YUCK!

We hope everyone will come down to Pathfinder Produce this Thursday, June 2, from 1 to 5 p.m. to stock up for the inevitable picnics and cookouts that will be happening this coming weekend.  With the summer weather, it’s a great time to keep the heat out of the house, cook outside, and enjoy family meals that feature lots of lively salads, cool fresh fruit dishes, and grilled veggies.  I’m sure we have something that is just perfect for your next cookout at Pathfinder Produce!

This week, we welcome a new writer to the Pathfinder Produce Blog, Sr. Director of Education Maura Iorio of Pathfinder School.  Enjoy!

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YUCK!

It’s a word I’ve heard uttered at the dinner table more times than I can count. As any parent of a picky eater can tell you, sometimes family meals become a battlefield: Kid vs. Veggies. I’ve seen broccoli skillfully hidden beneath a strategically placed napkin, and peas mashed artfully underneath a mountain of mashed potatoes. On at least one occasion, my little guy managed to use surgical precision to stuff his carrots into a dinner roll…Picky Eater Skill Level: Ninja.

My husband and I have tried every tactic in the book to get some vitamins and nutrients into our kids’ systems in a form other than Flintstone-shaped candies. You want dessert? Eat those two green beans first. You think they’re gross? Look! They’re Daddy’s favorite, mmm! Fine, if you eat at least one, I’ll give you a dollar!

So what happens when setting a good example and flat-out bribery don’t work?

Sneaky Veggies

Like anything involved in raising children, there are mixed opinions floating around on the use of “sneaky veggies.” Some parents will protest that children should learn to appreciate healthy food options in their true forms, and to a certain point I agree. Making sure healthy options are always available to your children is so important, as well as continually encouraging your child to try new things. However, there are some children who are just NOT going to buy into this, no matter how hard you try.

For these children, my youngest son included, I say sneaking some fruits and veggies into their snacks and meals won’t hurt them—but it will ensure that they have a (sort of) well-balanced diet! One great way to do this is with smoothies—if you add enough strawberries, the green of baby spinach leaves can easily be hidden. Pro Tip: Blend leafy greens with whatever liquid base you’re using FIRST, then add in the other ingredients.

This helps make sure the leafy greens are well-blended and that there are no chunks of green stuff left behind that will give it away! Another great option is to add grated veggies, such as carrots and zucchini, to breads and muffins. 

Sometimes, a child’s aversion to fruits and veggies has more to do with texture and presentation. Blending them into something that resembles bread or cake can be enticing enough to give it a try!

Until next time, eat well and savor the sneakiness!

Maura Iorio (and Lori)

Recipes (Just click the caption below each picture to see the recipe!)

http://www.superhealthykids.com/power-packed-fruit-and-veggie-muffin-for-picky-eaters/

http://www.superhealthykids.com/high-fiber-broccoli-smoothie-kids/

New Labels

It’s been an exciting few days here at Pathfinder Village, but we will ALWAYS be here with the freshest fruits and vegetables on Thursday afternoons at Pathfinder Produce!  We hope you’ll be able to join us this week at the Village Commons for the tastiest produce around!

A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to all our sponsors, volunteers, and participants who made the third annual Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk such a great success.  It really is tremendous to see such an outpouring of support for Pathfinder Village and our programs … there was no end to the smiles on everyone’s faces during Splash Path and the after-run party.  What an incredible area we live in!

Also, we’d like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our first-ever graduating class for Otsego Academy, our two-year post-secondary program for adults with intellectual disabilities.  Our students will hold their formal year-end ceremonies this Friday evening.  Some of our students will be moving on to the next chapter in their lives, others will be returning to continue their studies next fall -- each person has become a leader here in our community, and has grown academically, in ability, and become more confident.  We’re so proud of all our students!

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New Labels

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled a new update to the current nutrition facts labels that are featured on all commercially processed foods.  The new labels indicate to consumers how much added sugar is present in the foods they are buying, which is key to helping fight our national addiction to sugar.

Before now, unless consumers were well-educated about encrypted names for added sugars, it has been difficult to determine how much sugar is added in processing.  According to a story by the Washington Post, the new labels include larger type for the number of calories and servings per container, and a new line lists total sugars.  This tells us how much sugar was added in manufacturing, and how much that sugar amounts to in comparison to one’s daily recommended intake of sugar.

This could be a boon to families who want to eat healthier, but have been scratching their heads over how much sugar is actually included in foods, even those that have been touted as being good nutritional choices.  Some of these sneaky foods include sweetened yogurts, breakfast cereals, granola bars, and fruit snacks.

