Big News & A New Recipe to Try!

Hello, we hope everyone is having a wonderful Tuesday, especially with today’s warm temperatures.  We also hope that everyone will come visit us at Pathfinder Produce at the Pathfinder Village Commons, this Thursday, March 1, from 1 to 5 p.m.  We’ve got some great produce items for you to share with your family.

WE HAVE SOME BIG NEWS:  To assist our busy families who enjoy shopping at Pathfinder Produce, we will be introducing an online ordering platform and local drop-off service starting on March 12, just in time for our fifth anniversary.  This will allow customers to go to our market ordering website, enter their order, pay for their produce with a credit card, and then have everything ready for pick-up at either our Edmeston location or at the UMC, 17 Church St., Morris, one of our community 5-2-1-0 partners.  The pickup times will be each Thursday afternoon.  Talk about convenience!

We will feature more about this important option for our loyal customers in next week’s “veggie blog.”  Below, enjoy a healthy recipe idea from our newest blog colleague, Jared Okun.

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This week, we add a new contributor, Jared Okun, to our “Veggie Blog.”  Jared is a recent graduate of Otsego Academy, and is a young man who is enjoying the responsibilities of his first apartment, one that he shares with his good friends. 

Mindful of his health, Jared tries to keep active, works out on the treadmill, and takes part in Special Olympics Basketball.  He is careful of his diet too, and tries to make gluten-free meals and watches his food portions.

“I love shopping and cooking is fun for me.  I like exploring and finding things to make, and I love cooking different kinds of meals,” he said.  “Sometimes, hitting on the food I want to make is challenging, because it depends what I am in the mood for that night.”

“I want to blog about gluten-free recipes to show people who are not gluten-free that they may like them as well,” he added.  “The recipe I’m sharing this week is one that I like, and I thought it would be a good recipe that everyone would enjoy making.”

Sesame Shrimp Stir-fry  (from http://allrecipes.com)

55 minutes - 4 servings, 395 calories

Ingredients:

·       2 cups water

·       1 cup uncooked white rice

·       1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

·       1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

·       1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·       1 clove garlic, minced

·       1 tablespoon sesame seeds

·       1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

·       2 tablespoons sesame oil

·       1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

·       3 green onions, sliced

·       3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

·       1/2 pound sugar snap peas

·       1/8 cup cornstarch

·       3/4 cup chicken broth

·       1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.               In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.               While rice is simmering, combine shrimp, ginger, cayenne pepper, garlic, sesame seeds and black pepper in a large plastic food storage bag. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator.

3.               Heat sesame oil in a large wok or skillet. Add red bell pepper and green onions; saute 3 to 4 minutes to soften slightly Add teriyaki sauce. Add peas and shrimp with seasoning; saute 4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque.

4.               Stir cornstarch into chicken broth and add to wok; cook, stirring until mixture boils. Sprinkle with salt. Spoon shrimp mixture over cooked rice.

Editor’s Note:  Here are some additional links to help you as you prepare Jared’s
shared recipe:

·       Hints on cooking perfect rice:
http://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-cook-rice-perfectly

·       Health benefits of sesame oil: 
https://www.livestrong.com/article/17951-health-benefits-sesame-oil/

·       More thoughts on shrimp: 
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-shrimp-healthy#section4

Until next time, eat well and be well,

Jared (and Lori)

Blueberry Booster Smoothies!

Hello everyone, we invite you to our next delicious Pathfinder Produce Market, which is set for tomorrow afternoon at the Pathfinder Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m.  The “little market that could” will be celebrating its FIFTH ANNIVERSARY on Thursday, March 15, and we will feature fun and innovative ways to celebrate this important milestone … stay tuned! 

