Hooray Puree reinvents a classic, kid friendly recipe

Here is a fun recipe utilizing Hooray Puree. I first created this recipe in my early days of working in school nutrition. Peeling the squash and sweet potatoes, steaming, mashing, then pureeing them was a laborious process...until I discovered Hooray Puree. Now the recipe prep time has decreased 75% and my kids still LOVE this recipe.

Have fun making this at home with your children!

SQUAPPLE CRISP

1 cups Hooray Puree Butternut squash

3 cups Hooray Puree Sweet Potato
1 pound (about 3)  apples, peeled and sliced
4 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup REAL Maple Syrup
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cornflakes, crushed

Add squash and sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add 1 Tbs. butter, 1/4 cup  Maple Syrup and spices to the squash & sweet potatoes. Melt remaining butter, mix with cornflakes and remaining syrup. Layer squash and apples in baking pan, top with cornflake mixture. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. 

Serve as a side dish to accompany dinner or add a scoop of ice cream for a delicious dessert!

www.hooraypuree.com

@HoorayPuree

Maple Sugaring/Chef Demo at IAR Middle School in Farmington

Today I had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to work with the staff and students at IAR Middle School in Farmington CT. 

I cooked Whole Grain Pancakes for the students and served them with Maple Syrup made by the students from Sugar Maples tapped at their school! 

Chartwells Resident Dietitian for Farmington Public Schools Aliza Stern RD spoke about Whole Grains.

 

 

Maple Sugar Farmer Kay Carroll from Brookside Farm II in Litchfield spoke to the students about the Maple Syrup production process and explain and tasted the four different grades of Maple Syrup  with the students.

For more information about Connecticut Maple Syrup visit CT Maple Syrup Producers website: http://www.ctmaple.org 

For GREAT Maple Recipes, including two of my own please pick up a copy of 

The Maple Cookbook – Connecticut Style http://www.ctmaple.org/cookbook.html 

All pictures are original except the top photo which was borrowed from the CT Maple Syrup Producers website

Healthy Macaroni & Cheese...fun, simple recipe; chock full of flavor & nutrients!

Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes & White Beans
                       
4oz package of Hooray Puree butternut squash
4oz package of Hooray Puree sweet potato                  
1/2 cup white beans, drained
3 cups Barilla whole grain elbow macaroni
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 cup whole milk
3 cups shredded Cheddar
Kosher salt & pepper to taste

Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the macaroni according to package directions.    

Add white beans to food processor and process is until smooth.  

Heat a saucepan on medium. Melt and heat butter. Whisk in flour, until it forms a thick paste.

Whisk in the milk and cook until it begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes. Add the bean, potato, squash puree and cheeses. Stir until cheese has melted.

As soon as cheese is melted, remove from heat. Toss with the macaroni noodles and serve immediately.

Not only will the children love this version but they will have no idea that the 'cheese' sauce is chock full of veggies and was super easy to make!

Squash and Sweet Potato puree information can be found by visiting:
http://hooraypuree.com

Team Cipriano take on St. Baldrick's Foundation

Good Day Friends,

My two oldest boys James and Michael are shaving their heads to raise money for childhood cancer research! My daughter Molly is choosing not to shave her head but she is working with the boys to advocate and help raise money.

 Did you know that kids' cancers are different from adult cancers? It's true. And childhood cancer research is extremely underfunded. So they decided to do something about it by raising money for cures. Now they need your help!

Will you make a donation? Every dollar makes a difference for the thousands of infants, children, teens, and young adults fighting childhood cancers.

James' Page: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/697111/2014

Michael's Page: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/697118/2014

Thanks for considering,
Tim

What is the St. Baldrick's Foundation?
The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.

What does the St. Baldrick's Foundation do?
The St. Baldrick's Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. We coordinate our signature head-shaving events and other fundraisers, giving thousands of volunteers worldwide a chance to raise money to support lifesaving childhood cancer research. St. Baldrick's events are the largest volunteer-driven fundraising opportunity benefitting pediatric cancer research.

Where does the money go?
Since 2005, St. Baldrick's has awarded more than $127 million to support lifesaving research, making the St. Baldrick's Foundation the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants. St. Baldrick's funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world – including the first Pediatric Cancer Dream Team – and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, and the new International Scholar grants train researchers working in developing countries. You can learn more about our grants by visiting our Grants page.

What percentage of my money goes to research?
Of every dollar raised, 82% funds research to find a cure, 16% goes to fundraising (website, phones, postage, printing, t-shirts, office space, staff, etc.) and 2% goes to administration (accounting, distributing and monitoring grants, etc.). St. Baldrick's takes its responsibility to be efficient and good stewards of every dollar donated very seriously, and strives to put the most funding possible into the hands of researchers who can cure childhood cancers. View St. Baldrick's Expense Ratios.

How can I be sure the St. Baldrick's Foundation is a legitimate charity?
The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, IRS identification number 20-1173824. It is also registered in every state that requires charitable organizations to register to raise funds. St. Baldrick's has been named an accredited charity by the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, and our board and staff are committed to the highest standards of ethics and responsibility to donors and volunteers.

Help me fund the LocalFoodDude Food Truck!

Follow us on twitter @LFDTrk

Building snowmen and snow-forts; throwing snowballs and sledding...on an empty belly these fun winter activities are IMPOSSIBLE. Snow cancellations mean hungry kids lose access to nutritious foods when they need it the most.

I'm interested in building a network of 4-wheel drive food trucks to combat childhood hunger on snow days and using the same network of trucks to feds kids on the weekends and during the summer.

Here's the deal. I'm looking for funding to purchase a food truck outfitted with a full kitchen to feed kids summer meals, where they live, learn and play BUT, I can’t do this without financial support.

