Festive Green and Red Healthy Cucumber Hummus Bites

Cucumber Hummus Bites make the perfect finger food and appetizer for your next party or get together. Crisp cucumbers slices are topped with roasted red pepper hummus, tomatoes, feta cheese and fresh parsley.

15 minutes Prep Time

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds {32 slices}
• 1 10 oz. tub of Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• 16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 oz crumbled feta cheese or reduced fat feta
• Freshly chopped parsley
• Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Toast sesame seeds in a skillet until slightly golden brown.
2. Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and lay them out on serving platters. Using a small teaspoon spoon a small amount of the roasted red pepper hummus onto each cucumber slice.
3. Top with the cherry tomato half, sesame seeds, crumbled feta cheese and the freshly chopped parsley.
4. Serve chilled or store in an airtight container before serving.

Notes

These are great with a variety of vegetables. Try adding matchstick carrots or thinly sliced red onion.

There are a variety of hummus options that would be great with this appetizer.

Feel free to leave the feta cheese off if you do not like it.

Nutrition Info: 11 calories, 0 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 35 mg sodium, 0.4 g protein, 1.3 gm sugar, 1.87 gm carbohydrate, 0.4 g fiber

Jewett Street and Highland Goffe's Falls Elementary Schools Win 2018 Get Moving Manchester Trophies

Congratulations to first place winner, Jewett Street School and second place winner, Highland Goffe's Falls Elementary School! They have been awarded the 2018 Get Moving Manchester trophy for the highest school participation for all four weeks of the program.

Get Moving Manchester is a four week nutrition and physical activity program that encourages healthy lifestyle habits based on the 5-2-1-0 concept of eating 5 fruits and vegetables daily, limiting screen time to 2 hours or less. exercising for 1 hour a day, and drinking 0 sugar based beverages. The program focuses on Manchester students in grades 3-6. Students track their habits daily for the four weeks of the program. Hayley Lane and Sherry Tellier, health teachers and all the classroom teachers did an excellent job of promoting the program at Jewett Street and Highland Goffe's Falls schools.

The trophies were presented by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Vargas and Mayor Craig. Great work Jewett and Highland!

HYDRATION and ATHLETES

What is the most important thing an athlete can drink?

WATER! Plain water is the best way to replace all the water you lose during all sports and during all seasons. Cold water gets into the bloodstream and will cool you down faster. Why do you get cramps when playing sports? The most common cause of cramps is dehydration and not cold water.

What is dehydration?

When your body doesn’t have enough fluid to work properly, dehydration occurs. It is important for everyone to drink fluids or stay hydrated. Kids use more energy than adults during physical activity because they produce twice as much heat. If you do not replace the fluids, you will overheat. Many athletes are sent to the hospital for dehydration. Dehydration can affect your performance too!

How do you know if you are dehydrated?

If you are dehydrated, you may have signs such as dry mouth, headache, confusion, dizziness, weakness, faintness, and nausea.

How much fluid or water do you need?

You can’t wait until you are thirsty to drink fluids. You should be drinking fluids or water before, during, and after sports.

Before Exercise: drink 2 cups of cold water 1 to 2 hours before activity
During Exercise: drink ½ cup of cold water every 15 minutes
After Exercise: drink 2 cups of cold water for every pound of weight loss

What about sports drinks?
Sports drinks contain water, sugar, salt and sometimes unnecessary vitamins. They may be helpful for sports that last one continuous hour or more or during extreme heat. Avoid drinks with caffeine, sugar or carbonation. These drinks lead to cavities and cause unnecessary weight gain. These drinks should contain no more than 15 to 18 grams of carbohydrates per cup. Fruit juice may only be used as a fluid replacement if it is diluted at least twofold: 1 cup water for every 1 cup of juice. Carbonated beverages, high-sugar drinks and undiluted fruit juice are too high in carbohydrates and may cause stomach cramps, nausea and diarrhea
Other acceptable fluid choices are nonfat milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut water, 100% juice, and smoothies, but water is still the best choice of fluid.

HEALTHY BEVERAGE OPTIONS - Week 3, Get Moving Manchester

Students and teachers in grades 3-5 are starting week 3 of Get Moving Manchester this week. Students will be tracking 0 sugar based beverages. Beverages should be mostly water and milk. Milk includes low fat, nonfat, nonfat flavored or nonfat lactose free milk. Seltzer with a splash of 100% juice or fruit infused waters also make good choices. See below for fun and healthy beverage options.


Strawberry Limealicious
Add 3 strawberries that are thinly sliced, 4 thin slices of lime and 3 mint leaves to plain or sparkling water. Gently shake or stir and then add in ice to taste.

Orange Glow
Add 4 cut in half slices of oranges, 3 thinly sliced (or diced) peeled fresh ginger and 2 twigs of thyme to plain or sparkling water. Gently shake or stir and then add in ice to taste.

Berry
Add 6 thin slices of cucumber, 1/4 cup of blackberries and 1/4 lemon juiced to plain or sparkling water. Gently shake or stir and then add in ice to taste.

Get Moving Manchester is an optional 4-week nutrition and physical activity journal program for Manchester students in grades 3-5, potentially impacting over 3000 students.The elementary school with the highest and second highest percentage of student participation will receive Get Moving Manchester trophies presented by the mayor and superintendent of schools. Incentives and raffles include Palace Theatre tickets, Fisher Cats tickets, gift cards to Dick's Sporting Goods and more. At the end of the 4 weeks, students will be entered into a raffle to win a bike donated by Bike Barn. Get Moving, Manchester schools and fill out those logs to be eligible for some great raffles and incentives! Most importantly, be a winner of health!

Special thanks to Get Moving Manchester program sponsors: Catholic Medical Center, Manchester Dartmouth Hitchcock, Fisher Cats, Palace Theatre, Anagnost Companies, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Bike Barn and Indian Head Athletics.




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Pasta Shakers - New Menu Item

A new menu item is now being featured on the elementary school menu.....Pasta Shakers! Check out the menu and look for this item that layers healthy garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, sliced cukes and whole grain pasta seasoned with Italian dressing. Pasta shakers make healthy FUN for kids!