Halloween Sweet Or Savory?

 Here's the Halloween question of the day - do you like sweet or savory Halloween treats?

I gave out both this Halloween

I am a big savory snack person myself and this collection from Lidl had everything from Funyuns to Cheeto Puffs an Twists to two types of Lays potato chips, sour cream and onion and cheddar and sour cream.There's also Frito;'s flavor treats in honey BBQ.

There is also the sweet side.I had Skittles and Snickers for my students. There was so much left over I brought them home.

Whats my favorite??

Savory!!!!!There's nothing like a bag of Funyuns to munch on during Halloween night.

What's your favorite Halloween treat? Let us know.

LIttle Chefs Big Help

 The school year has or is just about t o start. While it's great to teach kids the language arts and STEM it is also good to teach them about humility and sharing.It makes for a better , more empathetic student.

What can kids do? Visit nursing homes and take part in food pantries. Some secular and religious schools do this, Kids can hang out and bring snacks like apple slices and carrot sticks to share with their elders.A fun idea is having students, whether, they're in kindergarten or high school also visit veteran homes.. Here they can listen to stories while sharing afternoon snacks. Inviting an elderly neighbor or veteran over to your house can also expand a child's experience.Ask your guest what they would like for dinner and dessert. Have your kids help in making both. Another idea is the kids helping yo create a meal or sweet for a shut in neightbor and go with you when you deliever the food. if you have older children then enlist them to go shopping for elderly neighbors and family memebers. It's a  great way of having them bond and learning about altruism.Older teens like sixteen and seventeen year olds can drive them to the sotres or even out to a restuarant for a saturdya or Sunday lunch.

Of course bake sales have always been a school staple. Kids should get involved in them as well. This is perfect for little bakers who love to create sweet treats.  Talk to their teachers to see if the class can "adopt" a charity in which they can fund raise. It could be an animal charity or for a family who is struggling. They can expand their repetoire by offering some savory treats as well. Think cheese or sausage breads or little pizzas that can be warmed in portable ovens. They could evne try their hands at such complicated recipes like croissant and brioche. The enire school can have a charity dinner or buffet with the proceeds go to a charity as well.  Middle school kids can help in cutting up veggies and measuring ingredients. The smaller ones can help in organizing the utensils, plates and napkins. Again kids of all ages can help in baking desserts like chocolate chip cookies and brownies.A great act f charity is also working at a food bank. Kids cna help in putting together packages for those in need. it teaches them not only about helping others but putting together nutritious ingredients for home cooked delicious meals.

Kids need to learn about empathy and kindness as much as they need to learn about the arts and sciences. emphasize the importance of giving to others by way of food.It'll make them more aware of the world aroudn them.

Lou And His Special Diet

Kids today are beset with a plethora of allergies.They suffer from everything from gluten to nut allergies. Many along with their parents r don't know what to do or how to refuse. Luckily, there's a brand new book out there to help along. A smart boy, named Lou can help them.

The children's book, Lou Knows What To Do; Special Diet "Boystown Press 2017) was co-written by Kimberly Tice,MS CCC-SLP and Venita Livack MA, CCC-SLP who have encountered children who have had allergies. It is a plague of the modern world, with more and more children (along with adults) being diagnosed with severe food hypersensitivity. This book is a gentle tale about a young boy , named Lou who has to deal with the double onus of a peanut and gluten allergies. This wide eyed boy, expertly drawn by Andre Kerry ,discovers he has to change his diet. His magic bubble wand (and what kid - or adult for that matter wouldn't want this) shows him the type of foods that he can't have. There is a bubble depicting a table full of doughnuts, cereal, bread and cake along with a bubble showing Lou looking fretfully at a jar of peanut butter.There are also pictures of him checking out boxes with his mom in the their local supermarket. Another shows hin at a restaurant, scanning over a menu along with thanking a chef for creating a "safe" meal for him. More illustrations show Lou  at school , with him saying no to trading questionable snacks,. There's also him with his teacher and the explanation of how to use an epi pen.

