Free Cooking Demonstration

DERBY- Griffin Hospital and the Valley United Way will host a free cooking demonstration from 4 to 5 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Griffin Community Garden in front of the hospital, 130 Division St.

 

Chef Remo Santilli, Director of Food Services at Griffin Hospital, will demonstrate how to make a quick, easy and delicious summer dish which highlights some of the fresh vegetables in the Griffin Community Garden.

 

The event is free and open to everyone. For more information, call the Valley United Way at 203-926-9478.

 

The Griffin Community Garden is part of the Valley United Way’s Grow Your Own initiative, which helps bring fresh produce to residents who need assistance getting healthy food. With gardens in Derby, Ansonia, Seymour and Oxford, Grow Your Own is designed to engage Valley neighborhood residents to actively participate in selecting, planting, maintaining, harvesting, and preserving fresh, nutritious produce. The ultimate goal of this program is to help “food insecure” residents obtain healthy fruits and vegetables to supplement what they are currently getting from local food pantries – as well as to encourage neighborhood residents to start their own gardens and improve their eating habits, helping alleviate one of the biggest social obstacles to good health.

 

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

 

Budding Young Chefs Create Healthy Recipes at Seymour Middle School

Seymour Middle School's Chefs left to right:  Arlinda Peraj, Seymour’s winning Chef with her Healthy Cinnamon Apple Waffles; Destiny Opotzner created the Egg White and More Omelet; Victoria Caiza and her Ezekiel Bread French Toast; Gina DeBlasi made Zucchini Eggs; Michaela Roach made an Omelet in a Bag. Student Jonathan Forte – not in photo, out sick, submitted Jonathan’s Smoothie.

 

SEYMOUR = Students at Seymour Middle School recently cooked up a storm for a chance to compete in a Valley-wide healthy cooking challenge. 

 

As a way to promote healthy eating habits among teens and tweens, the school district's Director of Nutrition Services, Cindy Brooks, recently staged the school's annual "Healthy Recipe Challenge."

 

Six student chefs were chosen to compete in the final round, with the middle school's winning chef, Arlinda Peraj, taking home bragging rights with her Healthy Cinnamon Apple Waffles. 

 

Brooks said her role, along with the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut and Valley Initiative to Advance Health and Learning in Schools, or VITAHLS, is to get kids thinking about healthy eating habits at a young age.

The young chefs worked with assistance from the cafeteria staff to create their healthy dishes.

 

Arlinda now moves on to compete with other Valley students in the final VITAHLS competition, scheduled for May 17 at Griffin Hospital in Derby.

 

 

 

 

 

6th graders' culinary skills impress crowd at challenge in Ansonia

Held Monday at Molto Bene restaurant

Seymour Middle School student Faith Rousseau chops an onion at Molto Bene Italian American Kitchen at the start of the healthy cooking competition. 

The event was sponsored by the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center at Griffin Hospital in Derby.

The cooking challenge evolved from the Valley Initiative to Advance Health & Learning in Schools (VITAHLS).

Faith's Black Bean and Corn Salad entry won the contest.

Derby Middle School student Natalia Wyszkowski slices bananas for her 'Rainbow Riot' fruit salad.

Shelton resident Madysen Miller, a Perry Hill School student, prepares broccoli florets to create her Broccoli Raisin Salad.

Ansonia resident Kiersten LaRue, a John G. Prendergast School student, cuts romaine lettuce for her creation, Wonton Bowls with Buffalo Chicken Salad. 

 

 Here's a peek at the flurry of activity in the kitchen.

Pictured from left, Catherine Katz, wife of renowned nutrition expert Dr. David Katz, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller, former Derby Mayor Marc Garofalo, Ansonia Mayor David S. Cassetti. The elected officials and Dr. Katz were judges. Catherine Katz accompanied her husband because, he said, she is a wonderful cook. "I've been the theory and she has been the practice," he said.

Neil Fuentes, a.k.a. The Singing Chef, served as master of ceremonies. He interviewed each of the contestants and encouraged them to continue learning about cooking, which he called a 'wonderful' activity.

This is Kiersten's presentation of her entry, Wonton Bowls with Buffalo Chicken Salad, which was my personal favorite!

My daughter and I enjoyed sampling all four delicious entries. We also enjoyed observing the culinary chaos in the kitchen.

The young cooks all deserve plaudits for their creativity and hard work. Great job, girls!  


Please stay tuned for a story in the New Haven Register.
 

Ansonia students vie for chef title

Winner to represent city in Valley contest 

Sixth graders pictured from left, David Michaud, Elton Sela, Garrett Cafaro, Makayla Godfrey, Kiersten LaRue, and Skylar Evans. /Contributed photo

     ANSONIA – Six contestants diced garlic, sautéed shrimp, and whisked homemade dressing March 27 as they vied for the title of Ansonia’s Salad Chef at Ansonia High School.

