Previous Class Menus

 Week 1: To kick things off, we will be making applesauce oatmeal muffins. Oats are a great source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein. Applesauce gives the muffins a sweet flavor, as well as provides a great source of antioxidants. Perfect as we enter into prime cold and flu season!

Week 2: We will be mixing up some delicious Strawberry Banana Quinoa Muffins this week. Quinoa is generally considered a grain, but interestingly it is most closely related to leafy green vegetables such as spinach and swiss chard. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. We all know bananas are great for you (potassium for cardiovascular and bone health), and strawberries are delicious and packed with antioxidants.

Week 3: We will be enjoying Roasted Red Pepper Biscuits this week! The recipe is a fun "mix with your hands" recipe for sensory fun. Red peppers are high in Vitamin A (great for eye and skin health) and C (immune system).

Week of 4: We're wrapping up this session with Pizza Balls. They taste awesome to kids and adults alike, they're fun to make. They contain tofu, whole wheat flour, and green pepper so not only are they yummy, they are super healthy too!

Week 5: To kick things off, we will be making knishes. The word "knish" is Ukranian for dumpling, and these goodies are a staple in Jewish cooking. Ours use a dough made with mashed potatoes, and are filled with tofu, parsley and more potatoes! Potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C and potassium, among others. Tofu is a fabulous source of non-meat protein, and has the amazing ability to take on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with. (In my classes, we often tell the kids it is cheese).

Week 6: This week, we will be traveling to China for some Chinese Egg Rolls. Wondering how the kids will handle a deep fryer? Not here! These are baked in the oven, but they are guaranteed to disappear fast. They are filled with carrots, celery, bean sprouts and tofu for a vitamin packed punch.

Week 7: Next up, we will stop in Lebanon for some tasty Falafel. These baked goodies are made of chick peas (aka garbanzo beans), wheat germ, wheat flour and some tasty spices. In a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, garbanzo beans provided better blood fat regulation, including lower levels of LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides than other foods with equal fiber content.  Wheat germ has a high amount of protein, while being low on the glycemic index for better blood sugar regulation.

Week 8: We're wrapping up this session with a stop in Mexico for homemade bean burgers. These yummy treats have all sorts of nutrition packed in, from kidney beans, to carrots, salsa and green pepper. Most people are familiar with the fiber benefits of all beans, but kidney beans are also an excellent source of the mineral molybdenum, which is an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase. Sulfite oxidase is important for detoxifying sulfites--those nasty additives to deli meats that many moms may recall avoiding during pregnancy!