First Taste Test!

Principal Benay from the elementary school, Malletts Bay School, invited our class to design a healthy vegetable recipe and have our class run a taste test during lunch with her students.  With the additional support of our Principal, Food Director Mr. Davis and head cooks from both schools we ran the taste test in early May.  First, we modified a basic parsnip recipe.  Second, ran a sample taste test at our school.  Finally, after careful planning it was go time at MBS.  The taste test was fun and the recipe was successful with a 94% approval rate!  Enjoy the pics of our cooking and the taste test.

 Time to bake 600 samples of Parsnip Bread.

Our main support in the kitchen, Laura.

I approve!

At the taste test.
Officer Fontaine.  Thanks for the reminder about allergies!  

Food director, Mr. Davis surrounded by us!

  

Parsnips...they look like a carrot!

Visiting with the younger students.

Lunch with MBS students.

Presenting a little history and facts about parsnips.

Happy Planting!!!
Today, we had the opportunity to work with Principal Minor.  Principal Minor asked us to help her plant several shrubs and flowers around the new signs located at the entrance of our school.  We were happy to help.

Unloading of the shrubs and flowers...

Principal Minor explains what needs to be done.

                     
                           In pairs, everyone is busy shoveling, fertilizing and planting.

Our job here is done, Principal Minor!

Food for thought...enjoy a fifteen minute podcast with Carolyn Steel.  She is the author of Hungry City.


"Looking at food networks offers an unusual and illuminating way to explore how cities evolved, architect Carolyn Steel says. While food is a shared necessity, it's also a shared way of thinking."


http://www.npr.org/2012/05/11/152455629/how-does-food-shape-cities

 Here's to a retired CHS teacher and friend who is close to the top of the world!  Base camp on Mt. Everest.  Cheers!

We took a basic parsnip recipe and modified it to make it our own.  Enjoy!  We did!  If you don't want a strong parsnip taste reduce the amount of parsnips in this recipe.

Spiced Parsnip Bread w/ chocolate chip & orange zest

Ingredients (4 loaves)

                         6 cups all-purpose flour

                         3  teaspoons baking powder

                         2  teaspoons ground cinnamon

                         2  teaspoons ground allspice

                         1  teaspoon ground cloves

                         3  teaspoons salt

                         4  cup sugar

                         2  pounds parsnips (about 2 medium), peeled and finely shredded

                         1  cup canola oil

                         4  eggs, lightly beaten

                         2  teaspoon vanilla extract

                         4  cups chocolate chips

                             orange zest from one orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9 x 5-inch or 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, parsnips, oil, egg and vanilla. Slowly stir parsnip mixture into flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips & orange zest. Spoon batter into pan.

3. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool in pan on wire rack.

Recipe by David Feder.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

•    Calories 110                      Fat 6g                     Saturated Fat 0.5g                 Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g

•    Monounsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 10mg  Sodium 140mg                       Potassium 90mg

•    Carbohydrates 12g          Fiber 1g                  Sugars 1g                               Protein 3g

http://www.relish.com/recipes/spiced-parsnip-bread/

Students in Foods Class were given the task of modifying a basic Parsnip muffin recipe into four different varieties.  They create blueberry, applesauce, Craisons and chocolate-orange muffins.  After a student and staff vote...chocolate-orange muffins won.  Close behind were the applesauce muffins.  Here are the students preparing the muffins in the school kitchen under the direction of the head school chef.

The new CHS Garden sign was made by a graduating senior. He is off to art school next year.

Today, we harvested the lettuce we grew in the hydroponic garden.  Soon to be... salad!

Check out the root structure.

Finally, we are ready to clean the lettuce.

Our hydroponic garden is clean and ready for next year.

Time to eat.