Homemade for the Holidays

Just a plug to our students (and parents) to consider homemade holiday gifts this year. Here is a great one from the Food in Jars website for an easy and delicious apple/cranberry jam. It makes a ruby red jar of jam which looks even more festive with a green bow wrapped around it.

Other easy gifts to put together are homemade brownie mixes, waffle recipes, chutneys, batches of mexican pickled veggies (see an earlier post here to find that one) and jars of assorted dried beans that are turned into nourishing pots of soup to help restore balanced eating after the holiday feasting.

Apple-Cranberry Jam

8 cups of peeled and diced apple (approximately 5-6 large apples, 1/2 inch dice. Use a softer apple like a Golden Delicious. Firm apples won’t cook down as well.)
4 cups of whole cranberries
6 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 lemons, zested and juiced

Combine the apples, cranberries, sugar and water in a large pot (use a big one, this jam will bubble) over high heat. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam that develops on the top of the fruit. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the cranberries pop and the apples soften.

Add the lemon zest and juice and simmer until the liquid in the pot begins to thicken (because both apples and cranberries are naturally high in pectin, you won’t need any additional pectin to help this jam set, as long as you cook it until thick and syrup-y).

Ladle into prepared jars, wipe rims, apply lids and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Label nicely and distribute to those you love.

Makes 4 1/2 – 5 pints.

***I made this jam without the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves or allspice. However, I do believe that the addition of one or two of those spices would be quite nice.

Free Art Classes

Here's some news contributed from parent Erin Gamble:

The Pasadena library system has been offering free Art Classes on Saturdays.

The classes run from 10:30-noon at the San Rafael Branch and from 1:30 to 2:30 at the Hill Branch.The classes are taught by students from Pasadena's Art Center and all materials are provided.

My kids have been going to the San Rafael one. It's good for kids from very little up to 5th or 6th grade (and older, if they're motivated. :) There are usually 2 or 3 teachers there, and they seem to do a very good job. So far they've stuck to the more basic paper-based crafts, but my kids enjoy it a lot -- so I thought other parents who are concerned about not losing art in school might want to know.

Helping Hand Food Pantry at OCS

As 2009 draws to a close, it's clear that many Californians had a brutal year. Unemployment is at a record high and the costs of living here -- mortgage, rent, car payments, clothing and food -- remain steep. Many families are tightening their belts to make ends meet and a little help now and then is deeply appreciated.

In that spirit, Brenda Davidge, Jude's Mom, would like to to create a small food pantry for OCS families during these tough economic times. She knows the need exists. For years Brenda has volunteered in food pantries around Los Angeles and this year has seen an increase in the numbers of families without sufficient means to feed themselves three meals a day.

Our school is likely no exception. Typically OCS has about 30% of its students elegible for free and reduced cost lunches, a proxy for low income families. This year, that means about 90+ students. This is just a proxy. The school does not collect or keep data on household income. Still, it is safe to assume that occasional food insecurity may be a fact of life for some of our families.

In order to better gauge what our community needs, Brenda recently sent out a survey (included in this week's Thursday packet) which asks a few simple questions. Please take a moment to fill that out and bring it back to the front office. You can also access the survey via the Survey Monkey Website at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gq17TK2cGvjfeF9HkEOqvA_3d_3d Please feel free to also include your comments and suggestions.

For more information about hunger in America, please take a look at an article published this week by Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5AF42220091116

Thanks.

Food Forum

WHEN: Thursday Nov 19 ( 7 PM - 9 PM)
doors open at 6:30 pm

WHERE:Venice Center for Peace 2210 Lincoln Blvd, corner of Victoria Ave, one block N of Venice Blvd., Venice CA 90291- Free street and lot parking

COST $5.00 suggested donation to help defray cost of event. No one turned away for lack of funds

Venice Food Forum: Eat, Drink & be Wary! Who's growing our food? What's in it? Why it isn't safe!

Speakers: Jules Dervaes, Katherine Green, Nicole Johnson

Jules Dervaes is the founder of Path to Freedom, a family-operated, viable urban homestead project established in 2001 to promote a simpler and more fulfilling lifestyle and to sow a "homegrown revolution" against the corporate powers that control the food supply. Since the mid-1980s, Mr. Dervaes and his three adult children have worked at transforming their city lot in Pasadena into a thriving organic garden that supplies them with food all year round. Through the family's outreach efforts at PathtoFreedom.com and via their popular, award-winning documentary short, Homegrown Revolution, millions of people worldwide have been educated and inspired to pursue a more sustainable way of life.

Katherine Green is a television writer and producer. Most recently she's been involved with researching the state of the food industry in this country. She has edited together a short DVD which will help break down in a provocative and entertaining way what we're up against in the supermarket--nutritionism, gmo crops, labeling laws, silenced scientists-- and how Monsanto fits into the picture.

Nicole Johnson is a researcher, writer and activist living in Ventura County, CA. Her recent work has focused on the sustainable production of wholesome food, agribusiness and the globalized food supply chain, the impact of the industrial food supply on health, and safe drinking water issues. She has published critical articles on the new food safety legislation. As a mother she has the most compelling reasons of all for working to ensure our food and water supply is clean, safe, and toxin-free.

Q & A will follow after the presentations.

