Friday Focus
November 3, 2023
SCHOOL NUTRITION NEWSLETTER
message from the director
National Cinnamon Day is observed on November 1 to usher in the holiday baking season. Cinnamon is the hard working and often unsung hero in your spice rack. It is warm, sweet, a little spicy and lends itself to both sweet and savory foods. This fragrant spice comes from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree native to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), the neighboring Malabar Coast of India, and Myanmar (Burma) and is also cultivated in South America and the West Indies. What is less known about cinnamon is that it has been used for centuries for other purposes. Medieval physicians used it in medicines to treat coughing and sore throats. Ancient Egyptians used it in the embalming process. Today, some research suggests that cinnamon in small amounts may be able to lower blood sugar, boost metabolism, lower blood pressure, protect your brain, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation and fight bacteria. Infusing a pitcher of water with cinnamon sticks and fruit (lemon or apple) may help with weight loss by boosting your metabolism. More research is needed, but our ancestors just may have unlocked a secret to good health. Speaking of cinnamon, see Rachel Pitt's roasted rough chop applesauce recipe. It's really good and very easy to make!
With gratitude,
Kathy
Cinnamon in savory entrees
trivia
1. Illinois with over 600 million pounds and
2. Indiana with 160 million pounds
Q. How many seeds are in a pumpkin?
Approximately 500
Pumpkin Pie Mousse
Thanksgiving Feast 2023
From Ashley
Thank a Farmer Thursday
By Rachel Pitt, Central Cafe Manager
Thank a Farmer Thursday has been such a blessing to Central! I can’t help but feel immense gratitude to be able to teach my students about nutrition and farm to table. Last week, we celebrated apple crunch week. Well, that left me with a TON of leftover apples. I started brainstorming things I could do that were fall related. One challenge I gave myself was to make something sweet without adding sugar. That inspired the idea of making homemade roasted applesauce with cinnamon. Essentially, the idea of roasting brings out the natural sugars in fruits and vegetables. So by roasting the apples in the oven, I enhanced the sweetness they already have, without added sugar. Here is the recipe if anyone would like to enjoy!Roasted Rough Chop Applesauce with Cinnamon
Ingredients:
15# Variety of Apples, peeled and cored
2 cups water (plus more for soaking)
1 TBSP cinnamon
2 lemons, juiced
Instructions:
Wash apples. Peel, core, and rough chop apples into 1” pieces. Fill a pan halfway with water and add lemon juice. Soak apples in the lemon water for 15 minutes. Drain and place apples in a 4" stainless steamtable pan. Add 2 cups water. Cover with metal lid. Roast @ 350° for 1 hour, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer apples to clean pan and mash apples until soft, leaving some bits of apples for texture. Add cinnamon and stir. Cool and serve. Enjoy!
Weight vs. Volume
- Volume is the amount of space a substance occupies.
- Weight is the heaviness or mass of an item.
You also may have seen the terms “ounce” and “fluid ounce.” They may sound similar, but they do not mean the same thing. An ounce (oz) is a standard unit of weight, and a fluid ounce (fl oz) measures volume.
- Ounce (oz) = weight
- Fluid ounce (fl oz) = volume
Let’s look at an example to show the difference between ounces and fluid ounces.
Water is a reference point because 8 fluid ounces (volume) equals 8 ounces (weight). If adequately measured in a volume measure, 1 cup of water weighs 8 ounces on the scale.
Liquids with a higher density than water, such as honey, weigh more. So one measured cup of honey weighs more than one cup of water.
- Water: 1 cup (8 fl oz) weighs 8 oz
- Honey: 1 cup (8 fl oz) weighs 12 oz
Some liquids, like canola or vegetable oils, are less dense than water and weigh less than one measured cup of water. If you have ever mixed oil and water, you likely noticed that the oil floats on top of the water and does not mix. The reasoning for this is that oil is slightly lighter than water.
Free Employee Assistance Program
Your Perspectives EAP is here to provide confidential, no-cost support for you and your family 24/7.
Call or text 800.456.6327 to schedule an appointment with a counselor or contact us for in-the-moment support.
Use the “Live Chat” feature on your Perspectives Online Portal to instant message with a counselor 7 a.m.-9 p.m. CST Mon.-Fri. (Remember to use your unique Access Code, and your Password is perspectives
Here’s how to access your EAP:
Access Code: valpo
Resources
digital resources
OPEN POSITIONS
Non-employees can apply by completing an online application as an External Applicant here: https://www.applitrack.com/valpo/onlineapp/
FS Tech, Heavilin, 4 hours
FS Tech, BF Middle, 4.5 hours
FS Tech, Central, 4 hours
FS Tech, VHS, 4 hours
2023-24 Calendar
November 7, 2023 eLearning Day (Regular Work Day)
November 22-24, 2023 Thanksgiving Holiday (No Work)
December 21, 2023 Half Day K-12 (Regular Work Day)
December 22 - January 5, 2024 Holiday Break (No Work Days)
January 8, 2024 Classes resume (Regular Work Day)
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https://www.valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1221036&type=d&pREC_ID=1455849
About Us
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Email: kkane@valpo.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/nutrition
Location: 2727 N. Campbell St., Valparaiso, IN 46385
Phone: (219) 531-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValpoSchoolFood
Twitter: @ValpoSchoolFood