On that day too, we’ll also be joining our global families and partners to kick-off the observance of World Down Syndrome Day – all of us at Pathfinder will be wearing our CRAZY SOCKS to celebrate the ways that Down syndrome adds beauty and reveals a deeper understanding of humanity in our lives.  World Down Syndrome Day is a growing global event, held each year on March 21^st – the 3-21 date is a numerical representation of three copies of the 21^st chromosome, which is the genetic cause of 95% of instances of Down syndrome (Trisomy 21). 

If you would like to join us by wearing your Crazy Socks, please feel free to take some pictures of your “neat feet” and share them to our Pathfinder Village Facebook page.  The crazier the better!   We’d love to see how flashy and special your socks can be, and you can include messages on how you embrace all the ways that our brothers and sisters with Down syndrome enrich our lives.

Below, my colleague Sally Trosset shares a favorite healthy smoothie recipe, which can help keep everyone at their best during these days of lingering colds, vastly changing temperatures, and way too hectic schedules.  Enjoy!

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As expected, the cold and flu season arrived on schedule this year and by all measures, it has been a bad one.  Thankfully, it appears to have peaked and doctor’s visits appear to be on the decline. According to a recent New York Times article,  experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are calling it one of the worst flu seasons in years.

If you’re like me, you want to fend off the flu and nasty winter colds for your family. At my house I get pretty militant about clean hands, clean sheets, sneezing/coughing into our elbows, and a can of Lysol in every room.  Fluids, fluids, fluids (!!!) are very important, but also adding more immune-boosting recipes to our meal plan is critical. To help my family stay healthy this season, I’ve been pushing our summer favorite-- a wild blueberry smoothie – which is packed full of antioxidants and Vitamin C.  A staple of our summer diets, we’ve pulled out the blender this winter to get our healthy smoothie fix.  It has also curbed my girls’ hunger when they return home from basketball practice; usually they’re starving and dinner is not always quite ready.

This family favorite is made with one cup of wild blueberries (I use Wyman’s fresh frozen wild blueberries from the grocery store during this time of year), a splash of orange juice, one cup of spinach, one cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk, and 2-3 ice cubes (add more ice, almond milk or water for your desired thickness).  It blends into a tasty treat with the perfect amount of natural sweetness.

According to a recent article in Readers Digest, wild blueberries have twice the antioxidant capacity of larger, cultivated blueberries.  Research suggests that the secret is in the skin.  That is where the highest concentration of the antioxidant anthocyanin is found.  Pound for pound, wild blueberries have more skin than regular blueberries.   Antioxidants are important not only to immune health, but also for boosting brain, heart and gut health, and may prevent diabetes and some forms of cancer. With their anti-inflammatory properties and disease-fighting compounds, antioxidants keep your body strong and can give you an edge when you need to fight off bacteria and viruses.

Wake each morning and enjoy this delicious smoothie or enjoy it at the end of the day to hold you over until dinner. The citrus flavor pairs nicely with the sweet wild blueberries, which have a more intense berry flavor.  A crowd pleaser in our house, it’s refreshing, sweet and healthy too!

Stay Well!

Sally (and Lori)

Have a Heart Healthy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!  We hope that all our friends and neighbors will stop by Pathfinder Produce this Thursday afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m. for some lovely treats and tempting deals at our friendly produce market at the Pathfinder Village Commons.

This week, we continue to be focused on matters of the heart; over the weekend our Otsego Academy students attended the Foxcare Center Walk in Oneonta in support of the Greater Utica Area American Heart Association.  The students successfully completed the three mile walk and enjoyed learning about hands-free CPR and other topics.  The FoxCare walk was a preliminary event for the Greater Utica Area Heart Walk & Run; there’s still time to register for that event at their website.

Also, in association with the American Heart Association, this Friday, our Pathfinder School students will be holding their HOOPS FOR HEART finale; the students are about halfway to their fundraising goal for the Heart Association.  To help them reach their goal, you can donate online at this link.  We hope to share pictures on our Facebook Page of all the fun at Friday’s celebration!

