 This is a HUGE week at Pathfinder Village, not only
because we’re celebrating Halloween, but also because we are opening our
second Pathfinder Produce Market!
The new market will open this
Friday afternoon, October 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Morris United
Methodist Church, on Church Street. The Friday market is a partnership
with the UMC, the Morris Central School 5210 Program, and Bassett’s Research
Institute. The market will be organized and run by members of our Adult
Day Program, who are truly dedicated to their work and take such great pride
in serving the public each and every week. Talk about service with a
smile!
The Edmeston market will continue
at its regular place and time, at the Village Commons at Pathfinder Village,
on Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. Please feel free to share our Facebook
posts (Pathfinder’s FB page), blog (pathfinderproduce.blogspot) and price flyers, to spread the great news about ways
you can serve high quality, competitively priced fruits and veggies to your
family!
****
Halloween is almost here, although I think a part of me is
still in denial that it’s OCTOBER already! Spooky decorations and carved pumpkins
decorate front porches, stores are filled with amazingly realistic costumes
for kids (seriously, where were these options when I was growing up?!), and
the television line-up is featuring classics such as Hocus Pocus
and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. It’s easy to see
why, for some, this is a favorite time of year.
However, if you’re anything like me (or if you have kids
who are as addicted to Skittles as mine are), Halloween also means way too
much candy and apple cider donuts. Don’t get me wrong—I think it’s okay to
indulge in some chocolate once in a while, but between class parties, trick
or treating, and special events or activities, the sugar can add up! It’s
impossible to think you can shield your kids (or, let’s be honest, yourself) from
ALL of the goodies that are likely to be put in their path, but here
are some ways you can minimize the sugar fall-out.
Consider Donating Some of Your Candy to Soldiers!
Each
year, Operation Gratitude (an organization dedicated to sending care packages
to U.S. military service members deployed overseas) runs its Halloween Candy
for Heroes program. Rather than leaving that giant bowl of Trick or Treat
goodies sitting on the kitchen counter where it’s way too available to
everyone, have your kids select a few of their favorite pieces and send the
rest to soldiers overseas. Your kids get to enjoy some of their Halloween
bounty, you get to skip the temptation to dig through the bowl searching for
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups after the kids go to bed, and everyone can feel
good about supporting our military overseas! It’s a win-win! To learn more
about this program, click
here.
Substitute the Candy with Some Health(ier) Treats! Hosting a Halloween Party? Receive a memo from school asking you to sign up to contribute to the class Halloween Spectacular? Try out one of these recipes instead of a giant bag of fun-sized candy:
 Instead of stocking up on bags of fun-size Snickers and Hershey Bars to hand out, head to the store and buy small toys to give to Trick or Treaters. The Dollar Tree, Party City, and even Walmart sell small toys in bulk, typically in the party favor aisle. Kids will still be more excited than when well-intentioned adults give out those bags of pumpkin-shaped pretzels, and you won’t be stuck with seven pounds of extra candy at the end of the night.
Here’s
to a safe, happy, and healthy(ish) Halloween!
Maura
(and Lori)
|
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Healthy Halloween!
Monday, October 17, 2016
Squashes & Staying Sharp
Fall’s bright blaze
is cresting, and everyone I know is finishing autumn chores to get ready for
winter. One great thing to know is that
Pathfinder Produce is here to help with your produce needs throughout the cold
months of the year.
Now that we’re
opening a second market in Morris on Fridays, there’s twice as many reasons to
love the “little market that could.” The
new market will be open in partnership with the Morris United Methodist Church
at 117 Church Street, as well as the Morris Central School 5210 Program. The Edmeston market is open as usual, on
Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m.; the new market will have its Grand Opening on
Friday, October 28, at the UMC, from 1 to 4 p.m.
***
A few weeks
ago I referenced the delicious varieties of winter squash we’d gotten from our
neighbor. Winter squashes vary in sizes, shapes, and
outside and inside coloring, but most are great sources of beta carotene, other
vitamins, and antioxidants. They’re
great additions to harvest dinners, and like pumpkin, can be used in all kinds
of baked items.
(Pumpkin spice fiends have found their mojo again … we’re able to buy
flavored coffees and other spicy treats at this time of the year).
