Chef CC Consalvo Makes Frittata with Mr. Jacob's 4th Grade Class

Yesterday, CC Consalvo taught the 4th graders how to make a vegetable frittata. We used organic vegetables and eggs donated by Gelson's.  CC is a personal holistic chef that lives in Pacific Palisades.

She explained that a frittata is an Italian item, like an open-faced omelet.

The children participated in all aspects of the meal preparation. First they cut the red and yellow peppers and broccoli into small pieces. These were added to the butter and olive oil in the electric skillet and cooked until soft. They also participated in wisking the eggs. (We used 2 dozen for this group of 30.) After the eggs were added to the skillet they were carefully pushed around. The egg mixture was cooked until it was lightly brown on the bottom and firm to the touch.

We attempt to make the cooking experience as sustainable as possible. We reuse IKEA plates and plastic knives and forks. We also compost the vegetable scraps and egg shells.

The children enjoyed eating the result! This is something that they can try at home.

Thanks to Natalia Becir, Maggie Powers and Nona for volunteering.

Sweet Rose Creamery Makes Banana Ice Cream in Ms. Bihari's Class

Yesterday Chris and Bella from Sweet Rose Creamery visited Ms. Bihari's 3rd grade class and made banana ice cream with the students.  Sweet Rose is part of the Rustic Canyon Restaurant Group owned by Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan who live in Santa Monica Canyon. The Pacific Palisades store is on Monument.

Chris asked the children the name the main ingredients in ice cream. They stated eggs, cream, milk and sugar.  Sweet Rose uses organic ingredients and purchases many of them at the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

The children participated in making banana ice cream. They combined the liquid mixtures, broke the bananas in pieces, added sugar, vanilla and salt, helped blend the mixtures and tasted the mix at two times during the mixing process. Chris and Bella had brought a small ice cream mixing machine so the children could see the process on a small scale.

Since the mixing in the machine would take 90 minutes, Chris and Bella brought along some pints of banana ice cream and some brownie bites for the children to taste.  The children enjoyed their generous snack!

Thanks to Lily, Debbie and Winter for assisting.

CC Consalvo Makes a Frittata with Ms. Wilkinson's 3rd Graders

CC Consalvo, a holistic chef and Palisades resident, participated in Marquez's Visiting Chef program on Thursday. CC is a personal holistic chef and wellness counselor who works with many celebrities and now Marquez 3rd graders in Ms. Wilkinson's class.  She emphasizes eating what's in season. Her website is www.wellrestored.com.

Yesterday the children made a vegetable frittata with CC's help.  The children cut broccoli, zucchini and yellow peppers.  They also stirred the eggs. Volunteer parents cut onions and potatoes. The children also added fresh parsley and thyme to the eggs during cooking.

CC explained what she was doing and why to the students as the ingredients were added to the electric skillet.

The steps:

1. Heat butter and oil
2. Add onions and potatoes
3. Add broccoli, peppers and zucchini
4. Add eggs and parmesan cheese
5. Add seasonings
6. Let set
7. Cut and enjoy

The ingredients

Each student cut some of the vegetables.

CC added the broccoli, zucchini and peppers to the skillet after first sauteing the onions and potatoes for a few minutes 

The delicious frittata

All of the children ate this from our reusable plates.

Thanks to Gelson's for providing the ingredients.

Also thanks to the volunteer parents-Nona, Shelby, Christine and Winter

Caprese Salad

Last week Ms. Farrell's 3rd grade class made caprese salad using basil from the basil plant donated to them by Chef Sam of Tratto.

We've Received a Sponsorship from Gardening Know How!

We recently received a sponsorship from Gardening Know How, a website and blog run by gardeners for gardeners.  We are one of 20 school or community gardens to receive the sponsorship. This will enable us to expand our edible garden program.

Gardening Know How has three different websites and a blog devoted to gardening. It is a fount of information.  There are links about edible and ornamental gardens, garden problems, indoor plants, composting and much more.  Check out the home page here: www.gardeningknowhow.com. 

Chef Saw from Tallula's Makes Quesadillas with Ms. Palo's 4th Graders

Yesterday Chef Saw Naing from Tallula's made quesadillas with Ms. Palo's 4th graders. He brought blue and white organic masa that he'd made at the restaurant.  He explained how the masa is made from corn. Most students chose to make their quesadillas from the blue masa.

Each child rolled a piece of masa into a golf ball sized ball and then put it in the tortilla press. After that, the flattened dough was quickly cooked on a griddle and cheese was added.

The children also made guacamole and cut vegetables that were sauteed.

