As we head into the holiday season I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your loyalty and support. We couldn’t do our critical work without you and we're so glad that you stand behind our mission. Your generous support and donations are making a real difference in our classrooms.
I also want to thank our staff and interns. They say it takes a village and it truly does. Thank you to our teachers who go above and beyond on a daily basis, and also to their assistants, and our interns, who help with admin and marketing behind the scenes, and everyone who ensures our growing organization runs smoothly and efficiently.
And lastly, thank you to our delightful and enthusiastic students who make it all so worthwhile. We have an extremely busy class schedule next semester and are grateful for the opportunity to teach even more at-risk kids how to rethink their approach to food so they can eat healthy for life.
Wishing you all peace and plenty.
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Lara Rajninger,
Executive Director.
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November is Diabetes Awareness Month |
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Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disorder that affects the body’s ability to regulate, and process sugar. If left untreated, it can cause heart disease, and often irreversible nerve, kidney and vision damage. Sadly, it’s on the rise in the US population, including in children.
Type 2 diabetes is directly related to childhood obesity which is also on the increase. Both conditions are already known to disproportionately affect racial minority populations and families with socioeconomic challenges. In California over 41% of 5th graders are currently overweight or obese, and a new CDC study reveals that nearly 1 in 5 adolescents aged 12-18 years, and 1 in 4 young adults aged 19-34 years, are also living with prediabetes.
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Proud to Be Partnering with
Mare Island Institute of Technology
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We're delighted to be holding classes at the Mare Island Institute of Technology (MIT Academy) this semester. MIT Academy is operated by Griffin Charter Schools. They are a public school, and the mission of their middle and high schools is to challenge their diverse student body to master a rigorous curriculum in a safe, disciplined, and nurturing environment. Their address speaks for itself, 2 Positive Place, Vallejo. We're thrilled to be forging positive change with them. |
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The 30 Different Fresh Foods A Week Challenge |
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Researchers from the American Gut Project have found that varying your fruit, vegetable, seed, nut, herb and whole grain intake by eating more than 30 different plants a week creates a more diverse and healthy gut biome. A healthy gut biome can bolster your immune system and reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn can help protect against chronic disease. Can you eat up to 30 different plants a week? Count all the nuts in mixed nuts as individual foods and likewise with mixed greens. Herbs and spices score a quarter point each, but a portion of everything else counts as one point towards your total of 30.
Variety truly is the spice of life. If you find the prospect of eating so widely a little daunting, why not browse our recipe pages for inspiration:
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Meet Our Instructor - Tracey Foster |
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Tracey’s cooking life started at the young age of five. Baking for family and friends brought joy and she saw that cooking was FUN! Later, at age 10, she made and sold Energy Balls to a San Francisco health store. She recognized that healthy cooking was a life changer. Tracey’s mom was a health nut and taught her at a young age the importance of cooking veggies and vegetarian meals. At 15, Tracey had her first teaching experience and after being a Montessori teacher for over 16 years, she has learned to “follow the child” and really enjoys watching children learn. After 51 years of cooking and teaching, KCL offered her a chance to combine three of her life long loves, healthy cooking, kids and teaching. We're thrilled to have her on our team! |
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Easy White Chicken Chilli |
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This is the perfect recipe for warming the whole family on cold winter evenings. Seasoned for a kids palette, you can turn up the heat by adding a dash of cayenne or a teaspoon or two of chilli seeds. Serve over brown rice or cauliflower rice to be extra healthy. The leftovers can be warmed in a little more chicken broth and taste even better the next day! |
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[After eating a bell pepper.] "Wow! This is so juicy! It’s really good! "
Student at Berkley Maynard Academy, Oakland.
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