We’d gotten
three varieties of squash, including my all-time favorite, Butternut; my
hubby’s go-to choice, Acorn, and a third type, which I believe is
Delicata. Per Wikipedia, “As its name suggests, it has characteristically a delicate
rind … Although consumed mature as a winter squash, Delicata squash belongs to
the same species as most types of summer squash (zucchini, yellow squash) known in the US, Cucurbita pepo.”
Pumpkins, too, are of members of the pepo species; I think that’s sort of
appropriate for Halloween -- a summer squash masquerading as winter
produce. (I should give a shout out to
Tom Cole of Gates-Cole Insurance and other locals who grow MASSIVE pumpkins … I
think one of Tom’s topped out at over 300 lbs. this year).
But the
challenge of winter squash is the preparation … hence my thoughts this week on
cutlery. Those who love to cook or carve
wood for fun know the value of a keen edge, which is safer than a dull one: A dull edge requires more force
to use and easily veers away from the intended path of the cut. (Bring on the bandages!)
Like with
anything else, you can spend as much money on knives as you’d like. I tend more
towards the pedestrian, and have an assortment of stainless steel implements
collected through the years. Gizmodo suggests you only need five good
knives: paring, chef’s, serrated (bread), filet, and a cleaver. With the knives, one needs a good cutting
board; we have boards we use only for veggies, and those used only for meats
(these are non-porous and sanitized regularly).
I like bamboo and other tight grained woods; glass boards are very hard
on cutting blades!
Last year I
found a great little sharpener for less than $20 online; it uses a suction cup
to stick to the counter and tungsten carbide blades set at the perfect V. It was a great investment as I’m no good at
using whetstones, and it usually takes just a few passes to get my blades into
shape. That makes cutting into squash
safer and go more quickly. And dare I
say … enjoyable?
Until next
time, keep sharp and eat well!
Lori
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
How Sweet It Is!
For this week’s blog, my co-worker,
Martha Spiegel, offers some sweet thoughts on honey, one of nature’s sweeteners
that can be enjoyed in so many delicious ways.
We have some more SWEET NEWS!
Pathfinder Produce will be opening a new, SECOND MARKET, at the
United Methodist Church, 17 Church St., in Morris on Friday afternoons from 1
to 4 p.m. This project, another great partnership with the Bassett
Research Institute’s 5210 Program and members of the Morris community, is so
exciting as it will offer more fresh and yummy fruits and vegetables in support
of local families’ nutritional health. It is another way that members of
Pathfinder Village’s Adult Day Program provide important services and help our
local communities.
Watch the Wharton Valley Pennysaver
for our ads, and if you know folks in the Morris area, please tell them to stop
by to try the “little market that could!”
ALSO, this week, Pathfinder Village will be paving its roadways, so Produce patrons are asked to park on at the Program Office lot. (Pull in on the driveway next to Pathfinder's Kennedy Willis Center, and drive past the yellow house to the large parking lot area).
****
Along with fresh fruits and vegetables,
Pathfinder Produce also features products from local vendors. One of these vendors
is Kutik’s Honey Farm, which is located in Norwich.
I’ve always been a huge honey fan. I love it in
tea, on oatmeal, in a peanut butter sandwich, on biscuits, and I’ve even tried
it in coffee, which was not too bad. During the time that I worked in a
synagogue, we had apples and honey at Rosh Hashanah to wish everyone a sweet
New Year.
Growing up, the honey in my house was typically
clover honey, but I have enjoyed tasting other varieties. I had no idea how the
different kinds of flower nectar could change the taste. I’ve become a big fan
of buckwheat honey, which is very dark and has quite a bold taste, so a little
goes a long way (nice if you are trying to cut back on the quantity of
sweetener).
According to WebMD,
honey has a long medicinal history, dating back to the ancient Egyptians. One
of their uses for it was to dress wounds. Indeed, it has been proven useful for
this purpose, although the best honey for that job is Manukah honey from New
Zealand (not exactly part of our local market!).
Honey can also help to soothe a cough. In fact,
according to the same WebMD article, some studies showed evidence that honey is
more effective than cough syrup for treating nighttime coughs in children. My
mother would heat a bit of honey mixed with lemon juice for me when I had a
cough or an irritated throat. Not only did it help, but it sure tasted better
than cough syrup! (A word of caution: NEVER give honey to children under
1 year old, as there is a high risk of botulism which is very dangerous due to
their less-developed digestive tracts.)
