Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Summer on the Horizon

It's almost impossible for Super Snack Lady to believe that the school year is practically over!  Yet, as she looks at the calendar she can see that she is done with school visits for the year and there are only 4.5 days of school left.  Where did the year go?  Each month flew by faster than the month before and she truly enjoyed getting to know each class on an individual basis!

Now that school is over Super Snack Lady wants to know how you, yes YOU, are going to stay active and healthy over the summer.  Below are some yummy and busy ways to keep healthy while Super Snack Lady and school takes a break for the summer months.
 

1)  SWIM!  It's a full body workout that helps keep your muscles strong and helps your lungs get stronger too.  Not to mention that when it's hot out that it's a great way to cool off.  Just don't forget the sunscreen!

2)  Enjoy a cool, fresh snack!  In May Super Snack Lady brought yogurt parfaits to your classroom.  What was the recipe you ask?  It's SIMPLE!  Just buy vanilla flavored yogurt (Super Snack Lady loves Danen Light and Fit brand) and your favorite fruit.  Wash fruit, cut it up, and put in the yogurt.  Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, tangerines,  and blackberries all make great treats.  Try mixing a couple fruits to find an extra yummy- and healthy- treat.


3)  Ride your bike in the evening!  Riding your bike is not only fun but a great way to get your legs strong and to build stamina with your lungs.  Super Snack Lady recommends doing it after dinner when it's a little cooler rather then in the middle of the day when it's so hot.

4)  Frozen grapes are DELICIOUS!  Super Snack Lady loves frozen purple grapes.  Not only are they a healthy snack but they make a great snack to cool you off in hot summer days.

5)  Sweet corn!  We live in Iowa where we get the best sweet corn towards the end of July and early August.  Grill it up, boil it, cut it off the cob and freeze it for winter months.  No matter how you enjoy it make sure you get local, fresh sweet corn when it's ready and enjoy the yummy stuff that most states have to ship in from other sources.  Being in Iowa isn't so bad after all, huh?

Enjoy your summer and know that the ISU Extension Office of Linn County along with the Iowa Department of Public Health is very excited to bring nutrition to YOUR school in the fall when school starts back up!

Friday, May 17, 2013

JSA Garden

Super Snack Lady has been very busy helping Johnson School of the Arts to put in a garden at the church behind their school.  Yesterday 10 Target volunteers along with Super Snack Lady and Garden Enrichment students got the garden mulched, the fence up, and the whole garden planted!  WOW!  Check out the photos below to see before, during, and after photos from the garden space!

Here is the "garden" way back in February. 

Here is the "garden" after our work day in
early April when we put all of the compost on the
beds.

Here is the GARDEN now that it's been planted,
mulched, and fenced in!!!

 

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

What Exactly Can We Do With Spinach?

As some students have found out we are having SPINACH for the month of May in Super Snack Lady's school visits.  SSL often gets the question of: "What do you eat spinach in other than salads?"  Well, it can be cooked and eaten or put in lasagna or even as a pizza topping but otherwise you normally eat it raw.  

Some of you might have heard about this craze called "Green Smoothies" that a lot of people are drinking.  The main ingredient is SPINACH! The thing about making a green smoothie is that you still get all of the healthy benefits of the spinach but can't taste it at all.  When making smoothies with spinach you have to remember back to your elementary art class days and remember if you mix specific colors together that you'll get another color.  For example: 
green spinach + red berries (strawberries, raspberries, etc) = brown colored smoothie
green spinach + light colored fruits (apples, pineapple, etc) = a green colored smoothie!

Recently Super Snack Lady tried to make a green smoothie at home.  Below are pictures of what it ended up looking like along with the recipe!

Everything was in the blender and ready
to go!  Spinach, pineapple, apple, tomato,
banana, and a splash of water.

Half way blended but before the spinach
got in there and made it green.

The finished product!

What exactly did Super Snack Lady put in her smoothie?
2 large handfuls of spinach
1 cup of fresh pineapple

1 apple
1 tomato
1 banana
1/4 cup of water

Blend in a blender, drink, and ENJOY!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

May's Fruit and Veggie (and a mystery snack!)

Can you believe that it's already May?!  Not to mention that this will be the last month of Super Snack Lady visits until next school year.  Super Snack Lady has had a very fun and exciting school year and has really enjoyed getting to know all of you! 

Check out the photos below for a hint on the fruit and veggie for this month!


This leafy green vegetable is great in salads.
It can also be added to smoothies for a
big kick of Vitamin A and Vitamin C!

This yummy spring and summer fruit
is perfect to eat plain.  It has it's seeds
on the outside of it.  How unique!

This month Super Snack Lady
will be discussing milk products
along with the normal fruit and veggie.
This is perfect to pair up with
the fruit of the month.  Any
guesses on what it is?