Storytelling with Shadows - Puppetry Workshop

GET INSPIRED!!PUPPETRY WORKSHOP AT THE INTERNATIONAL PUPPETRY MUSEUM in PASADENA

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21stpresented by the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry"SHADOW TALES---puppetry storytelling using shadows"taught by Leslie K. Gray

Kami Shibai, the Japanese art of storytelling using picture cards, can be adapted to shadow puppetry form and then it takes on a life of its own! Come create your own story pieces to take home in this hands-onworkshop that will help open up the world of shadows and unlock those stories within you. Geared for adults and children old enough to cut with exacto knives!

Time: 2pm-5pmCost: $10 for LAGOP members, $15 for guestsPlease bring an exacto knife/cutting tool and cutting surfacePlace: International Puppetry Museum, 1062 N. Fair Oaks Ave.,Pasadena, CA 91103To make reservations, contact Christine Papalexis at 323/665-8062 oremail at lagopemail@aol. com

Art on your block

Block Party is a one-night tour of contemporary art exhibitions in non-traditional spaces, including apartments, studios, and storefronts. Organized by Daniel Ingroff and Paul Pescador, the event will occur November 21, 2009 from 6-10 pm and will feature exhibitions in Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, and Mt. Washington. Block Party is bicycle friendly, and accessible via Metro Gold Line.

FOR INFO/MAP: http://blockpartyar t.blogspot. com

Exhibitions:a. Curated by Kate HillsethYoung ArtAsher Mixtape Hell 2Asher Penn1727 N. Spring StreetLos Angeles, CA 90012(Goldline Stop: Chinatown)

b. Curated by Daniel Ingroff & Paul PescadorworkspaceDOMESTIC PARTNERFeaturing work by: Lisa Anne Auerbach, Akina Cox, Joshua Nathanson, Mercedes Teixido and Jenny Yurshansky2601 Pasadena AveLos Angeles, CA 90031(Gold Line stop: Heritage Square/Lincoln Heights)

c. Curated by Evan Walsh & Ian JamesI Was A Teenage Pieman, or… Attack of the Flying PiesFeaturing work by: Megan Cotts, Travis Diehl, Liz Glynn, Peter Holzhauer, George Jensen, Steve Kado, Meghann McCory, Jared David Paul, Gala Porras-Kim, Matt Siegle, Aaron Wrinkle, Miggie Wong and more TBA2939 Johnston St. (Blue House)Los Angeles, CA 90031(Gold Line stop: Heritage Square/Lincoln Heights)

d. Curated by Light and Wire GalleryAndy Parker4026 N. Figueroa St.Los Angeles, CA 90065(Gold Line stop: Heritage Square/Lincoln Heights)

e. Curated by Lizz Wasserman & Isaac ResnikoffAN OBJECT TOSSED FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHERFeaturing work by: Anthony Campuzano, John Finneran, Anton Lieberman, Shana Lutker and Lawrence Weiner5106 1/4 & 5106 1/2 Echo St.Los Angeles, CA 90042(Gold Line stop: Highland Park)

Dirty Kids

Some quick photos of the 1st/2nd grade "cooking kids" hard at work. So far we've planted chard, beans, artichokes, collards, kale, thyme, basil, parsley, oregano, sage, spring lettuces, bok choy, lemongrass, dandelion, lemon verbena and mexican tarragon. There are also bean, radicchio and herb seeds which were planted. Fingers crossed it all comes up!

The Eating Season

Some interesting thoughts from the Center for Non-Violent Education and Parenting. This was forwarded to the Beanstalk from the desk of parent, Karen Merchant (thank you Karen!).

"There’s a ton of wonderful research about how the brain responds to various kinds of food, and to various eating habits. Some of the information in this article is derived from a wonderful book called The End of Overeating - Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David Kessler, M.D.

Babies have a pretty good intrinsic sense of when they need to eat, and what they want. Breast milk has all the nutrition babies need, and for most babies, it’s available on tap. After they begin to eat solid food, however, it doesn’t take long before questions about nutrition arise. Is my child getting enough food? Too much food? The right kind of food?

One important thing to know about infants and preschoolers is that they adjust their caloric intake over the course of a day or many days. This is called “compensation” and it’s a normal and healthy way for your child to regulate their intake. It can cause parents a lot of anxiety when our kids don’t eat something we’ve put in front of them. But try to pay attention to what your child is eating over the course of a few days at a time to assess their overall nutrition. Dr. Kessler suggests that we should all eat like two year olds: small portions of healthy food many times throughout the day, eating when we are hungry, abstaining when we aren’t.

Sometimes food is used as a reward for behavior. Like any kind of reward, this is a way of manipulating children. Using food, however, can have other detrimental consequences. When children associate food with behavior, and when love seems closely linked with eating, such dire outcomes as obesity and eating disorders are quite possible.

Not only do we sometimes use food as a reward, we also give rewards and praise for eating. Have you ever heard the phrase “you’re such a good eater?” This kind of message can reinforce some damaging eating habits.

Many activists are working hard to improve the way that children learn about nutrition and get access to healthy food. There are a lot of very good programs looking to address nutrition in schools like Rethinking School Lunch and The Center for Food and Justice at Occidental College.

It’s our responsibility to provide nutrition. AND it’s true that our children have a natural sense of their bodies and their hunger. So fill your homes with nutritious food. Offer your children small portions of a variety of healthy foods, and model healthy eating yourself. Look at those huge piles of candy, and have a moment of self-empathy. We’re in the season of eating, and it’s just beginning.