According to a November 2015 post on Livestrong.com, both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the World Health Organization recommend general guidelines that people should not get more than 10% of their recommended calories per day through sugars.  But that may still result in kids getting too much sugar for healthy development.  The American Pediatric Association and American Heart Association recommend lower limits for everyone:

·  Very young children, newborns through age 3, should not have any added sugars, as they receive sufficient sugar from the fruits, vegetables and dairy products they eat.

·  Children ages 4 to 8 should take in no more than 3 to 4 teaspoons of added sugar per day.  Doing the math, 3 to 4 times 16 calories per teaspoon 48 to 64 calories of added sugars.  (12 to 16 grams).

·  Older tweens and teens should limit themselves to no more than 5 to 8 teaspoons of added sugar each day.  This amounts to 80 to 128 calories per day.  (20 to 32 grams).

·  Adult women should consume no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons, of added sugar.  (24 grams)

·   Adult men should consume no more than 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons, of added sugar a day.  (36 grams).

Sometimes, it’s hard to know how much sugar you are eating because sugar content is listed in grams on many labels.  For a rough guideline, one teaspoon of white sugar equals about 4 grams.  (The above numbers in teaspoons are shown as grams in parenthesis).

Until next time, read your labels, do the math, and focus on the genuinely sweet things in life!

Lori

Diversity

We hope that everyone will come down to this Thursday's Pathfinder Produce from 1 to 5 p.m. for the greatest variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in our area. The market’s friendly staff is eager to help you with your purchases, and there's always something diverse to try.  This week we’ll also have an advanced registration pick-up for Splash Path at the market for your convenience.

Speaking of Splash Path -- we wish to thank everyone who will be participating in the third annual Splash Path 5K & Fun Walk this coming Saturday,  May 21, which starts with a Dance Party/ZUMBA warm up with Zoe Curtis by Pathfinder School at 9 a.m.  The official Splash Path 5K starts at 10 a.m. 

Splash Path offers something for everyone:  We are having a raffle auction with lots of great items to bid on, and the after run-walk party will feature identical twin DJ's Tom & Chris Hogan. Plus, we'll have over 30 vendors exhibiting a wide variety of wares, and several areas devoted to kids' activities.  We hope you'll be able to join us for this wonderful community event, which will be raising funds for the Pathfinder Walking & Fitness Trail (which is open to the general public) and the Edmeston Town Pool Fund.

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There have been many posts in my Facebook feed about diversity as of late.  Diversity is Mother Nature’s own modus operandi; I was able to spend some time outdoors this past weekend and observed how nature develops and modifies themes as she goes along.

The bird life at our homestead is always fascinating, and from one moment to the next there's so much to see.  As I peered out by the pond, there were about six goldfinches colorfully perching in a Pinkster bush. Pairs of Canadian Geese were gliding over the pond's surface, only to take off in a drumming of wings when they sensed danger. A loan gobbler strutted his stuff in the meadow, and red tailed hawks and turkey vultures soared overhead, looking for their next meal.

Not to be outdone by the avian life, the diversity of plants near my house is just as remarkable, and it makes you wonder about what niche each plant fills in the web of life. The skunk cabbage have thrown out their smelly prehistoric-looking leaves (which aren't good to hit with the mower, btw), the day lily fronds are reaching for the sky, and the invasive honeysuckles loom, ready to take over the meadow and cleared pathways.

Even in the garden, Mother Nature is committed to variety.  I spent time assessing the raised beds and cleaning out the semi-wild strawberries (much more to do there!).  The plants are thriving and showing many white blossoms, and the plant runners are tangled with grasses and dandelions.  There are also other low-creeping plants, some stalky stuff, and some of last year’s renegade onions sending out new leaves … Nature truly does abhor a vacuum and fills up empty spaces with the darnedest co-habitators and competitors.

Until next time, observe and appreciate variations, and we hope to see you at Splash Path!

Lori

SCREENAGERS

We hope everyone will come down to this Thursday’s Pathfinder Produce market at the Village Commons, from 1 to 5 p.m.  We’ve got the freshest fruits and veggies, plus some other really great offerings, for you to share with your family.  Friendly, affordable, convenient … what’s not to love about Pathfinder Produce!

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SCREENAGERS 

• As I write this column, I am looking at a screen.
• When I check my email and text messages as I leave work, I’ll be looking at a screen.
•  As I pay bills this evening, I’ll be looking at a screen.
•  When I check tomorrow’s weather and appointments, I’ll be looking at a screen.
• Later tonight, as I do family history research, peering back into the 1700s, I’ll be looking at a screen.
• My usage isn’t all that unusual, and is mirrored by that of family members and friends.

