What is Kitchen Creations?
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) was awarded a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Team Nutrition Training Grant. This grant supports the initiation of the Kitchen Creations project that specifically focuses on creating standardized recipes for use in school meals programs. All recipes standardized under the grant this year will feature local, native foods as the primary ingredients. The featured ingredients include the following: |
*Note on Indigenous Winter Squash: At the start of the Kitchen Creations Project, ADE originally announced that one of the featured ingredients would be Hopi Winter Squash. ADE has been informed that this squash, while native to indigenous land, is a rare variety and may be hard to procure in Arizona schools. For this reason, ADE has shifted this featured ingredient to include any Indigenous Winter Squash varieties. |
More Recipe Taste Testing! |
Schools across Arizona have engaged in taste tests and evaluations as part of the Kitchen Creations process for standardizing recipes that utilize local agricultural products. Taste testing sites were able to collect feedback from elementary, middle, and high school students on overall acceptability of the newly developed recipes. The taste tests began in early September and extended into early this year to provide schools and Community Engagement Members more opportunities to test the recipes, and collect feedback. The four recipes with the highest acceptability ratings will be moving onto the next phase of recipe standardization.
Last quarter, we provided highlights from the taste tests hosted by Tucson Unified School District and STAR School. The Recipe Development Team has received additional results and feedback from Osborn School District and Balsz School District, both located in central Phoenix, as well as from Salt River Schools in Scottsdale, AZ. We are excited to share their results as well as a few photos!
Osborn School District, on a mission to serve diverse meals that could be influenced or adjusted for seasonal ingredients, was excited to test and introduce to their students some of the Kitchen Creation recipes and dishes. Osborn students tested the White Tepary Bean, Chicken, and Winter Vegetable Stew, the Red Pepper Tepary Bean Dip and the Soam Bavĭ Bowl. The winners at Osborn were the White Tepary Bean, Chicken, and Winter Vegetable Stew, and the Red Pepper Dip, both of which nearly tied for student approval at 92% and 94%! |
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Top: Osborn's taste test promotional flyer (left) and process of cooking the Brown Tepary Beans (right).
Bottom: Applying final touches to the Soam Bavĭ Bowl samples (left) and Soam Bavĭ Bowl (right). |
Balsz School District tested a few Kitchen Creation recipes to help gather student feedback about taste, appearance, and overall student acceptance. Balsz tested the Red Pepper Tepary Bean Dip, Three Sisters Enchiladas, and the Triple Berry Parfait. Between their middle and elementary aged students, the Triple Berry Parfait rose to the top, scoring a 90% approval rating with elementary aged students, and 84% overall! |
Left to Right: Balsz's taste test display (Three Sisters Enchiladas, Triple Berry Parfait & Red Pepper Tepary Bean Dip), students testing their samples, and students voting/providing feedback on their samples. |
Salt River Schools has continually been testing traditionally inspired grain recipes that aim to introduce their students to traditional grains unique to southwest tribes. Blue Corn, Pima wheat, and White Sonora Wheat were all used to prepare the Blue Corn Mush with Strawberries, Bananas and Honey, the Warm White Sonora Wheat Berry Pilaf, and fresh Tortillas. Amongst the Salt River students, tortillas performed the best at a 95% student approval, with the blue corn mush coming in at a close second at 89%! Read more and view photos and videos of their taste tests on the Salt River Schools webpage! |
The Arizona Food Bank Network recently ran a blog series on indigenous food sovereignty. The blog featured the ADE Kitchen Creations project in an effort to further indicate the importance of including foods that are culturally relevant to Native students, the importance of traditional foods for health, and how sourcing foods native to Arizona can support sustainability. These blogs were released on November 9 and November 16. Check out the blog posts below: |
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The Importance of Native Foods in Schools
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How One School is Aiming to Change Health Outcomes for Navajo Students
My name is Mark Sorensen. I am the co-founder and CEO of the STAR (Service To All Relations) School. I have been involved in various leadership roles in Native community schools for the past 45 years. I came to understand from my experience that a school serving Native communities is not divorced from the health and welfare issues confronting our families. In fact, we believe the school must be engaged in changing health trajectories for our families. Teaching about and experiencing healthy food is one of the areas we have been involved in since the founding of our school 20 years ago. Read more from Mark Sorensen on the project here! |
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ADE is proud to present one of the recipes that had a student approval rating of 85% or more and will be moving onto the next phase of recipe standardization: the Triple Berry Parfait! This recipe along with three others will be served in at least 4 schools as a part of a reimbursable meal in conjunction with a local farmer visit, which will be the final stage required in order verify the recipe quantities and ensure proper yields. Check out the recipe below, and try it in your own meal service!
This parfait is a refreshing dish featuring white Sonora wheat berries. It’s a simple recipe made with yogurt, blueberries, strawberries and white Sonora wheat berries. Served with a drizzle of honey.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Yields: 25 servings (1 parfait per serving)
Ingredients:
- 12 1/2 cup Yogurt, plain, low-fat
- 12 1/2 cup White Sonora wheat berries, cooked
- 6 1/4 cup Blueberries, raw
- 6 1/4 cup Strawberries, raw, sliced
- 1/2 cup Honey
Directions:
- Layer 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup cooked white Sonora wheat berries, 1/4 cup blueberries, and 1/4 cup strawberries in each parfait cup. Critical Control Point: Hold at 41°F or below.
- Drizzle with 1 tsp of honey on each parfait cup.
- Serve 1 parfait cup per student.
Notes:
Cook dry white Sonora wheat berries the day prior to preparing this recipe.
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Arizona Department of Education
This project was funded using U.S. Department of Agriculture grant funds. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. |
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