Healthy Schools Campaign

Friday Recipe: Berry Salsa and Cinnamon Dusted Chips

by Lana Buseman

Sometimes there is nothing more refreshing than a big bowl of ripe, juicy fruit. My favorite fruits happen to be of the berry variety. I love that they are so bright and colorful and full of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. In fact, berries are ranked at the top of the list when it comes to getting the most antioxidant bang for your buck.

Today’s recipe is a berry salsa with homemade cinnamon dusted chips for dipping. It makes a perfect after-school snack (or holiday treat for the long weekend!) that is packed with nutrition and low in calories and fat but still sweet and fun to eat!

Berry Salsa

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced into quarters
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3-4 mint leaves, julienned 

Mix berries, cinnamon, nutmeg and yogurt in a bowl. Top with julienned mint to serve. 

 

Cinnamon Dusted Chips 

• 1 package of whole wheat pitas, cut into triangles
• Cinnamon for dusting

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Slice pitas into pie-like triangles. Sprinkle the pita triangles with cinnamon on both sides and toast in the oven until crispy, about 5-7 minutes.

Enjoy!

Congratulations to the Student Chefs of Santa Ana, California!

Cooking up Change national champs (L-R) Alex, Ashley and Ivan from Santa Ana, Calif.

Congratulations to high school culinary students Alex, Ashley and Ivan of Santa Ana, Calif., who are taking home the Cooking up Change trophy for their healthy school lunch of lemon and spinach chicken with Tuscan bean salad and cinnamon poached pears. The team won top honors after facing off against talented high school culinary students from Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, St. Louis and Winston-Salem.

“We want to change the way our country serves food in schools,” said Santa Ana student chef Alex. “We want to make a change and that’s why we made this delicious lunch.”

Cooking up Change is a cooking competition that challenges teams of high school students to create a healthy, great-tasting school meal that meets high nutrition standards, draws from ingredients commonly available to food service, and can be easily prepared in a school kitchen. It spotlights the remarkable talents of culinary students across the country competing to create a healthy school lunch with affordable ingredients, comparable challenges faced by school food service directors.

(L-R) Rochelle Davis, HSC President and CEO; Rob Rogers, Chair, HSC Board of Directors; Santa Ana chef instructor Monica Stewart-Aguilar and student chefs Alex and Ashley; Margie Saidel RD, Vice President of Nutrition and Sustainability for Chartwells School Dining Services, Platinum Sponsor; Santa Ana student chef Ivan and team chaperone Larry Mireles; Kelly Dettmann, Vice Chair, HSC Board of Directors; and Ernie Sanders, Secretary, HSC Board of Directors

“We are extremely proud of the students who competed in Cooking up Change and are lending their voices to the national discussion on school food,” said Rochelle Davis, president and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign. “These students are speaking up to make healthy and appealing meals like the ones they have created the norm in our nation’s schools.”

The contest brings student voices to the national dialogue about school food.

Yesterday, one dish from each team's meal was served at a briefing for Congress on the future of school food. The dishes are also being served for lunch in the Longworth cafeteria, which serves Congressional leaders and their staff. The students spoke at the briefing to share their experience in Cooking up Change and their perspective on the importance of healthy school food.

The competition took place on Monday, May 21 at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. The winner was announced at an award reception where guests sampled each team’s award-winning meal.

Chicago student chefs Shaenice, Kaliah, and Jerome won honorable mention for outstanding presentation with their oven-fried chicken, sweet potato salad and collard greens and cabbage.

Karen Duncan, wife of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Christie Vilsack, wife of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, served as Cooking up Change Honorary National co-chairs. Karen Duncan also served as a judge for the contest and spoke at the briefing.

"I completely admire that these students have found such passion, creativity and vision for making good food,” said  Karen Duncan. “I am happy to be working with these students in Cooking up Change to help make their vision for school food a reality in their schools and in schools across the nation.”

Kudos to Santa Ana and to all the culinary students! Special thanks to the chefs and school food leaders on the judging panel who gave their time and talent to the challenging task of determining the winner among the outstanding entries.

