Ms Ceci's Home Ec Page

Discovering the World of Nutrition in Miss Ceci's Family and Consumer Science Class

Letter for Parents and Students:

This upcoming year is going to be filled with a great deal of hard work, but at the same time it will be a class that is impossible to fail if you work to your best ability. My goal in teaching this class is to educate all of my students on how to make wise decisions every time they sit down to eat a meal or grab a snack. Food choices are directly related to the ability of an individual to thrive at his / her optimal state. Foods, spices and herbs can help heal people from different ailments. This semester, I have constructed the classroom lectures around discovering the nutritional value of different foods and then applying this information to the valuable food labs. Each student is required to participate in classroom activities, as well as, a few out of class assignments. Below I have broken down the components which will comprise the total grade of each student. Please e-mail me if you have any questions about the grading system or anything else related to the class- [email protected]

Student's Responsibilities:

1. Participation in all 10 Cooking Labs = 50% of Final Grade

2. Independent Research Project = 25% of Final Grade

3. Group Research Project and Presentation = 15% of Final Grade

4. Final Exam- Directly related to class lectures (ONLY EXAM!!!!) = 10% of Final Grade

Independent Research Project

Each students must do research on the nutritional value of either ginger or blueberries. I have already done the bulk of the research in finding four different web sites I would like you to incorporate into your paper. These sources can be found below in the Virtual Library. The paper is required to be between 2-3 pages, and also include a recipe that incorporates the food and caters to an individual on a special diet for a specific medical condition, such as: cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc... For extra credit (5% improvement on final grade) students can make the recipe and bring it in for the entire class to taste and briefly explain to the class the food's nutritional benefits.

Virtual Library

Blueberries

Blueberry Nutrition

Antioxidants help stop the destruction of free radicals. This site will clarify the importance of antioxidants in blueberries.

Blueberry's affect on Cholesterol

A study was done on rats which helped proved that valuable elements found in blueberries reduce cholesterol.

Nutritional Summary of Blueberries

The nutritional value of the blueberry is mapped out in detail, including vitamins and calories.

The Highbush Blueberry Council

This site is filled with more nutritional facts, and a list of the antioxidants found in blueberries.

Ginger

Ginger
This web site includes the history and make up of ginger.
Organic Ginger
The nutritional benefits of ginger are discussed in this web site.
Nutritional Summary of Ginger

The Nutritional value of ginger is mapped out in detail, including everything from vitamins and calories.

Medicinal properties of Ginger
The medicinal properties of ginger are described in detail in this site.

Topics of the 10 Cooking Labs

Every lab group will be assigned a separate recipe to make. The final product of each group will be shared with the class for a feast in the following class period.

                                                1. Vegetables- The Foundation of a Healthy Lifestyle
                                                2. Fruits- Solid Energy for People on the Go
                                                3. Carbohydrates- Processed Verses Unprocessed Grains
                                                4. Lean Meats, Fish and Poultry- Building Strong Muscles
                                                5. Dairy Products- Solid Bones- Preventing Osteoporosis
                                                6. Healthy Fats- Omega 3 Fatty Acids- Preventing Heart Disease
                                                7. Herbs and Spices- Adding Nutritiously Dense Flavor to Food
                                                8. Vegetarian Alternatives- Tasty Tofu and Tempeh
                                                9. Desserts-Splurging Without Destroying Your Health
                                                10. Medical Diet Needs- Cooking to Heal Diabetes and High Cholesterol

Example Recipes for Cooking Lab #1

Veggie Stew

1 small tomato, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow squash
1/2 zucchini
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
1/4 onion chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 clove garlic
1/8 C water

**Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Slice zucchini & squash into 1/4 in. slices. Put vegetables in large pot. Add sea salt & basil. Stir in 1/8 cup water. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Stir continuously.

Sweet Pepper Soup

1 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil
3 med. sweet yellow peppers, cut in 1 in. pieces
1 med. sweet potato, peeled & quartered
2 small onions, diced
1 C. milk or soy milk
3 med. green peppers, cut in 1 in. pieces
6 C. vegetable broth
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. sea salt, optional
1/4 tsp. pepper
snipped chives, optional

**Heat the oil in a soup kettle. Sauté peppers, onion, potato & garlic until onion is tender, over medium heat, about 7 min. Add broth, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover & simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.Discard the bay leaf. Cool slightly. Puree in batches in a blender. Return to pan. Stir in milk. Heat through. Serve hot. Garnish with chives if desired. Yield about 12 servings.

Thank you all for your participation in advance. I know that we are going to have a great class and learn many things. If anyone needs to reach me for any reason, please contact me by e-mail once again!!! Parents, please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns you may have about the course. [email protected]

***All Graphics are borrowed from ambographics***