On April 23, JSI hosted a pilot of its newly developed culinary workshop, “Rooted in Flavor: Harvest of the Month Recipes Made Easy.” Led by the dynamic culinary trio—Chefs Patty, John, and Kyle—the session brought together school nutrition professionals from districts participating in the CECAP program. The workshop highlighted how local, seasonal ingredients can be both simple to prepare and a hit with students, with every recipe thoughtfully taste-tested to ensure it’s truly student-approved.
The goal of the workshop was to equip school nutrition staff with the culinary confidence and skill to incorporate more Massachusetts Farm to School “Harvest of the Month” crops on K-12 menus. The workshop focused on “speed-scratch” techniques which are methods that maximize flavor while keeping prep time efficient for busy school kitchens. The chefs demonstrated how to transform typically “tough-to-market” vegetables, like kale and winter squash, into student favorites.
Key highlights included:
- Massaged Kale: Chef John demonstrated how to use a commercial mixer to tenderize kale for a Kale Citrus Salad, using canned mandarin oranges and their juice, and dried cranberries for natural sweetness, topped with roasted sunflower seeds for a slight crunch.
- Efficient Prep: Chef Patty showed how a sectionizer can rapidly core and slice produce, pairing sliced apples with a Pineapple Orange Yogurt Dip that upcycles leftover canned juice to reduce waste and sweeten the plain yogurt without added sugar.
- Hands-On Culinary Practice: Participants worked in teams to prepare recipes like Hot Honey Mashed Butternut Squash, Sriracha Lime Roasted Carrots, and Southwest Roasted Potato Wedges with Chipotle Ranch Dip.
The group then came back together to present their recipes, sample the delicious creations, and discuss how they plan to bring these dishes to their students. With this new culinary workshop, JSI is empowering districts to deepen their participation in the Massachusetts Harvest of the Month program while featuring fresh, seasonal, and student-approved recipes that celebrate local foods on school menus. The workshop will be available to request on the JSI website by the end of the school year, making it easy for more districts to bring these exciting recipes to their cafeterias as well!
Submitted by Charlotte Davidson and Lauren Legere, FSU Food and Nutrition Graduate Students in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics at Framingham State University.