    The contestants were sixth graders from John G. Prendergast and John C. Mead Schools, and they met the challenge well in front of nearly 30 teachers, family members and staff from the Valley Initiative to Advance Health & Learning in Schools (VITAHLS). 

     In the end, it was Kiersten LaRue and her Wonton Bowls with Buffalo Chicken Salad, who edged out her peers. Kiersten will represent Ansonia in a Valley-wide competition, the VITAHLS Healthy Cooking Challenge on May 19 at Molto Bene Italian Kitchen restaurant in Ansonia. 
      The judges for the Valley-wide competition will be the mayors and first selectmen from the four Valley communities, as well as Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.

       Since 2011, the Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Shelton school districts have been actively involved in VITAHLS. 
       The mission of the school-based childhood obesity prevention initiative is to reduce the prevalence of obesity in students in grades Pre-K–12 by integrating a variety of nutrition and physical activity programming into the existing school structure.

          This spring, sixth graders in the four Valley school districts were invited to participate in a healthy cooking contest as a fun and exciting way to promote healthy eating and a lifetime passion for cooking. 
         The six Ansonia students invited to participate in the cook-off were Prendergast School sixth graders Skylar Evans (Chopped Shrimp Salad), Makayla Godfrey (Chop-Chop Salad with Blue Cheese), Garrett Cafaro (Cabbage-Pineapple Slaw), Elton Sela (Elton’s Great Salad) and Kiersten Larue; and from Mead School, David Michaud (Green Goddess Salad). 
         The salads are going to be served after lunch Friday at Prendergast School, to give the rest of the sixth graders an opportunity to sample them.

            Ansonia’s contest judges were Joe Apicella, principal of Prendergast School; Terri Goldson, principal of Mead School; and Michael Wilson, Assistant Superintendent of Schools. 
           The judges ranked each salad based on originality, healthiness, use of ingredients and plate presentation.

            Each student received chef jackets and hats, and Kiersten Larue also received a $50 gift card to Chef’s Emporium in Orange.

          This is a press release from Eileen Ehman, grants manager/community liaison, Ansonia Public Schools.  
 
Congratulations go out to Kiersten and all of the talented young chefs! 

Ansonia Assistant Superintendent of Schools Michael Wilson presents a $50 gift card to Kiersten LaRue, the winning chef. /Contributed photo

Ansonia Nature Center to hold gluten-free cooking program

ANSONIA - Join certified holistic health coach and personal chef Kari Doering from Body Awareness at 1 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Ansonia Nature Center to learn about preparation and enjoyment of healthy and delicious foods without gluten.


Attendees will get an opportunity to taste samples.

Fee is $5 a person. To register, call 203-736-1053.

The nature center is at 10 Deerfield Road.


This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center.

Wild cooking, Father's Day hike slated at Ansonia nature center

ANSONIA - Join Ali and Dawn at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center at 2 p.m. June 15 for a wild cooking class.

Wild foods have always been an important source of good nutrition.
Participants will take a hike to gather wild edibles for brewing tea and to prepare stir fry dishes.
Back at the visitor center, they will prepare a wild sampler.

Tuition for this program, geared for adults, is $5 a person. To register, call 203-736-1953 by June 13.


Take a hike with Dad on Father's Day

Join a ranger for a special family hike at 1 p.m. June 16 and learn about cicadas.

These unique insects, with red eyes and long, orange-veined wings, can only be seen every 17 years. Participants will know if cicadas are present because of their loud mating calls.

The first 17 years of a periodical cicada's life are spent underground, and they do not emerge until the soil is warmed by rising temperatures.
Cicadas are most threatened by habitat destruction. Roads, parking lots and buildings may pave over an area, thus destroying the colony underground.

Registration is appreciated but not required for this special free hike.

Dancing, cooking on tap for kids at library

DERBY - The Derby Public Library invites children ages 3-6 with a caregiver to Rhythm Makers at 10 a.m. March 20. 

Maria Douglas of the Magic Storybook presents this high-energy event which will teach children to walk to Mr. Whole Note, dance to Mrs. Half Note and clap to Baby Quarter Note.

Participants will learn about rhythm and pitch through dance, instruments, ribbons and a lot of giggles. Space is limited.

     
Let's Cook!

The Library invites kids ages 7-11 to attend Let’s Cook! at 3:45 p.m. March 26.

Along with preparing a simple, no-bake recipe, kids also will learn some basic kitchen skills which includes measuring and following directions. 

Registration is requested for both of these programs.
For information or to register, call the Children’s Room,  203-736-1482, stop by the Library, 313 Elizabeth St., or visit  www.derbypubliclibrary.org.

Library to host holiday cooking demo

DERBY - The Derby Public Library has scheduled a cooking demo at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19. Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, Stacey Ference of Savour Catering will present Holiday Appetizers.  

           A variety of elegant yet easy recipes will be presented. There will be samples of all demonstrated foods.  

           The class is for ages 18 years and older. 
           For information, stop by the Library at 313 Elizabeth St., call 203-736-1482 or visit www.derbypubliclibrary.org.