🌽 Celebrating Healthy Eating and Active Living in Cambridge this November!

November 2023

Image of assorted colorful vegetables by Ella Olsson from Pixabay.com

Season of Gratitude

November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to learn about the rich and diverse cultures of Native people and the resilience of their communities as they continue to endure unique challenges. History Cambridge (formerly known as the Cambridge Historical Society) has created the Indigenous People Hub page on its website, which provides a growing collection of resources. Get moving outside — Native American Trail offers a list of markers and monuments to visit throughout Massachusetts, including one right here in Cambridge.

The American holiday of Thanksgiving is also coming up on November 23. Many celebrate by practicing gratitude and sharing meals with family and friends. Most traditional Thanksgiving dishes consist of food native to the land around us, such as corn, pumpkin, squash, beans, and more. Try exploring more Indigenous foods and recipes this year if you can.

Easy Crispy Kale Chips

For crunchy, crispy chips, be sure that the kale is completely dried.

S'kepukeyi'nini wipeko

Serve this pumpkin blue corn bread with cranberry compote and sweet maple corn ice cream. (Link to all three recipes)

Reduce the Bitter in Your Kale

America's Test Kitchen shows us how to avoid bitterness while preparing kale!

Three Sisters with Hominy Bowl

A dish that stands alone as a vegan meal, or one may add turkey or salmon.

Potato & Kale Soup

This hearty soup supports blood and bone health, while keeping us warm!

Lesson: Corn Exploration

Check out Plimoth Patuxit Museum's lesson on the role of corn in the lives of Wampanoag families in the 1620s.

Harvest of the Month

November's Harvest: Kale!

While not native to North America, kale's ability to withstand Massachusetts weather through December makes it an important crop in the state and thus the Massachusetts Farm to School Harvest of the Month! Kale is rich in vitamins K, C, A, and many more. Vitamin K helps with blood clotting and bone health, vitamin C aids our immune systems to fight off illness, and vitamin A supports eyesight as well. Learn about different varieties and how to plant kale and cabbage for next year!

Let us know if you make any of our featured recipes this month! Enjoy!

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Keeping Food Fresh & Safe - November's Tip

Keeping kale, spinach, and other leafy greens crisp is easy. If you wash the greens first, be sure they are dry, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Some swear by wrapping greens in a kitchen towel or paper towel before sealing to absorb any moisture.

Thumbnail image of a Kale Smoothie recipe

Back to School Snacks!

Each week on Instagram, Cambridge in Motion features a Snack of the Week and a Recipe of the Week! These nutritious and easy recipes help kids and adults of all ages try new flavors and new twists on old favorites!

The Story of the Three Sisters

The crops of corn, beans, and squash are known as the Three Sisters. For centuries these three crops have been the center of Indigenous American agriculture and culinary traditions.

Corn provides tall stalks for the beans to climb so that they are not out-competed by sprawling squash vines.
Beans provide nitrogen to fertilize the soil while also stabilizing the tall corn during heavy winds. Beans are nitrogen-fixers meaning they host rhizobia on their roots that can take nitrogen, a much needed plant nutrient, from the air and convert it into forms that can be absorbed by plant roots.
The large leaves of squash plants shade the ground which helps retain soil moisture and prevent weeds.

Active Living

Photo of two young girls walking, by Cheryl Holt of Pixabay.

"Chasing toddlers is my cardio." - Unknown

Movement is important for our youngest friends, and they certainly don't let us forget that. Here are two fun ways to get moving outside:

Nature Color Walk Sheet - bring crayons and color what you see as you walk!

Outdoor Sounds Walk Sheet - listen carefully and draw what you think you hear!

3 teens jumping, photo by Stock Snap of Pixabay.

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." - Henry David Thoreau

When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins, hormones that make us feel good. Experts recommend

60 minutes of exercise per day for kids and teens.

Try these walking meditations for kids and teens to get moving while practicing gratitude and awareness, ranging from serious to silly!

Image of two senior adults walking in the woods.

"It's not the destination, it's the journey." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mindful Walking is a moving meditation that can be done any time, at any age.

Holidays can be fun, though stressful for some. Practicing a walking meditation can be done after a meal (or any time), alone or not, in nature or in the city. This article provides easy instructions for anyone new to this practice.

Joke of the Month

Q: What is kale's favorite Star Wars character?

A: Kale-O Ren