This is the must have book for both parents and teachers. What I like about it is that every page starts with the red ink highlighted Lou knows. Ms. Tice and Ms. Livack also know not to talk down to kids, and explain everything in simple, uncomplicated terms. They  have written other "Lou" books" that features the hero at the supermarket and at a party.Another plus is that they stress the seriousness yet liveability of severe allergies without also showing the sometimes dire consequences. This book is definitely a learning tool, allowing for a dialogue to take place between teachers and students. There is even a page of tips for educators.It can also open a conversation  for healthy eating and what foods are good or bad.There's also a quiz at the back too to see if the kids really understood the story and if they retained anything.A nice bonus would have been a section on recipes that feature gluten and nut free dishes and snacks. Hopefully the authors will consider this in this future and include recipes for sunflower seed butter as well as for gluten pizzas and cupcakes.

Lou Knows What To Do, Special Diet, is a great book for kids with allergy. It is smartly and sensitively written by two authors who have a keen insight into children. This is a must have for any young person's library.,

Gardens Of Knowledge

Now with schools starting across the country it's time for communities to think about another subject - gardening.Schools across the nation should think about adding it to their curriculum. It not only teaches kids about nature and sustainability but also about giving.The produce can be easily given to those families and fellow students  who need it.

Schoolyard gardens are here and there in several major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Kindergarteners through high schoolers learn about how veggies and fruit is grown and produced. They learn about composting and the importance of bugs such as worms  for soil aeration. There's also the satisfaction of seeing produce ripening and harvesting it .  Having a school garden can also be inspiring. Kids will want to have a small home garden themselves and influence siblings and cousins to do the same. Another plus is that it will make them. want to think  about possible  futures   in     biology, cooking   or  even farming.  It will even show them how to be more generous and more aware of the less fortunate  around them when the produce is donated to food pantries.

Gardening will also teach kids about nutrition. This was the case at the Martin Luther King Jr Middle School in Berkeley California, It happened to be near where famed chef Alice Waters lived. She came in and helped start the Edible schoolyard plan.It helped inner city kids learn all about the science of growing  along with the importance of fresh ingredients in cooking.The program helped them make important choices when it comes to eating and snacking. There are even cooking classes where students solve math problems by reconfiguring recipes. The program them went to New Orleans and then Los Angeles. It is now employed in almost every big American city.and is helping a second generation of students learn how to cook and eat better.

If your school district  doesn't include gardening as part of its' curriculum, then protest It's important that students know the value of fresh food and how it can impact their lives. Fight to have a garden of knowledge in your town.

The Perfect Cup

There's nothing like a good cup of coffee, especially espresso.The problem is not many know how to make it at home. Most have to rely on their local barrista to give them the perfect cup. Yet with the right guidance that heavenly brew can be created.

It was the main article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Matt Raichtel, a Dining newcomer had the fun task of not 0only tasting but being shown how to make the right cup of espresso.There are classes called Camp Pull A  Shot that last for four days  for making every kind of cup from creamy lattes to adreleine boosting espresso. Students, who range from barristas to the average joe(pun intended) learn the basics. They sample different beans  along with understanding the mechanics of La Marzocco Liena t a variety of espresso machines, Then they get to try their hand at it. Mr Raichtel did pretty well with it.He did have help though thanks to top barrista, Tristan Walach or as he's also known as Ant.

What makes a good cup? Both the beans and the steamed milk help however knowing how to run the coffee machine properly helps the most. Without the right stream of water ,espresso can turn out to be watery. Even the best tasting beans can have their flavor destroyed.With practice, however anyone can make a good cup. Properly steamed milk also helps too,The sugars in the milk have to cook and that usually happens at 135 degrees F.It makes for a sweeter taste. More or less it all boils down to grinding the beans properly and running water through it for 25 seconds.

A good cup of espresso is always a treat.If you can make it at home, it' even better .It just takes some work to make a tasty treat.