So, what are the effects of all this screen-dependence?

That’s the question that Filmmaker Delaney Ruston, MD, asked as she started looking at her own family’s use of tech devices.  The resulting independent documentary, “SCREENAGERS,” is now making the rounds, and examines issues and solutions relating to our recent societal submission to screen-shared information, tools and entertainment.

Most of us over age 35 have alternatively chuckled or shaken our heads at groups of kids who apparently can’t put down their phones, even while attending sports events, the movies, or shopping.  Many of us have had discussions with our kids when they sneak peeks at their phones during meals or try to complete homework immersed in a din of constant texts.  These are all trends that are likely to continue.  Locally, we try to share the message of limiting screen use, through our Edmeston Community 5210 Goals: encouraging people to eat five servings of fruit and vegetables each day; limiting recreational screen time to two hours daily; getting one hour of exercise; and cutting down to zero sugary soft drinks.

According to Dr. Ruston, most kids spend an average of 6.5 hours each day looking at screens, and being wired can cause disconnects at home and school.  “SCREENAGERS” offers insights from authors, mental health experts, and brain scientists, and presents ways adults can help kids find balance and stay healthy in the digital age.  And while most people aren’t truly addicted to tech, there are growing concerns -- the mental health community is defining a new condition, Internet Gaming Disorder, which is included in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

The truth is smart phones, tablets, and social activities on the internet have redefined the way we communicate within the span of one generation.  Most of today’s teens were exposed to digital devices as very young children and they now rely on tech for social engagement.   According to a 2015 study by the Pew Research Center, “Teens, Social Media, and Technology Overview,” over 90% of teens go online daily, including 24% who report they are online “almost constantly.”  Almost 75% of teens own or have access to a smartphone and 30% have a basic phone, while just 12% of teens say they have no cell phone of any type.

Experts contend the best way to counter unhealthy attachments to tech is to encourage  face-to-face communications, screen-free family time, and creative and fitness activities after school and on weekends. Dr. Ruston, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, and Unplug Your Kids, offer some ideas to explore.

Until next time, unplug, get active, and be happy.

Lori

Stalking the (not-so) wild asparagus

While the weather is a bit dreary for May, it’s always cheerful to think about the nicer weather that will soon be here, and about Pathfinder Produce, our friendly, convenient fresh fruits and veggie market that is held each Thursday afternoon at The Village Commons, between 1 and 5 p.m.  Come to this week’s market and pick up some fresh favorites for your family’s mealtimes.

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At Graceland this past weekend, we started another season of mowing and then worked inside with the onset of the gray drizzle.  As we worked, I would glance out at my neglected garden beds (strategically situated about 20 feet from the house to ward off the herbivores), and began thinking about how to proceed with this year’s garden.

I noticed that the wild strawberry plants I transplanted last year are actually thriving.  So perhaps I should try to repair that bed with some kind of creative wall work (pre-formed masonry block?)  And perhaps I can build two new wooden beds for my greens and other seasonal staples.   And then, maybe I can actually put in a bed of one of my all-time favorites, asparagus.  The mind does frolic in all the possibilities!

I remember the first time I truly enjoyed asparagus … I was visiting my grandparents’ farm, probably sometime in the early 1980s while attending college, and Grandma served up some just-picked baby asparagus, lightly steamed.  It was an epiphany … before that time, I’d only had the very tough more mature stalks and was not a fan.

Asparagus is a unique plant with distinct foliage and comes back each year.  The plant was well known throughout the Ancient World, and the plants are native to northern Europe.  White asparagus (vs. green or purple asparagus) is extremely popular in Europe.  All varieties can be served steamed, grilled, stir-fried, or in stews, soups or things like quiche.

According to the Eating Well website, asparagus is a good source of fiber, folate, and Vitamins A, C, E and K.  And, because it contains a compound called glutathione, which breaks down carcinogens and tames free radicals, it can help protect against certain types of cancer.  Because of its high antioxidant content, it also helps slow cellular aging and helps your brain to function better – folate combines with Vitamin B12 to improve cognition speed and flexibility, according to a study by Tufts University.

Asparagus, which is low in salt content, is a diuretic and helps rid the body of excess salts, which is useful for people who have high blood pressure.  And that’s actually interesting because the plant can actually thrive in soils that are slightly salty.  In fact, if you are growing bed that will be intended strictly for asparagus, you can actually add some salt to it to help keep it weed free according to Wikipedia. (Go easy on the salt though, as a little probably goes a long way and can build up in the soil, according to Gardening Know How).

Until next time, eat and be well!

Lori