April 16, 2008

Rogers Park Community Wellness Fair

This weekend I will be conducting cooking demonstrations at the Rogers Park Community Wellness Fair. I will be demonstrating how to do three different recipes and providing samples to participants.

Please stop by, the fair will also feature Yoga and meditation, pediatric safety sessions, oral health session, physical wellness sessions, and alternative medicine sessions.

The fair is located at the new Heartland Health Center in Rogers Park located at 2200 W. Touhy from 10 am to 12 pm.

The fair is sponsored by Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's chapter of the American Medical Association and the Department of Family Medicine

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 3:08 PM | Permalink |

April 16, 2008

Farmers Market Manager Position

Experimental Station

Market Manager Position

The Experimental Station is a non-profit (501-c-3) located on 61^st Street in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. The mission of the Experimental Station is to foster innovative artistic, cultural, educational, and environmental projects and small enterprises. In response to a need in the Woodlawn community for sources of fresh produce and healthy foods, the Experimental Station is creating, as one of its own programs, a weekend farmers market to serve the local communities.

The Experimental Station is looking for a dynamic individual who can develop and manage our proposed 61^st Street Farmers Market. The Market Manager will be responsible for ensuring the development and management of a successful market. This will include recruiting farmers, ensuring product mix, developing market programming, managing volunteers, enforcing standards, overseeing advertising, administering and fundraising. The Market Manager will report to the Experimental Station Board of Directors and be supported by a Market Steering Committee.

Qualifications:

• Management experience
• Sales/marketing experience
• Knowledge of organic food standards
• Strong communication skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong writing skills preferred

The position is full-time, beginning immediately. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

If you feel that you are qualified for this position, please forward a resume and cover letter to: conniespreen@experimentalstation.org, or Connie Spreen, Treasurer/Vice-President, Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 3:02 PM | Permalink |

April 16, 2008

Cooking Classes

For most people, spring means planting gardens and enjoying warmer weather, but for our nutrition programs it is the start of our cooking schools. Throughout the spring and summer, we will be offering programs on how to cook healthy for your family. Learn the basics of cooking, how to prepare foods with more fruits and vegetables, and how to prepare economical meals your kids will love.

This year we have classes at:

Casa Central

1343 N California.

Monday and Wednesday

6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Now through May 7

(Registration closed)

Family Focus

4151 W. Armitage

June (TBA)

Contact Carmen for more information (773) 276-0940

WIC Food Centers

• 3110 W. Armitage

July 7-11

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

• 4622 W. Diversey

August 4-8

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

• 1643 W. Cermak

August 11-15

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

• 5332 S. Western

August 18-22

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Registration is limited to families enrolled in WIC

To register call (312) 455-8782

To find out more about how you can bring a cooking class to your agency or how to become more involved please contact me at (312) 698-7080

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 2:37 PM | Permalink |

April 8, 2008

Beans

Growing up, I rarely ate beans. Now that I cook for my own family, I found that beans are really good and can be used as part of a quick meal. Not only do beans have a lot of good nutrition by being good sources of fiber, protein, and B vitamins like folate, they are also low in fat.

Most beans can be found dry or canned. If you are using the dried version and are not familiar with how to cook them, you can follow this fact sheet on Cooking Dry Beans.

I encourage you to add more beans to your meals. The Dietary Guidelines recommend eating 3 cups of beans each week.

Here is one of my favorite recipes. It is perfect as a side dish or a snack.

Bean Salad

(makes 8 servings)

1 can (15 oz.) black beans or 2 cups cooked dried beans

1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans or 2 cups cooked dried beans

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1 cup corn (drained canned)

1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing – low fat

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

Directions:

1. Drain and rinse beans (you can substitute bean types).

2. Mix all ingredients together and chill.

3. Add other combinations like mandarin oranges and broccoli florets.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): calories 140 ~ calories from fat 15 ~ total fat 2g ~ cholesterol 0mg ~sodium 470mg ~ carbohydrates 23g ~ protein 7g ~ fiber 7g

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 3:30 PM | Permalink |

April 1, 2008

All Five Food Groups OK for Me

In the nutrition world and often on this blog, there is talk about eating local, low fat, organic healthy foods. While I still think that is a good goal to strive for, after an evening with my 18 month old who cried, pouted, begged, and screamed almost the entire night, I say to all other moms out there - if you served anything that resembled a meal with the five food groups, you are doing OK in this nutritionist's world.

Often times as moms we feel guilty for not doing more for our children. So, on those days that are challenging, I encourage you to be proud of what you did right. Therefore, tonight I am proud that in between tantrums I was able to reheat the Pennsylvania BBQ, put it on a bun (it was a wheat bun), heat canned peas, serve the drained mixed fruit, and pour a glass of milk to serve a homemade meal that had all five food groups.

This post is to all moms who are trying to do the best they can. Keep up the good work.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 7:56 PM | Permalink |

March 12, 2008

Experience eating local foods

A major focus of this blog is eating local foods. We hope over the past few months you have read about what are local foods and different ways to eat locally. If you are still not quite sure about how to do it, read Robert Gardner's article in the Chicago Tribune about his experience with eating local or check out his blog. Not only does he describe using food from local farmers, but he also describes ways to seek out local food in the grocery store.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 1:00 PM | Permalink |

March 7, 2008

What will $21 buy you?