Student chefs Alex, Ashley and Ivan before speaking at a briefing for Congress on the future of school food

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Many thanks to the generous sponsors for Cooking up Change! The Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest is generously sponsored by Platinum Sponsor Chartwells School Dining Services; Silver Sponsors American Federation of Teachers, and T-Fal; Official Travel Partner Southwest Airlines; and Official Culinary Partner James Beard Foundation. The contest is hosted by the United States Department of Education. Special thanks to Hooray Purée, whose contribution supports the students’ stay in Washington, DC for the contest.

Today, We're Cooking up Change!

Ready, set, whisk!

Today, high school culinary students from Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, Santa Ana, St. Louis and Winston-Salem are facing off in the Cooking up Change national finals.

These students have crafted healthy, great-tasting school meals that meet strong nutrition standards on a tight budget. They've won local qualifying competitions in their home towns and have been practicing the presentation they'll deliver for the panel of judges at the national finals.

“These student chefs are sending a clear message about what they want on their trays – healthy school food to nourish their bodies and minds," said Rochelle Davis, HSC President and CEO.

Student chef Maria H. put it this way: “We all need energy to concentrate at school, do well at school. Education is the number one thing, and you need a nutritious meal to be able to focus.”

All the teams are bringing impressive recipes that have won thumbs-up from their peers as well as from local judges.

One dish from each team's meal will be served tomorrow at a briefing for Congress on the future of school food and for lunch in the Longworth cafeteria, which serves Congressional leaders and their staff. The students will speak at the briefing to share their experience in Cooking up Change and their perspective on the importance of healthy school food.

You can support the students' efforts by sending a letter urging your senator and representatives and their staff to attend the briefing and try the students' lunch! Send an invitation here.

Which team will take home the trophy? Check back for updates on the winning team! You can also follow the competition live with HSC on Twitter or by checking out #CookingupChange.

Good luck to all the student chefs!

Many thanks to the generous sponsors for Cooking up Change! The Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest is generously sponsored by Platinum Sponsor Chartwells School Dining Services; Silver Sponsors American Federation of Teachers, and T-Fal; Official Travel Partner Southwest Airlines; and Official Culinary Partner James Beard Foundation. The contest is hosted by the United States Department of Education. Special thanks to Hooray Purée, whose contribution supports the students’ stay in Washington, DC for the contest.

Culinary Students Showcase What's Hot in School Food

On Monday, six teams of high school student chefs from across the country will come together in the nation’s capital to help transform the future of school food. These young culinary talents have been challenged to create a healthy, great-tasting school meal using the same ingredients commonly used in school kitchens. 

These students are great advocates for healthy, appealing school food. In crafting their lunches, many teams got feedback from their peers and incorporated the changes they want to see in the school cafeteria. Each team shared their inspiration and motivation in preparing a meal that their friends and classmates would love. What trends to they want to see in school food?

Denver’s cheesy chicken pasta baked with vegetable ragu, spinach and carrot muffin with carrot sticks, and a fruit and yogurt parfait

Students recognized the convenience of mobility at lunch time. Competitors in the Cooking up Change Chicago qualifying contest observed that they like school food you can eat with your hands. “Not using utensils when we eat [makes] it a lot easier, a lot faster. It’s more efficient,” one student said. This year, the Winston-Salem finalists created a healthful “el taco loco” wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla while Jacksonville created a chicken wrap.

Many of the teams created a school meal that catered to their peers’ tastes. Each team incorporated chicken into their meal, pointing out that students like the flavor and recognize it as a healthy option at lunchtime.

St. Louis’ lemon pepper chicken and brown rice with caesar salad and berry parfait

This year, Cooking up Change traveled to the West Coast. The Santa Ana trio created an appealing lunch (pictured below) that represents their vision for the future of school food. Alejandro "Alex" Hernández told the Orange County Register, “I know in my heart that I cooked a meal that will make a change.”