Honey has a lower glycemic index than refined
sugar (see Benefits
of Honey ), which means it has a slower
absorption rate. While this evens out “sugar spikes” it is still good to
keep in mind honey is still a form of sugar and should be consumed in
moderation. The nice part about that is your jar of honey will last you a long
time!
Honey storage is easy: Just store it at room
temperature, and if it starts to crystalize, simply place the jar in a bowl of
hot water to liquefy it again. As stated on The
National Honey Board's website,
“Crystallization is the natural process of glucose sugar molecules aligning
into orderly arrangements known as crystals. It is not an indicator of
spoilage, impurity, age or quality.”
I leave you with a quote from A. A. Milne’s The
House at Pooh Corner:
‘
“What do you like doing best in the world, Pooh?"
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best--" and then he had to
stop and think.
Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.” ’
Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.” ’
Have a sweet day!
Martha (and Lori)
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Apple Storage
We hope that everyone will
come down for the next delicious Pathfinder Produce market, this Thursday,
October 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Village Commons. There are so many great items to choose from
… it’s like voting for your favorite fruits and veggies! (Our theme for October as National Down
Syndrome Awareness month is ‘My Vote Counts!’)
It’s the top of the harvest
season and there’s always something new to try, or you can use produce you know
well in different ways. CHOICE … it’s
what makes food shopping an adventure!
***
This
past weekend was one of those where I wanted to get lots of work done, and one
project just sort of segued into the next.
One of the first things accomplished was to store a bushel of Cortland
apples, which my mom brought me on Saturday morning.
Cortlands are a cross
of McIntosh and Ben Davis apples, and were developed through research at the NYS
Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva in 1898. They are red-and-green skinned, slightly
tart, and have a white interior that resists browning.
They are good for fruit salads, pies, and sauce. Apparently they freeze
well too.
With
that many apples on hand, I had to make a few pies, based on the universal
clamor of the troops. I’m still looking to perfect my whole wheat pie crust --
based on last week’s thoughts on butter and Julia Child, I tried to make a
traditional butter crust. The dough
worked easily and was really flaky. I
tried to cut down on the sugar in the filling to try to make the pies a bit
healthier. The results were decent, but
my pies just aren’t as good as my mom’s or grandma’s!
Proper
apple storage is key and fortunately, I was able to clear out enough space in
my crisper drawers to store the apples I hadn’t used for baking. I removed any
leaves and blotted off any water that was on them, trying not to polish off the
bloom;
that’s the hazy white coating which is a naturally emitted wax that helps keep
fruit moist. I gently placed the apples
in the drawers, and kept any blemished fruits out to prevent rotting issues.
(As the old saying goes, “One
bad apple can spoil the
bunch.”).
Of
course, doing this reminded me of times when I’ve seen other storage
procedures. When I was a kid, my grandmother would gently wrap each apple in
newspaper and then store them in the old Westinghouse (Or was it a Philco? That
thing ran like a champ for 50 years!) It was kept in “the old kitchen,” which
had been converted into my grandfather’s workshop, which was an icebox itself
during winter months. The room still had
vestiges of a 1900s kitchen and was a dimly lit place that was magical with its
disordered mix of tools, spare parts, and the flotsam and jetsam of farm living.
Of
course, farm families from earlier eras had to over-winter their apples too; I
remember the staff at The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown, would dry apple rings
by hanging them on a string over the hearth.
And then, a good number of apples would be used to make cider with a
hand press, with the amber liquid being stored in barrels, and the pomace
being used to fatten the pigs. Of
course, these families all had root cellars too, used for potatoes, carrots,
turnips; other produce would be placed under the rafters to store until needed.
After
the apple storage and pie baking, I turned my attention to other projects, all
part of regular fall preparations. My
husband and son went to one of our neighbor’s farm stands, and they brought
home some winter squash. But that’s
another story for another week.
Until
then, enjoy the best of fall’s flavors!