With the economy on a downward slide, more and more people are seeking assistance to pay for the basic necessities, such a food and shelter. Food stamps are one way for people to seek assistance. In recent years, more and more people have signed up for food stamps due to job losses and changes in economy.

However, did you know that the average person who applies for food stamps gets $21 a week? What would you buy with $21 a week? Being an expert in food shopping, I know off the top of my head you can get rice, beans, canned fruits and vegetables, and some plain oatmeal. Most of these items require skill in cooking and creativity to making the meals exciting and good tasting. Unless you are a "foodie," most people do not have these basic cooking skills and often come up short.

Therefore, I encourage you to take the challenge. See how Chicago Alderman Leslie Hairston did on her $21 week challenge. Others in Congress have taken up the same challenge to highlight the need for funding. With the cost of food rising, our food dollar can no longer purchase the same amount. Currently there is a push to put more money in the Farm Bill for Food Stamps. Stay tuned to see what happens.

If you or someone you know needs assistance, in Illinois you can visit a Family Community Resource Center to apply or find out more information online.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 12:13 PM | Permalink |

February 27, 2008

Lighten Up Your Lunch

After lunch, do you feel like you don't have enough energy? Perhaps what you ate for lunch is weighing you down. Larger amounts of food and foods that contain more calories require more from your body for digestion. So instead of giving you energy to type up that quarterly report, all your body wants to do is rest and concentrate on the food you just ate.

To help with that post-lunch fatigue, here are a few ways to lighten up your lunch and say hello to a more productive afternoon.

Eat smaller portions

Instead of loading up on the value meals and the jumbo sizes, try the smaller lunch combos. Many places sell lunch specials that link together items that are smaller in size. Try the half a sandwich with a side salad or soup and salad combination. If you bring your own lunch from home, don't feel like you have a eat all of last nights leftovers. Break apart portions into a more manageable size.

Choose items that are lower in fat and calories

Fried foods, cream sauces, cheesy dishes, and rich pastries all have a lot of fat and calories. These types of food will take longer to digest and may contribute to the sluggish feeling. Choose leaner meats like turkey, chicken, and fish that are baked or broiled. Eat more fruits and vegetables. You can add these to soups, salads, sandwiches, or eat them raw. Choose breads and side dishes with more whole grains like whole wheat bread and brown rice. If you are a freezer meal type of person, look for items that are lower in sodium, fat, and calories.

Select healthier side dishes

For most of us a sandwich or small lunch entree is not enough. When turning to the side items, make your choices wisely. Choose lower calorie items like fruit or vegetables. Baked chips, a pasta salad with veggies, or a side salad are also better choices. If you must satisfy your sweet tooth, choose items that have fruit or whole grain, like an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 2:58 PM | Permalink |

February 20, 2008

Not Enough Farmers for Markets

Have you ever thought about how the produce makes it to the local farmers market near you? Often it is from a small farmer living on the edge of the suburbs who fights traffic, rising gas prices, and mother nature. Through the farmers dedication people in urban areas have had access to outstanding fresh produce. However the demand for local produce has risen so dramatically, that there are not enough farmers to supply the Chicago area.

However there are solutions to this growing problem. Read more in Medill Reports from Northwestern University.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 4:28 AM | Permalink |

February 19, 2008

Coupons and Sales

After of week off from discussing food shopping, we are back for the third and final part of the food shopping series. This week I wanted to address whether a deal was really a deal.

Coupons

Coupons are a good deal if you already use that brand or if using the coupon gives you a lower price than the brand you usually buy. For example, say you have a coupon for $.50 off the brand name cheese, but you usually buy store brand cheese which is regularly priced $1.00 cheaper than the brand name. In this case, the store brand is still cheaper than using the coupon with the brand name. Overall, I have found that coupons are best for things you usually buy. Don't buy something you wouldn't normally buy just because you have a coupon.

Sales

Sales are usually great and I am so happy when I find one. However, here are a few things to remember about sales. First, if the sale is 10/$10, you don't have to buy 10 items to get the sale price unless it states you need to buy 10. Most of the time, this type of sale will allow you to buy one item and calculate the sale price based on one. However, 1/$1 does not make an appealing sign, so that is why they put 10/$10. On these sales, watch for the fine print.

For sales that are buy one get one free, make sure you can use the items. If the items end up spoiling, you did not really save any money. Watch the fine print on these sales too. Sometimes they place a limit on how many items you can buy.

Lastly, know the average prices of items you buy frequently. What is the regular price for an item, what is the best sale price you can get the item for, and what is the average sale price? For example, at an average grocery store, grapes are regularly priced $3.99/lb. The best price I have seen is $.99/lb. when they are in season. Throughout the rest of the year, they do go on sale between $1.99-2.99/lb. Armed with this information, you can decide when you want to buy grapes. To me, $2.99/lb is not a very good deal, even though it is technically on sale.

I hope you have enjoyed this mini series on shopping. Remember, the more information you have before you go shopping, the better experience you will have and hopefully the more money you will save.

Posted by Jennifer McCaffrey at 3:38 PM | Permalink |