Santa Ana’s lemon and spinach chicken with Tuscan bean salad and cinnamon poached pears

Rose, one half of the St. Louis team, said she and her teammate wanted show their classmates different methods of cooking and preparation that they know their peers will enjoy once they give it a try. “We just wanted to create something that was healthier and elegant to open up our peers’ eyes,” she said. She added that creating this meal offered “a way to open up their eyes to see that there are different forms of cooking other than frying or deep frying.”

Winston-Salem’s chicken and vegetable taco in a whole wheat tortilla with black beans and veggies and a home-style tortilla apple pie

Cultural influences played a key role in students’ lunches. From Southern Creole to Italian to Latin American to West African cuisines, Cooking up Change student chefs wanted to share influences from around the world with their peers, pointing to a desire for variety in the lunchroom.

Jacksonville’s chicken imoyo wrap, jollof rice, and West African succotash

The Jacksonville team wanted their tray to send a message. The team wowed judges in the qualifying contest with a West African-inspired chicken imoyo wrap, Jollof rice, and West African succotash. Phillip said, “we went where no one else had gone.” Hannah explained that “we used simple ingredients that we take for granted every day here in the U.S.," adding that the team "wanted to raise awareness" of hunger issues.

The Chicago team will serve oven-fried chicken raised without the use of antibiotics. The team recently spoke about their meal at a briefing for Congress and shared the lessons they learned from visiting an Amish poultry farm where the chicken is raised. 

Chicago’s oven-fried chicken, "Cousins" collard greens & cabbage, and sweet potato salad

We can’t wait for the students to come together in Washington, DC! 

You can help these amazing young people send a resounding message to Congress: students deserve a healthy school lunch. The day after the competition, one dish from each team's meal will be served tomorrow at a briefing for Congress on the future of school food and for lunch in the Longworth cafeteria, which serves Congressional leaders and their staff. The students will speak at the briefing to share their experience in Cooking up Change and their perspective on the importance of healthy school food. Invite your legislators to meet these inspiring students and try the healthy lunches they’ve designed by sending a letter here.

"Cooking from Our Hearts:" Culinary Students Prepare for Cooking up Change National Finals

In just a few days, teams of high school culinary students will bring their passion for cooking and their vision for healthy school food to Washington, D.C. for the Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest national finals. All of these students have won a qualifying competition in their home city with a stellar healthy school lunch they created on a tight budget and with limited ingredients. 

We're always honored to meet students with such creativity, talent and passion for creating healthy school food. Today, we're happy to share some of the students' own words on what they have learned so far from Cooking up Change and how they are looking ahead to the finals:

“We’ll keep cooking from our hearts and believing we can make it anywhere.”
     Sheanice, student chef, Chicago

“The competition changed my view of healthy foods because it has opened my eyes to explore new things.”
     Alismet, student chef, Denver

“I wanted the chance to be heard, to show people what we are capable of.”
     Ashley, student chef, Jacksonville

“It’s a blessing to know that my vocation for cooking will make a change in my community.”
     Alex, student chef, Santa Ana

“The healthier you are, the better. It’s important to stay healthy.”
     Courtney, student chef, St. Louis

“We all need energy, to be fit and to concentrate at school. Education is the number one thing—you need a nutritious meal to be able to focus.”
     Maria, student chef, Winston-Salem

Kudos to all the student chefs!

Plus: Check out video and hear personal stories from Cooking up Change alums here! 

Many thanks to the generous sponsors for Cooking up Change! The Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest is generously sponsored by Platinum Sponsor Chartwells School Dining Services; Silver Sponsors American Federation of Teachers, and T-Fal; Official Travel Partner Southwest Airlines; and Official Culinary Partner James Beard Foundation. The contest is hosted by the United States Department of Education. Special thanks to Hooray Purée, whose contribution supports the students’ stay in Washington, DC for the contest.

Cooking up Change Judge Spotlight: Chef Nora Pouillon

In the Cooking up Change national healthy cooking contest, a remarkable panel of judges steps up to the tough task of selecting a winner after sampling healthy school meals created by six teams of talented culinary students. This year’s prestigious panel of judges includes chefs, advocates and national leaders in the movement for healthy school food. Today, we’re happy to spotlight contest judge Chef Nora Pouillon!