Below, my colleague Maura Iorio, who is the Senior Director of Education at Pathfinder School, shares some thoughts on heart health.

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Treat yourself this Valentine's DAy without all the guilt that a box of chocolates can bring.  Stick to your New Year’s Resolution to eat more fresh fruits and veggies while still having some holiday fun with these creative fruit pun print-outs!  (Think of Necco’s Sweethearts, but far healthier!)

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has some tips to keep your heart pumping this Valentine’s Day. They recommend staying active—taking a walk, hitting the gym, or doing some ZUMBA (held on most Wednesday nights at Pathfinder Gym at 7 p.m.)! Exercising regularly, along with a healthy diet, will keep your heart strong all year round!

Are you looking to do something extra special for your health? The CDC encourages people to “treat themselves” and their heart—quit smoking! Monitor your blood pressure! Learn the most common signs of a heart attack so that you can be prepared to call for emergency assistance if you notice these symptoms in yourself or others:

·       Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back,

·       Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint,

·       Chest pain or discomfort,

·       Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder, and

·       Shortness of breath.

(We also recommend that people learn the FAST signs for strokes …
EVERY minute counts when faced with a potential stroke emergency!).

We hope you have a happy (and heart healthy!) Valentine’s Day this year!

Maura (and Lori)

Common Sense Flu Precautions

Hello everyone!  We hope everyone will come down to our next Pathfinder Produce market at the Village Commons this Thursday, February 8.  Our friendly staff will be showcasing a great variety of fruits and veggies … the “little market that could” is your place for the freshest tastes around!

Kudos go out to our Otsego Academy students, who will be doing their part to support the American Heart Association this Saturday, Feb. 10, by participating in the Heart Walk at FoxCare in Oneonta.  The students are looking forward to this indoor 3-mile walk, where they’ll be learning about heart health, CPR, and other ways to lead healthy lives.  If you’d like to sponsor our students go to their Otsego Academy Team Page !

More and more, we’re hearing news items about the H3N2 flu strain. Below, my colleague Martha Spiegel shares some tips to prevent getting sick.

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Common Sense Flu Precautions

The flu has hit the country hard this year, and our area is no exception. Doctors are reporting more than double the cases from last year, and it has been classified as an epidemic. Flu is a virus-caused respiratory disease that is typically mild and requires no medical intervention. However, it can be more complicated for the very young, very old, pregnant women, and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Here at Pathfinder Village, our entire staff completes yearly training in Universal Precautions, steps to take to prevent the spread of disease, and since flu typically peaks in February, it seems like a good idea to share some of this helpful information.

The best prevention against the flu is a vaccination. However, the flu vaccine only prevents certain strains of flu, so it is still important to protect yourself as well as others. Also, the flu can be contagious a day before symptoms appear. Here’s what you can do:

• Wash your hands! It seems like a no-brainer, but it’s important to wash with plenty of soap, being diligent to clean between fingers as well as the fronts and backs of your hands, and to wash for at least 20 seconds. After drying, be sure to use a paper towel to turn off the faucet—remember, your unwashed hand turned it on.
• Cover your cough/sneeze. Use a tissue or napkin if possible. If not, sneeze into your sleeve, covering your mouth and nose with your elbow.   (The best offense is a good defense! Don’t sneeze into your hands!)
• Clean up. The virus can be killed with bleach, hydrogen peroxide, soap, iodine-based antiseptics, and alcohol (such as hand sanitizer). Don’t forget to clean doorknobs, keyboards, and faucets. The flu virus can remain on a surface for up to 24 hours.
• If you are careing for a family member with the flu, keep your distance as much as you can.  Wear a mask. Wear gloves if you are cleaning up dirty tissues, etc., and wash your hands immediately. 
• Practice other good health habits.  Getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of fluids and maintaining a healthy diet can all help keep you and your immune system strong.

All of this information and more is available at  www.cdc.gov/flu .  Until next time, stay well and fight those germs!

Martha (and Lori)