Lori
Thursday, September 29, 2016
That Gut Feeling
We hope
everyone will join us later today for another delicious Pathfinder Produce
market at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m. I stopped by our market
this morning, which is staffed by members of Pathfinder Village’s Day Hab and Pre-Voc
programs. Folks were already very busy, moving in tables, getting them
scrubbed, and waiting for the delivery of a truckload of fresh fruits and
veggies. It really made my day to see how much these friends of mine enjoy what
they do and the sense of accomplishment they gain from serving our community.
***
Last
weekend, we were having a lazy morning and tuned into one of our hands-down
favorites, The French Chef with Julia Child. This episode, in
glorious black-and-white, was from one of the earlier years of the program, and
Julia was at the top of her cooking game.
She
was showing everyone how to make croissants, those super buttery staples of
French breakfasts (my mouth is watering now). She did a marvelous job in
explaining what flour to use (all-purpose works, but it takes a bit of
additional effort). She used a mixture of 1/3 all-purpose and 2/3
unbleached pastry flour, which helps develop the wonderful light qualities of
croissants.
So
there she was, in all her 1965 glory, describing how to prepare the butter
(always butter, baby!) to roll into the dough, which must be chilled to keep it
rolling well. The secret to superb rolls is to keep rolling and turning
it over several raises, provided you have good yeast and the right climate for
those little beggars to generate CO2. Her rolling technique
was great … she used an industrial-sized hardwood dowel, and with gusto tossed
out a run-of-the-mill roller, based on its general uselessness.
As
she was kneading, turning, chilling and flying through the steps, she explained
the importance of gluten to breads, and how working the dough makes this sticky
protein compound develop. The more dough is worked, the less crumbly the
resulting bread will be.
Of
course, it would be interesting to hear her take on today’s many gluten-free
items, a recent development in support of those who have Celiac Disease.
According to the Celiac Foundation, the condition is a “is a serious genetic
autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small
intestine. When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found
in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks
the small intestine.” CD can be especially harmful to children, as it
stunts their growth.
I would dare say that back in the 1960s, gluten intolerance
was virtually unknown, but today, it is common and about 1-of-133 people have
it. Its symptoms include weight loss, diarrhea, and intestinal
discomfort; it can lead to significant health issues caused by malabsorption of
nutrients … things like chronic tiredness, anemia, and
osteoporosis. It also can increase the risk of lymphoma, cancer of the
lymphatic system, a key part of the body’s immune system.
Thankfully, Celiac Disease is detectable by blood- and other
tests, and there are now many dietary options to combat the inflammatory
symptoms, improve health, and lead a normal life. If you think you have
CD, learn more at celiac.org, talk to your
doctor, and lessen your intake of wheat, barley or rye grain products.
Until next time, be well!
Lori
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Freezer Meals!
We hope that everyone will come
down to our next delicious Pathfinder Produce fresh fruits and veggie market,
on this Thursday, September 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Village Commons.
We’re kicking off cider and apple season, and we’ve got some other great
harvest tastes for you to try from our Pathfinder Village Hoop House … YUM!
This week, our Director of
Education Maura Iorio serves up some timely ideas about balancing family meals
and busy schedules, now that school and youth sports are up-and-running!
Enjoy!
***
Last month I wrote about getting ready to send
the kiddos back to school, with healthy lunches in hand. Now that September is
here, and life is in full swing, things have been a bit busy, and
I'm sure many families out there can relate. Between work, school, Boy Scouts,
and football practices and games, our schedule has been a whirlwind of
activity!
When we are on the go constantly, fast foods
like pizza and McDonald’s can be pretty tempting dinner options. However, this
year I did things a little differently to make sure our family could eat quick,
easy meals that are on the healthier side—and don't kill the bank account like
take-out can.
For years, my grandmother has been telling me to
learn the art of making freezer meals. I always smiled and nodded politely, and
then promptly forgot every word, and went about trying to cook and eat dinner
in the 23 minutes between getting home and running out the door for football
practice. Note to self: Always take the advice of a
woman who raised four boys more seriously.
With a later work schedule, and a husband who is
trying to balance work, coaching, and being a Scout Master, plus keeping up
with two rambunctious boys who always seem to be hungry (and aren't even
teenagers yet!), I knew something had to give this year. So I gave
Grandma’s crazy freezer meal idea a try.