Chef Nora Pouillon, a pioneer and champion of organic, environmentally conscious cuisine opened Restaurant Nora in 1979. Two decades later, the restaurant became the first certified organic restaurant in the country. The restaurant has hosted several presidents of the United States.

The Austrian chef also initiated D.C.’s first producer-only farmer’s market, called FRESHFARM Markets, which now includes eleven markets in the metropolitan area. Nora is the author of Cooking with Nora, a seasonal cookbook that was a finalist for the Julia Child Cookbook Award, and is currently working on her memoirs.

What motivated you to participate in Cooking up Change?
I was asked by the James Beard Foundation, and I thought it fit in the philosophies of my restaurant, to encourage people. Food is so important, it's what you put in your body. It’s so important for well-being. Being a judge and encouraging these young people to go the right direction is important to me.

What was your favorite school lunch growing up? What is your favorite lunch now?
Growing up in Vienna, Austria, I guess I was privileged because I went to a school where we were served three-course meals. For me, school lunch was an educational moment. It's not just about healthy food, but also about how different cultures eat in a different way. We learned how to use a fork, knife, and spoon, how to have conversations over food. School lunch is an enormous educational moment that in this country is often completely overlooked.

Now, my favorite lunch is a big cup of salad and everything I can throw in from my refrigerator. Brown rice, beets, asparagus, chicken, whatever is left over! A soup with a little body is great too.

How does it feel to lend your expertise to these aspiring chefs?
I encourage them to learn about your ingredients, learn where they are from and how they are grown. I encourage the kids to work on a farm -- everyone should know where their food comes from. If you cook and nourish yourself, it helps to learn about the ingredients. Putting them together in a delicious meal will be much easier.

What words of encouragement do you have for the student chefs?
Health is the most important thing people have in their lives. We should try to preserve it, feed it and give it the right things to stay healthy. When you believe in something, you should just go ahead and do it. People will catch up with you.

I hope that my restaurant is an inspiration in that I’ve been doing this for so long. . . .I think they have to understand that it's a big commitment. Many people have the wrong impression from all of the TV shows. So many shows make chefs these glamour stars -- it gives the impression that it's all they do. [Being a chef] is hard work. You have to work very hard before you come to the point where you can step out of the kitchen as sort of a manager and teacher.

Many thanks to Chef Nora Pouillon for sharing encouraging words with the student chefs and for lending her time and talent to the judging panel at Cooking up Change!

The Cooking up Change national finals will take place on May 21 in Washington D.C. For more information and profiles of the teams, be sure to check out CookingupChange.org. 

Welcoming the James Beard Foundation as Official Culinary Partner for Cooking up Change!

We are thrilled to announce that the James Beard Foundation (JBF) has signed on as the official culinary partner for HSC’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest! Through this participation, JBF will bring their tremendously valuable culinary perspective to Cooking up Change and build support in the culinary community for healthy, sustainable school food. Kris Moon, Director of Charitable Giving and Strategic Partnerships for JBF, explained:

As America’s fascination with food grows, the issues that surround access to healthy food have taken on tremendous national importance. Recognizing our unique role in celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America’s diverse culinary heritage and future, the James Beard Foundation has increased our commitment to education. At our annual food conference, we convene thought leaders from around the country to work towards a common goal of creating a more sustainable food system, and through our partnerships with the Kids Food Festival and the Children's Museum of Manhattan we help connect passionate chefs with children, who learn about making balanced food choices through fun and delicious activities. As the official culinary partner for the Cooking Up Change competition finals, we are excited to help build support for healthier food in schools across America.

Kris will join Chef Nora Pouillon and Chef Richard Brandenburg on the judging panel for the Cooking up Change national finals on May 21. Many thanks and a warm welcome to the James Beard Foundation!

Plus: Check out the Cooking up Change spotlight on the James Beard Foundation’s blog!

