Posts Tagged: Healthy Snack Day

Healthy Snack Day winners show their creativity

Thanks to all who participated in Healthy Snack Day 2019! The Wellness committee was very impressed with the level of creativity sites brought to this event.

Many of you enjoyed local fruits and vegetables from your home gardens and even gardens at your sites (shout out to Placer and Nevada Counties, Kearney REC, UCCE Orange County, and South Coast REC).

Other sites used Healthy Snack Day as an opportunity to connect with other departments in their building and to test out recipes for future community nutrition classes. Great ideas!

We were so excited to hear that you all are using this team building opportunity in creative ways and we are thrilled to announce the winners for both the photo and recipe competitions.

We had 13 sites participate in the photo competition and three sites in the recipe competition.

Photo competition winners are as follows:

First place: Kearney REC

Second Place, UCCE Contra Costa

Third Place: UCCE Humboldt-Del Norte

The Recipe Contest winners are as follows:

First place: South Coast REC and UCCE Orange County for their fabulous recipe book.

Find a pdf link to the whole booklet at the end of this article. Here's a sample recipe: Spicy and crispy garbonzos Ingredients 1 cup dried garbanzos, soak overnight then cook until tender. Lay on paper towels to dry 4 T olive oil Maldon salt Thyme leaves Spanish paprika Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the cooked garbanzos with olive oil. Put on a cooksheet in a single layer and bake until brown and crispy in oven. Toss with a touch more olive oil, thyme, salt and Spanish paprika.

Second place: the Nutrition Policy Institute for their radish cucumber salad recipe.

Radish cucumber salad - Source: Simple Veganista 1 cucumber (about 2 cups) 1 bunch radishes (about 2 cups) 1/8 red onion (about 1/4 cup) 3 tablespoons fresh dill 1 can (15oz) chickpeas 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt, or to taste freshly cracked pepper, to taste TIPS FOR THE BEST CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD Use the freshest ingredients possible. With only a few ingredients in this radish cucumber salad, try to source the best and freshest possible. Use your favorite kind of radishes and cucumbers. Prepping tips: If your cucumbers and radishes are the wider side cut them into half moon shapes. It makes it a little easier to eat. But if they are thinner side leave them in whole circles if you like. No need to peel the cucumbers, the skin adds fiber and nutrition. Use as much dill as you like. For myself, the more the merrier – it's such a refreshing herb! Season well: Use plenty of salt and as much pepper as you like. The radishes are peppery, but once the salad is mixed all together, they aren't as noticeable, so a little extra pepper is nice. Planning on making your radish and cucumber salad ahead? Keep the cider dressing separate from the salad until ready to serve. The zucchini and radishes will soak up the dressing and start to soften and pickle. It's not a bad thing, but if you prefer a crisp presentation mix the salad with the dressing just before setting on the table. It won't hurt to mix up to 15 minutes ahead of time. HOW TO MAKE RADISH AND CUCUMBER SALAD Wash the cucumber and radishes well, scrubbing as necessary. Trim the ends from the cucumber and radishes and thinly slice, using a knife or mandoline. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add the cucumber, radish, chickpea, dill, apple cider vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl, toss well to coat. And all that's left is to enjoy as is or chill before eating. Enjoy! HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days in a covered container.

Third place: UCCE San Joaquin for their Fruit Pico de Gallo recipe.

Fruit pico de gallo (Source: CDPH Public Health) Ingredients 1 cup peeled and chopped fresh mango 1 cup chopped fresh watermelon 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple or canned pineapple in 100% juice 1 cup peeled and chopped fresh papaya 1 cup peeled and chopped jicama Juice from 1 lime 1 teaspoon chili powder Preparation Mix together all the fruit in a medium bowl and sprinkle with lime juice and chili powder. Serve immediately.

Congratulations to all six site winners! We hope that the first prize winners enjoy their healthy snack boxes, the second place winners feel refreshed when using their spa water container and recipe book prize and the third place winners use their apple slicers for years to come.

Thanks for participating in Healthy Snack Day 2019. We hope you all had a blast.

If you are interested in seeing all the entries for the competition, check out the the Wellness Committee's webpage. 

Link here: http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Subcommittees/Wellness_Committee/Wellness_Committee/

Happy snacking,

UCANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee

UCCE Orange County and South Coast REC recipe book (pdf)

Snack healthy on Healthy Snack Day and win great prizes

The UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee is sponsoring Healthy Snack Day activities on Sept. 12. Healthy Snack Day is a statewide day of action celebrating the benefits of eating foods in between meals that that are nutritious and fun. The event provides an opportunity for ANR locations to get together over delicious, healthy snacks and share recipe ideas.

Locations can enter two contests to win prizes, such as a “spa water” dispenser for the office, a box of healthy snacks to share and handy kitchen gadgets.

The Wellness Committee has asked UC ANR Staff Assembly Ambassadors to coordinate the Healthy Snack Day activities at each location. If you don't know your ambassador, visit the UC ANR Staff Assembly website. Check with your ambassador to find out how you can get involved.

Some possibilities include sharing healthy snacks potluck-style, identifying local businesses to donate healthy snacks or composing recipes for favorite healthy snacks.

There are two ways to win:

• Photo contest: Submit a group photo of the team enjoying a healthy snack on HSD.
• Recipe contest: Submit a creative healthy snack recipe.

The Wellness Committee will select the first, second and third place winners. First place wins a healthy snack gift box, second place receives a spa water dispenser and recipe book, third place adds an apple slicer and avocado slicer to their locations' kitchens.

Contest entries should be emailed directly to Wellness Committee chair Kaela Plank at krplank@ucanr.edu, or posted on twitter with the hashtag #SnackHealthyUCANR.  All contest entries must include the site name.  Submission deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13.

UCCE Tulare County wins Healthy Snack Day contest

UC Cooperative Extension in Tulare County won first place in the UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee's contest on Healthy Snack Day, Aug. 29. All UC ANR facilities were invited to hold Healthy Snack Day activities and submit one photo.

Tulare County staff creatively submitted a photo collage to tell a story about their Healthy Snack Day activities. Before Healthy Snack Day, the staff appear fatigued and lethargic; afterward, the staff are all smiles and enthusiasm. The Tulare County office won a water dispenser/infuser to serve healthy and appealing beverages. 

Second place went to UC Cooperative Extension in San Diego County, where the staff took the opportunity on Healthy Snack Day to "play with their food." Cut-up fresh fruit and vegetables were fashioned into elaborate artwork and sculptures.

The UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center came in third with a collage and food art, plus plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Healthy Snack Day was the first event sponsored by the UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee, which is dedicated to supporting and improving the health, well-being and quality of life of ANR employees. The committee promotes initiatives and programs that foster healthy workplace environments, empower employees to adopt healthy habits, and strengthen our sense of community.

In all, eight UC ANR facilities entered pictures in the contest. They are shown below.

UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center

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