillets.”) Encourage her to point out healthy cooking
tips, such as cutting down on oil or adding extra vegetables.
4. Watch the show together, invite friends for a viewing, or send a copy to Grandma!
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.