Meet the Culinary Students Who Are Cooking up Change

Across the country, student chefs are cooking up change!

With limited ingredient lists, tight deadlines and real-life constraints, students in Cooking up Change are re-writing the recipe for school food.The contest challenges students to create a great-tasting school lunch that meets nutrition standards on a tight budget, using only ingredients commonly available for school food service.

For the 2011-2012 season, teams from six cities have taken on the challenge: Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, Santa Ana, St. Louis, and Winston-Salem. Each of these cities hosted a local competition for students studying culinary arts. Now, the winning team from each local competition will travel to Washington, D.C. to face off in the national finals next Monday!

HSC will present the Cooking up Change national finals on Monday, May 21. The U.S. Department of Education in generously hosting the contest!

We're thrilled to introduce these impressive student teams:

Chicago



Students: Diamonte Baugh, Sheanice Dishmon, Kaliah Hunter, Ciara Lawton, Tytionna Rice, and Jerome Sims
Menu: oven-fried chicken, "Cousins" collard greens & cabbage, and sweet potato salad
Read more »

Denver



Students: Alismet Andrade Rodriguez, Jessica Gurrola, Libertad Mendivil, and Sanjuana Casillas Chavez
Menu: cheesy chicken pasta baked with vegetable ragu, spinach and carrot muffin with carrot sticks, and a fruit and yogurt parfait
Read more »

St. Louis


Students: Rose Bennett and Courtney Wheeler
Menu: lemon pepper chicken and brown rice with caesar salad and berry parfait
Read more »


Santa Ana


Students: Ashley Blanco, Alex Hernandez and Ivan Lope
Menu: lemon and spinach chicken with Tuscan bean salad and cinnamon poached pears
Read more »

Winston-Salem


Students: Brianda Hernandez, Maria Jose Gorjon and Jarion Southerland
Menu: chicken and vegetable taco in a whole wheat tortilla with black beans and veggies and a home-style tortilla apple pie
Read more »

 

Jacksonville


Students: Ashley Larramore, Hannah Reese and Phillip White
Menu: chicken imoyo wrap, jollof rice, and West African succotash
Read more »

 

Good luck to all these remarkable culinary students as they prepare for the national finals!

After the cooking contest, HSC will host a special reception to celebrate the students' work  . . . and announce the winning team! If you are interested in learning more or attending the reception, please contact Sara Porter by email or at 312-419-1810.

Plus: Many thanks to the generous sponsors for Cooking up Change! The Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest is generously sponsored by Platinum Sponsor Chartwells School Dining Services; Silver Sponsors American Federation of Teachers, and T-Fal; Official Travel Partner Southwest Airlines; and Official Culinary Partner James Beard Foundation. The contest is hosted by the United States Department of Education. Special thanks to Hooray Purée, whose contribution supports the students’ stay in Washington, DC for the contest.

 

Students Bring Healthy School Lunch to Congress: Invite Legislators and Staff to Try the Lunch!

Last week, the student chefs of Chicago Vocational Career Academy presented a healthy school meal they created for Cooking up Change Chicago at a special briefing on Capitol Hill! The lunch featured oven-fried chicken drumsticks from chicken raised without the use of antibiotics, just like much of the chicken on the menu at schools here in Chicago.

At the briefing, which was hosted by The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming and School Food FOCUS along with HSC, school food leaders discussed the move by CPS to purchase 1.2 million pounds of these drumsticks from Amish farms in nearby Indiana to be scratch-cooked for lunch in the city’s schools.

The culinary students prepared for the briefing with a trip to Miller Poultry in Indiana, where they learned about farming practices and about how the chicken featured in their lunch is raised without the use of antibiotics. Student chef Diamonte B. said, “I think this trip really gave us a better understanding of what we are cooking and what happens to the food.”

With their knowledge of healthy school food -- and expert perspective on student preferences in the cafeteria -- the culinary students were stars at the Congressional briefing. Kudos to Ciara L., Sheanice D., Kaliah H., Diamonte B., Tatiana R. and Jerome S. for sharing their point of view and bringing their tasty, healthy school lunch to Congress.