I researched recipes on Pinterest, shopped for
all of the ingredients, and got to prepping. For a little under $100, I was
able to make 16 freezer meals. Now instead of worrying about throwing
something together when I get home (or caving and ordering a pizza), I can rest
easy knowing that a healthy dinner is taken care of. (Essential items
include large freezer bags and a family-sized slow cooker. Meals are
thawed a day ahead in the refrigerator, and slow-cooked during the work day).
Check out these recipes (packed with veggies and
fruits) to kick start your freezer meal planning! We hope to see you this
Thursday at Pathfinder Produce to cross some fresh ingredients off your list.
Until next time, eat well, and enjoy special
times with your family!
Maura (and Lori)
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Water-logged
Goodness
gracious, we’re already half way through September. It’s been an incredible month thus far at
Pathfinder Village, and we’re so grateful to all of our community patrons who
make our weekly fresh fruit and veggie market, Pathfinder Produce, such a great
success. We’re at the height of the
harvest season, so be sure to stop by this Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the
Village Commons to get some tasty and healthy treats for your family.
I
apologize that last week we took a brief hiatus from our “veggie blog.” Maura, our Director of Education, was
welcoming her students back to another year of learning adventures at
Pathfinder School. Martha and I were
working at the Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open and Pro-Am, the Chobani Tennis
Classic, and the Juniors Tennis Classic in support of Pathfinder Village’s
Scholarship Fund. Thanks go out to all
who made both the first week of school and our tournaments so successful!
****
Over the past two weeks, the area’s youth soccer players and the
members of the Edmeston Central School’s Cross Country Team have returned to
Pathfinder Village for practices and competitions at Grant’s Field and the
Pathfinder Community Fitness Trail. It’s
wonderful to have our youngsters enjoy Pathfinder’s athletic fields, and we
offer a great round of thanks to the parents who support these teams. We’re looking forward to a memorable season
for all the athletes.
My own son, now on the varsity soccer team at his school,
requested that I buy a new water bottle for him, large enough so that he has
plenty of water during games and practices.
I was happy to do this, as I know how important it is for athletes to
stay hydrated. Typically, the kid will
take a water bottle with him to school, sip it during the day and at lunch, and
then refill it before his afternoon practices.
We ended up buying a 32 oz. stainless container, so if he fills it twice
each day, he’ll be well on his way to getting enough to drink.
(We tend to buy the stainless containers as they don’t break or
leak, are easy to keep clean, and don’t contain BPA, a plastic that some studies
have indicated can leach into food and beverages, and may have an effect on
brain, circulatory and developmental health).
When I was looking online to purchase the bottle, I got thinking
about how we can actually know if we get enough water each day. Many folks use the general guidelines of the “8
x 8 rule.” A quick
online search reveals that the amount of water you actually need is more
determined by your size, your level of activity, and other factors. Some also believe that it is beneficial to
drink water through the day, rather than at intervals. And there are plenty of studies that show
that drinking cold water boosts metabolism and can help you lose weight if you
drink water about 30 minutes before eating.
(One thing that I’ve read online, and have experienced, is that it is
possible to confuse thirst with hunger. Livestrong
recommends that the next time you think you are hungry, try drinking water and
see if your cravings go away).
I found out too, that there are several free
iPhone and Android apps that people can use to help track their water
intake. By logging in how often you
drink, you understand your water needs better and reinforce the positive
behavior of drinking regularly. I think
I’m going to download one of these and see how it goes. If you don’t have a smart phone or aren’t
tech savvy, there are plenty of page
printouts you can use to help you get enough daily fluids.
And, not to gross anyone out, but if you aren’t one to track
things, the surest indicator that you are getting enough water is to gauge the color
of your pee. If it’s dark yellow, it’s too concentrated and you need to drink
more. For those who care for children,
always check to see if they are getting enough water; monitor diapers and
pull-ups using the color chart, and observe if their eyes appear sunken or if
they have tears when they are crying. If
there aren’t any tears, the child is dehydrated, needs to drink and may
need medical attention. Older
people are also highly prone to becoming dehydrated, which can cause a list
of conditions from confusion to constipation, from rapid heart rates to serious
UTIs. Encourage your older loved ones to
always drink enough water, even if they aren’t always keen on the idea.
Until next time, enjoy these glorious days of fall, and drink up!
Lori
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