Smashing sandwich a healthy choice
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Students, teachers and guests at BSE College had one of the healthiest lunches imaginable, by following Jamie Oliver’s ‘Squash it Sandwich’ recipe on Food Revolution Day.
BSE food studies teacher Anne Colvin, said the day was a chance for students, teachers and guests to have a smashing good time, and share in the preparations for a healthy sandwich lunch. “They even get to eat what they make, and it’s all good for you.”
With 10 teams of four assembled, BSE embraced the global day of action, where schools around the world connected with the legendary British chef, Jamie Oliver, and followed his healthy recipe together.
“It is a fantastic initiative that included nearly 8000 schools from 121 countries last year,” Anne Colvin said.
Jamie Oliver is best known for his award-winning television shows and hugely popular cookbooks, but the school boy from Essex certainly has come a long way.
Via video link, Jamie encouraged school children to prepare a simple, nutritious recipe that he designed to teach them about healthy eating.
Oliver says he believes it is our duty as parents and teachers to supply our kids with practical, hands-on lessons, where kids are planting and growing food, picking it, having fun cooking it, eating it and sharing it – so Food Revolution Day is a great way to get started.
“I passionately believe that individual teachers can make a huge difference to the way kids look at food,” he says.
“Pretty much every subject can be taught through food, from counting and measuring ingredients in maths to learning about growing in biology, but I do realise that being a lone voice in a school is always a challenge.
“Therefore, a whole school approach to food education, especially at primary school level, is essential to make sure every child has the best chance at making good, healthy choices later in life.
This year’s nutritious recipe was for the “Squash it sandwich”.
BSE took part by registering their involvement and downloading the recipe, step-by-step guides and resources.
To prepare for the big day, teacher Anne Colvin had access to lesson plans, class activities, safety tips and a letter for parents.
Last year’s event made history, breaking a Guinness World Record.
Squash it Sandwich recipe
Makes 4 : Takes 40 minutes
Ingredients
4 seeded wholegrain rolls
4 radishes
5cm piece of cucumber
1-2 a small carrot
2 cauliflower florets
1-2 a small red capsicum
1-2 a small apple (core removed)
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh soft herbs, such as dill, flat-leaf parsley or basil or 2 sprigs of fresh mint
1-2 a punnet or 1 handful of salad cress or sprouting herbs
1 handful of fresh podded peas
Optional: 3 teaspoons sunflower seeds
11-2 tablespoons quality cottage cheese or cream cheese
11-2 tablespoons quality houmous
Equipment
Bread knife and regular eating knife
Chopping board
Large bowl
Tablespoon and teaspoon
Clean tea towel
Rolling pin
Scissors
Method
On a chopping board, carefully halve the rolls across the middle using a bread knife, to give you a top and a base for each. Put to one side.
Using an eating knife, cut each radish in half lengthways, then slice each radish half into three pieces and place into a large bowl.
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scoop out the watery seeds with a teaspoon and discard.
Slice each cucumber half into four pieces, and add to the bowl.
Trim the carrot, then cut into eight even-sized pieces and add to the bowl.
Click apart the cauliflower florets and place into the bowl with the stalks.
Pull out the capsicum’s stalk, tearing out the core, then discard.
Scoop out the seeds and white pith with a teaspoon, and discard.
Cut the capsicum into four slices, then cut each slice into four pieces. Add the pieces to the bowl.
Place the apple half, flat-side down, on the board.
Cut the apple into six even-sized pieces, and add to the bowl.
Place a clean tea towel onto the chopping board and place the vegetables and chopped apple in a pile in the middle.
Fold over each corner of the tea towel so your ingredients are wrapped up like a parcel – make sure there are no gaps to stop the vegetables from escaping.
Carefully crush and squash the vegetables with a rolling pin until broken down into little pieces.
Open up the parcel – if your pieces are still too big, wrap it back up and crush and squash again.
Measure the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil into the empty bowl to make your dressing.
Pick the herb leaves, discarding the stalks.
Tear the leaves into small pieces, adding them to the bowl as you go.
Using scissors, snip the cress or sprouting herbs into the bowl.
Add the peas and sunflower seeds to the bowl.
Add the squashed vegetables to the bowl, then using the tips of your fingers, carefully toss them in the dressing so they’re nicely coated.
Spread the base of each roll with the cottage or cream cheese.
Spread the soft side of each top with the houmous.
Equally divide the vegetable mixture on to the base of each roll.
Place the lids on top, houmous-side down, press lightly, and tuck in!