Lunchtime isn’t what it used to be. With ongoing concerns about youth obesity and the overall trend in healthy eating, school lunch menus have undergone a massive overhaul. “Through partnerships with the Hennepin County Health Department and chef Marshall O’Brien, lunch ladies districtwide have been working on ways to increase the consumption of vegetables,” says Tom Pellegrino, director, Food & Nutrition Services, Osseo District 279.
Last year, nutrition staff from every school received monthly chef veggie trainings and featured one of the recipes on their lunch menu. “We see the students’ ‘vote’ every day by what they choose from the options offered and consumed during meals,” Pellegrino explains. He says that recipes with broccoli seemed to be most popular as were, surprisingly, those with Brussels sprouts.
Yummy Kale Chips (courtesy of Fernbrook Elementary)
Ingredients:
1 head of kale, washed and dried
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove ribs from kale and cut into 1½-inch pieces.
Toss with olive oil and salt, then lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cook until crisp, about 12-15 minutes. Check doneness at 12 minutes. Don’t overcook or they will be bitter.
Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus (Osseo Middle School)
Ingredients:
2 16 oz. cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
12 oz. jar sundried tomatoes, drained and rinsed
½ a jalapeno
¼ of an onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chipotle ground seasoning
½ cup olive oil
Directions:
Place everything except oil into food processor and mix. Slowly add olive oil as mixture processes.
Add more oil if too thick for your taste. Makes 5 cups.
Black Bean Pineapple Salad (Maple Grove High School)
Ingredients
Salad:
2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
¾ cup canned pineapple, diced or bite-sized; drain and reserve juice
2 Tbsp. + ½ tsp. red bell pepper
1½ (TBSP? CUP?) fresh cilantro
¾ tsp. jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1½ tsp. green onion
Dressing:
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1½ tsp. olive oil
pineapple juice to taste
salt to taste
Directions:
Mix all salad ingredients together.
Mix lime juice and oil together. Add pineapple juice and salt to taste.
Slowly add dressing to bean mixture; you may not need all of the dressing.
Makes six ½-cup portions.