The federal summer meal program will cover fuel, food & labor costs for the summer food program locations. On the weekends and in the times when the truck is not operating during the summer food program, the truck would be used to cater parties and be used as a food truck at fairs and the like to raise awareness and money to continue and grow the vision.  

During non-serving hours the truck will be used to teach low income families culinary training through Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters program.

This is a vision based on the successful "Free Meals Here" Food Truck model I created in New Haven, CT but with a full kitchen to serve all kinds of great healthy food. The truck will specialize in locally grown products when in season.

http://www.nhps.net/FoodTruck

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/ct_style/free-meals-here-food-truck#.UbDIQPnVAeo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnOJnGpagqo

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/05/29/153931434/food-trucks-draw-hungry-kids-for-free-summer-meals

http://www.uwgnh.org/node/545/food-truck

Feeding kids is my passion. Help me make this plan a reality with the long term goal of creating a sustainable program to end childhood hunger in America.

Location

The first location to feed hungry kids lunch for free during the summer & winter will start in Waterbury, CT. The food truck will then roam throughout Western CT and Eastern NY State for caterings and fairs.

Atmosphere

The truck will be lime green and orange and be very 'flashy' to attract attention and to be a roving billboard. The Tag Line is "Be a Vocal Local, Buy Locally Grown."

Marketing Strategy

We plan to focus on four outreach strategies:

Local Media: I have received a considerable amount of local and national media attention as well as appearing on Food Network's CHOPPED.

Social Media: I already have over 1600 'Friends" on Facebook and over 2,500 Twitter followers. I will post regular updates with a location finder and offer compelling content, including trivia contests with prizes of free food.

Local Offices/Word of Mouth: We will provide area offices with vouchers good for one free lunch to introduce them to the food truck. In addition my network consists of hundreds of people who appreciate good, locally-grown food and who are eager to try the new food truck. 

Financial Plan

We anticipate start-up expenses of $120,000 (kitchen equipment, furnishing, truck, etc.). Funding for the Free Summer Meals Program portion will be paid through the USDA Summer Meals Program.

In year one we expect to generate over $75,000 in sales, $100,000 in sales by the end of year two, and net profits of over 3.5% on sales by the end of year three. First profitability will be reached by our second year in operation.

Management

Chef Timothy Cipriano is the Local Food Dude and Director of Dining Services for Chartwells School Dining at Farmington Public Schools. Chef Tim is a pioneer in setting up Farm to School and School Garden programs in school districts throughout CT.

In November 2012 Chef Tim was a contestant on Food Network's CHOPPED. Chef did not win but made an impressive stint, getting chopped at the conclusion of the entree round.

In March 2010, Chef Tim was one of ten chefs handpicked by the White House to meet with Chef Sam Kass, Executive Director of First Lady Michele Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign, and the USDA at the White House to coordinate a program, Chefs Move to Schools.

Because of Chef Tim's dedication to feeding America's children real food and for his part in coordinating the Chefs Move to Schools Program, President Obama named Chef Tim a Champion of Change in April 2011.

As Chair of Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation New Haven, Chef Tim volunteers countless hours ensuring that no kid goes hungry in America. Share Our Strength named Chef Tim Advocate of the Year for his efforts.

Websites

www.cheftimlocalfooddude.blogspot.com

http://www.nokidhungry.org/blog/chefs-culinary-youth-advocates-billy-shore/2012/09/tims-race-and-skylers-lemonade-stand

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chef-Timothy-Cipriano/165688570129067

http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/chefs/timothy-cipriano

Email Chef Tim at NKHChef@gmail.com with questions

NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHEF & REIGNING SCHOOL LUNCH CHOPPED CHAMPION TO BE FEATURED ON FOOD NETWORK’S ‘CHOPPED’

NEW HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHEF & REIGNING SCHOOL LUNCH CHOPPED CHAMPION TO BE FEATURED ON FOOD NETWORK’S ‘CHOPPED’

Connecticut No Kid Hungry Chef makes an appearance as a Judge on episode to Air Tonight September 10th at 10:00 p.m.

NEW HAVEN, CT (SEPTEMBER 10, 2013) – Chef Cheryl Barbara, Chef at Nathan Hale School in New Haven, CT and Connecticut’s Favorite No Kid Hungry Chef will be featured as one of the judges in an episode to air tonight September 10, 2013 at 10:00 p.m. (EST) on the Food Network’s highly acclaimed program “Chopped.”

Chef Cheryl, who recently left her Chef position at High School in the Community to be the Chef at her daughter’s school, Nathan Hale School, won Chopped in November 2011, Season 9, Episode 13 - Class Acts.

This year, nearly one in five kids in America will face hunger.  That's more than 16 million.   But, there is hope.   Share our Strength is working to connect hungry kids with programs that can help them get the food they need to thrive.

I'm sharing my strengths and putting them to good use to help kids struggling with hunger, but I need your help!   Consider making a donation to No Kid Hungry in my name:http://www.nokidhungry.org/donate

Every dollar donated can make a huge impact. Here are some examples:

$1 can help provide a hungry child with 10 healthy meals.

$4 can help provide a child facing hunger with a backpack full of healthy food over a weekend when school meals are not available.

$9 can help connect a child with healthy lunches during summer when school is out.

$35 can help a child care center provide free afterschool snacks and suppers to at-risk children all year long.

$65 can provide a grab-n-go breakfast cart to an elementary school so that every student starts every school day with a healthy meal.

The Good Long Road: Happy Birthday, Eric Carle~We're Doing a Very Hung...

The Good Long Road: Happy Birthday, Eric Carle~We're Doing a Very Hung...: Thanks to FSPDT , Pleasantest Thing , Pennies of Time , and Rainbows Within Reach for images in collage. Summer is officially here (for...