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!

The Return of Blackstrap Molasses

When sugar cane is processed into table sugar, a thick byproduct remains after the third boiling as the sugar crystallizes.  The concentrated syrup containing the nutrient remnants of the sugar cane juice is blackstrap molasses.

While it is still a sweetener, blackstrap molasses contains slightly fewer carbohydrates than sugar, honey, or maple syrup and is touted for its higher vitamin and mineral.  The following table shows the nutrient content comparison of one teaspoon of each sweetener.

Nutrient Comparison of 1 Teaspoon of Various Sweeteners
	Blackstrap Molasses	Sugar	Honey	Maple Syrup
Energy (calories)	14	16	21.33	17.33
Carbohydrates (g)	3.7	4.2	5.77	4.47
Sugar (g)	3.7	4.19	5.75	4.03
Calcium (mg)	66.7	0	0.33	6.67
Iron (mg)	4.06	0	0.03	0.007
Potassium (mg)	200	0	3.67	14
Sodium (mg)	3.33	0	0.33	0.67
Other Nutrients	manganese, copper, vitamin B6, selenium		phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin	manganese, zinc, riboflavin, niacin
kcal = calorie, g = gram, mg = milligram

Added Sugar Fast Facts

·       Added sugar is any sugar added to a food or beverage.

·       Average Americans consume 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day.

·       One teaspoon is equal to four grams of sugar.

·       Amounts recommended by American Heart Association:

o   No more than 6 teaspoons per day for most women

o   No more than 9 teaspoons per day for most men

·       Common names of added sugars on food labels:

o   Agave nectar, brown sugar, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, crystalline fructose, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, maltose, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, syrup

Historical Facts

·       Blackstrap molasses was cheaper, and therefore more popular than sugar before the turn of the 19th Century. 

·       In 1919, a molasses tsunami coined the Great Molasses Flood tore through part of Boston, Massachusetts at 35 miles per hour causing devastation in the area.

·       Blackstrap molasses has been regaining popularity since the mid-1900s as people continue to make healthier food choices.

Tips for Use

·       Blackstrap molasses has a distinct flavor (think gingerbread cookies) due to the mineral content compared to other sweeteners.

·       Recipe substitutions:

o   1 cup of blackstrap molasses for every ¾ cup of brown sugar (i.e. in baked beans)

o   cup for cup in place of other liquid sweeteners (i.e. honey, maple syrup)

Information Collected from the following sources:

Johnson RK, Appel LJ, Brands M, et al. Dietary sugars intake and cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2009;120:1011-20.

Can you tell me more about blackstrap molasses? The World’s Healthiest Foods. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=350. Accessed November 4, 2017.

USDA Food Composition Databases. United States Department of Agriculture. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list. Accessed November 4, 2017.

Whole Grain Apple Cranberry Stuffing

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, hot
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped
6 cups day-old whole grain baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 large eggs, scrambled
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dried sage leaf, chopped



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 11-inch oval baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the broth and cranberries in a small bowl and let soak for 30 minutes. Saute the celery and onions in the butter in a large skillet until tender, 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.
Place the baguette cubes into a largebowl. Pour the broth and cranberries over. Pour in the eggs, and then add the salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, cinnamon and sage and mix together.
Mix in the onion and celery mixture. Spoon the stuffing into the prepared dish and bake until the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes.

POWER HOUSE PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE - 130 calories

POWER HOUSE PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE –130 calories

·       1/2  cup Unsweetened Pumpkin Puree   =40 calories

·       1/2 of a container of nonfat Greek Yogurt or Icelandic Skyr = 60-70 calories

·       1/3 cup of Silk Pure Unsweetened Almond Milk (or nonfat milk – 45 calories)  =10 calories

·       1 splash of Maple Syrup  =10 calories (optional, but yummy)

·       ¼ tsp of coconut or vanilla extract = ZERO calories

·       One dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice  =ZERO calories

·       1/4 cup of ice  =ZERO calories

·       A light dusting of Graham Cracker Crumbs for topping  =trace calories (also optional)

·       Add a veggie of choice= Minimal calories (10 per ½ cup)

TOTAL =130-140 CALORIES of Pumpkin Pie Yumminess!

CHILDHOOD OBESITY RATES STABILIZING

Since 1980, rates of obesity have doubled in 2- to 5-year-olds, quadrupled in 6- to 11-year-olds, and tripled in 12- to 19-year-olds. Recent reports show encouraging signs that obesity rates are stabilizing, and even declining in certain populations in the United States. Some probable causes of obesity include culture, societal norms, community assets, and practices at home influence a child’s opportunity to make healthy choices and, in the end, influence weight status. One-third of children in the United States eat fast food. One study indicated that children of certain ethnicities have less opportunities for safe play and have more exposure to media advertisements regarding unhealthy food choices. Other nutrition factors include:

• ·       Meals away from home 
• ·       Large portions sizes
• ·       Increased screen time
• ·       Advertising
• ·       Sugar sweetened beverages
• ·       Availability and convenience of refined foods
• ·       Decreased physical activity at home and at school
• ·       Safety issues in their environment for physical activity

• References: National Institute of Health, Tufts Universtity