Cooking in Ms. Chaides' 4th Grade Class

Laurel Gallucci of Sweet Laurel Cooks with Ms. Chaides' 4th Graders

This week Laurel Gallucci of Sweet Laurel made pumpkin muffins with Ms. Chaides' 4th graders.  Sweet Laurel is one of the new businesses in Pacific Palisades.   Laurel volunteered as part of Marquez Charter's Visiting Chef Program. She explained about each ingredient and where it comes from.  She also talked about whole foods and processed foods. Students helped make the muffins which were then cooked in toaster ovens. Each student went home with a muffin.

The muffins were delicious!


Pumpkin Muffins

3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamon
3/4 cup 100% maple syrup
3/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
6 eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin

*Pepitas for optional sprinkle

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare a muffin pan by lining with muffin tins. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together coconut flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cardamon. Set bowl aside.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup and pumpkin. Slowly add in dry ingredients, then using an ice cream scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin tins. Fill batter to nearly the top of each muffin liner, as muffins will rise.

Sprinkle optional pepitas on top of each muffin and bake for about 24 minutes.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

This recipe is by Laurel Gallucci Sweet Laurel and is paleo, and completely gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free, dairy free and nut free!

Ms. Newman's Kindergarteners Plant in their Raised Bed

Today Ms, Newman's students planted in their raised bed on the main patio. They planted seedlings and seeds.

The center of the bed has sensory plants: rosemary, lambs' ear and marigolds. The children dug holes and planted these seedlings. They learned that marigolds have edible flowers and that lambs' ear leaves are soft like a lambs ear.

They then planted carrot and lettuce seeds around the border of the bed.

After planting they ate carrots for a snack!

Ms. Hain's Kindergarteners Plant a Sensory Garden

Ms. Hain's kindergarteners planted herbs, sage and flowers in their raised bed on Friday. They planted lemon verbena, white sage, scented geraniums and lambs ear.  They got to smell and touch the verbena, sage and geraniums before they planted them.

Ms. Yoshida's 2nd graders plant in their raised bed

Last week Ms. Yoshida's 2nd graders planted in their raised bed and started the worm bin.

We're going to add shredded paper to the worm bin

We're adding veggie scraps such as this kale

Tearing newspaper (browns) into pieces

Planting seeds with edible marigolds for decoration.

They planted lettuce, radishes and carrots in their raised bed after mixing in the Worm Grow compost. (Thanks to Kellogg's for donating the Worm Grow to our school). Thanks to Seed Savers  for donating the seeds. These crops are cool season veggies.

The children tore strips of paper to add to the worm bin for bedding and covering for the red wriggler worms.  They also added some veggie scraps and coffee grounds from Ms. Marie's kitchen for the worms to eat.  We added some worms to the worm bin and a couple to the bed for the kids to watch.

Ms. Bazan's Kindergarteners Make Bruschetta and Plant a Sensory Bed

Recently Ms. Bazan's kindergarteners made bruschetta with tomatoes donated by Gean Farm in Oxnard. Several parents, including Winter Armm and QZ Chen, showed the children the ingredients, including basil and tomatoes. Then each child cut some cherry tomatoes, tore some basil and added the food to the group bowl. The children put the tomato-basil mixture on a baguette.

Another day, the students planted their sensory bed with scented geraniums and lambs' ear.  They used soil donated by Kellogg's Garden Products in the bed.

Ms. Creed's 1st Graders Dig for Worms and Plant Seeds

Yesterday Ms. Creed's 1st graders worked in small groups in their raised bed with Mr. Jay and Ms. Sheri. They first dug for worms which was lots of fun! They saw the arugula which had already sprouted from last year. Next they chose some beet, radish and carrot seeds and planted them. They also had a snack of fresh organic veggies. They loved the carrots!

Looking for worms

Planting seeds

An Amazing Kickoff Week for Farm to School Month at Marquez

Marquez Charter is celebrating National Farm to School Month for the first time.

This week students were greeted before school on Monday and Tuesday with tastes of plums, peaches, apples, watermelon, carrots, cucumber, strawberry guavas and grapes.

Wednesday before school we celebrated National Kale Day by passing out kale smoothies and kale chips.

Thursday and Friday students ate tomatoes donated by the Gean Farm aka Harry's Berries. Some classes made lettuce wraps with the tomatoes, others made salad or bruschetta and still others just ate them!

Thank you to Frecker Farm, G-Farms and John Givens Farm from the Pacific Palisades Farmers Market and to Gean Farm from the Santa Monica Farmers Market for donating the produce and helping to get our students excited about fruits and veggies!!!

Thanks also to the parents and students that passed out the food before school and to the parents who cooked with their classes! Special thanks to Julie Swift and Winter Armm.