Next week, the team will return to Capitol Hill to join five other teams from across the nation in speaking up for healthy school food! On Monday, they will compete in the Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest. On Tuesday, they will again share their meal and speak at a Congressional briefing on healthy school food. That day, samples of school lunches designed by each of the six teams will be served in the Longworth cafeteria, which serves Congressional leaders and their staff.

Lend your support to the students’ efforts by inviting your legislators and their staff to attend the briefing and enjoy the student-designed lunches in the cafeteria!



Stay posted for updates this week as the student teams get ready for the Cooking up Change national finals in D.C.!

Plus:  The CVCA team’s healthy lunch was in the spotlight in The Washington Post! Check out this great story, The chicken that flew from Chicago to Capitol Hill.

Health in Mind Spotlight: Applauding School Wellness Efforts with Colorado’s State-Wide Recognition Program

This week, HSC hosted a special event with Trust for America’s Health at the National Press Club to release our recommendations for improving education through wellness to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. One of the most exciting parts of this event was the opportunity to hear first-hand from on-the-ground leaders who are putting some of these ideas into action in their schools and communitites. Now, we happy to share case studies spotlighting some of this exciting on-the-ground work!

Today's post features efforts in the state of Colorado, where education leaders are working to bring health and wellness into the school experience. At the briefing, Helayne Jones, President and CEO of the Colorado Legacy Foundation, shared her perspective and experience. This case study focuses specifically on a state-wide recognition program for school health and wellness. Stay posted for more case studies highlighting efforts to make wellness part of the school experience.

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by Kadesha Thomas, HSC writer and researcher

 One elementary school has its own garden and only serves meat from a local ranch. A middle school offers nearly an hour of physical education and 25 minutes of recess—every day. At a nearby high school, about 70 percent of students are involved in at least one of the school’s 14 athletic clubs, while another elementary school allows teachers and fifth grade students to square off in an annual softball competition.

This is just a snapshot of what is happening throughout the 178 school districts in the state of Colorado. Since 2010, schools have been invited each year to tout these and other health and wellness efforts during the state’s Healthy School Champions’ Recognition Program. The recognition program allows schools to submit a voluntary self-assessment, called the Healthy School Champions’ Score Card, detailing how they are supporting health and wellness for students, staff and the surrounding community.

Each year, nearly 200 schools submit information to the online assessment; in 2012, 32 were selected as Champions. The winning schools receive a banner to display in the school and a cash award between $500 and $5,000 in recognition of the good work. “When we look at which schools will be selected, we want to see that health and wellness is infused into the culture beyond just projects and one-time programs. We want to see that their philosophy has shifted to include health,” said Amy Dillon, Co-Director for Coordinated School Health at the Colorado Department of Education. “The school-level success stories from Champions demonstrate strong administrative support, robust health teams with linkages to the community and that the school prioritizes their efforts based on need.”

The program is a collaborative effort with partners, including the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Legacy Foundation, which serves as a critical friend and partner to the state Department of Education on education policy. Funding for the program comes from The Colorado Health Foundation, a local funder committed to making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation.  Though the recognition program attracts applicant schools from across the state’s diverse landscape—some schools are in districts with only 100 students total while others are in bustling urban centers—all schools need to demonstrate a commitment to the eight components of the coordinated school health model: health education, health services, school environment, nutrition services and education, physical education and activity, counseling and mental health services, staff wellness and involvement from the families and communities.

The larger goal is to address some of the state’s health challenges. About 20 percent of the state’s high school students reported being overweight or obese on the 2009 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey.

“This is an opportunity for schools to be incentivized, to see what their neighbors are doing and learn from policies and strategies on the ground that are highly  successful,” explained Stephanie Wasserman, MSPH, Director of Health and Wellness at the Colorado Legacy Foundation. “It serves as a promotional tool for schools to learn more about best practices. In the future, we hope that this becomes just a natural part of addressing school culture, students’ needs and improving academic outcomes.”