In an increasingly health-conscious community, Heritage Middle School is looking to improve the lives of its students through proper nutrition.
Marty Wicks, Heritage science teacher and personal trainer, has started a program for students to learn how to pick and prepare nutritious foods.
“The main goal of this club is to show students how to make better food choices,” Wicks says. “I’m always concerned about the fitness levels of students, as well as adults.”
The program, called Good Eats Club, is open to sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students at Heritage.
Students in the club meet twice a month on Tuesdays after school.
On the first Tuesday of the month, a group of roughly 25 students researches healthful food options and their respective nutritional content.
Two weeks later, students return and make the already-prepared healthful dishes for any parents and teachers with a taste for the delicious and nutritious.
In a meeting last fall, students in groups of four to six researched which fruits and vegetables would make the most nutritious juices.
“We also used the remains of the pulp to bake muffins” afterward, Wicks says.
So far, the club is merely in its beginning stages, but Wicks hopes its support will grow over the next few years.
“We’ve not had time to move forward with many things we’d like to do to make the experience more rewarding,” Wicks says. “I’ve not had the time to teach my students about crop rotation, to inform students on the best way to rotate crops for healthful produce. I’d like to begin getting into this area next fall.”
Good Eats Club is not just about eating more leafy greens. Its underlying mission is to give students an opportunity to create a healthy, holistic lifestyle that includes proper nutrition and exercise.
“It’s not all about eating,” Wicks says. “It is about a well-rounded approach on eating, how the effects of produce have a long-lasting effect on the human body and how to keep your immune system in check.”
In January, the club researched and prepared healthy pasta dishes for Heritage parents and teachers.
Be on the lookout for a Good Eats recipe book –– it’s on Wicks’ ever-growing list of additions to the club.
Healthful pasta recipe
3/4 lb. carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
Zest and juice of 1 navel orange, zest removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
Salt
3 cups penne rigate
3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp. chopped tarragon
Freshly ground white pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots with the zest, juice and 1/4 cup of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderate heat until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes. Discard the zest. Transfer the carrots and any liquid to a blender and purée until very smooth.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Return the pasta to the pot. Add the reserved water and the carrot purée and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is coated with a thickened sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in three-fourths of the cheese and cook, stirring until very creamy, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tarragon and season with salt and white pepper.
Transfer the pasta to a medium baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
The silky carrot purée mixed with the cheddar is a source of vitamin A and helps reduce the amount of fat in the recipe.
Mark your calendars for April 17. The annual Taste of Westerville, showcasing the culinary offerings of Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses, will be held from 7-10 p.m. at Crowne Plaza Columbus North, 6500 Doubletree Ave. The event was sold out last year. Admission is $45 per person and includes all food and beverages. This year the event features a wine and beer tasting.
