Tribal Head Start heads into summer
By Lori Jay-Linstrom, Parent Involvement Coordinator
How sad that our Head Start program is now on summer break. It just gets too quiet
when the students are gone. We ended our school year with a wonderful Transition
Ceremony at each of our centers, with cupcakes, pictures and well wishes for the year.
We now are looking for new students to join our returning Head Start students in
Lincoln City, Siletz, Portland and Salem. If you have a child or know of a child who
will be age 3 or 4 by Sept. 1, please call 800-922-1399 or 541-444-2532 and request
that an application be sent to you.
Your child will have the best time of his or her life. We are the perfect opportunity
for your child to start preparing for school and being up-to-date on the required School
Readiness Goals for public schools. Head Start is here to help!
I would like to thank all of our parents who participated in the classrooms through-
out the year and the parents who served as a Policy Council representative or as an
officer for their parent committees. Parents are an invaluable support to the operation
of Head Start. Parents are appreciated.
Head Start also would like to thank the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund.
This year, it generously gave money to all our sites for swimming lessons. These lessons
give our students valuable lifelong skills and are added yearly to our curriculum in May.
We had another successful raffle fundraiser. Thank you to all the parents, families
and friends who bought and sold raffle tickets. We could not have had such success if
it weren’t for the community businesses who so willingly donated items for the raffle.
As Siletz Tribal Head Start staff, we would like to thank all of our community
partners, businesses and parents; our mental health providers (George, Dianne, Terry
and Options); Nancy Ludwig MS, RD, LD, CLT, our dietitian/nutritionist; dental
support provided by Mary Ellen Volansky from the Siletz Community Health Clinic,
Amber Gutierrez from Portland (Siletz Tribal member and Head Start parent) and Beth
Finnson and her dental crew from Chemawa Dental Clinic; and our Tribal community
health advocates – Verdene McGuire, Cecilia Tolentino and Adrienne Crookes. These
ladies are awesome.
A thank you to our Health Services Advisory Committee and a huge thank you to
our family and friends who support our program all year long.
Courtesy photos
Gina Pistoresi, Taylor Morris, Jaylinn Yeaman, Samyra Brinkley, Savannah
VanDaam, Sophia Somes, Antonio Salas, David Fuentes, Ponzi DeAnda, Isaac
DeAnda III, Socetna Butler, Sabryanna Wills, Logan Sweitz and Teacher Rena from
the Siletz Tribal Head Start in Lincoln City hold their flowers for Mother’s Day.
Students – and their moms – in the morning class at the Siletz Tribal Head Start in
Salem enjoy Muffins for Mom.
Creative Smoothies
Sample of key flavors,
functional ingredients
By Nancy Ludwig, MS, RD, LD, Siletz
Tribal Head Start Nutritionist
As part of my role as a consultant
nutritionist to Siletz Tribal Head Start, I
offer information for families. This seg-
ment focuses on smoothie basics from
which to start.
Most children like smoothies, which
provide an opportunity to spend quality
time in the kitchen enjoying each other
and learning about nutrition. There are
many reasons to make smoothies.
Before you decide what to make,
consider the following questions: Am I
thirsty? Am I looking for a power break-
fast to get me through to lunch? Am I
looking for a late night treat that feels
decadent? Am I looking for a medical
benefit? Am I avoiding dairy or soy? What
season is it? What is available? Answers
to these types of questions should provide
you with direction.
There are millions of combinations
available for smoothies. With the basic
equipment and general idea, you can
creatively accomplish your goals.
My intent here is to provide a basic
formula for you to successfully create
your smoothies with the ingredients you
want. This, of course, includes ingredients
that meet your family’s needs.
Basics
Ice and/or frozen fruit
Key flavors and/or functional ingredients
Liquid
A blender or food processor – and a spirit
of adventure
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Siletz News
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Fruit: Fresh in season, frozen (for
smooth texture without ice or less ice)
or even canned; almost all types, such
as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries,
blackberries, peaches, apricots, mangos,
pineapple, pears, papaya, kiwi, lemon,
lime and orange.
For smooth thick texture, bananas and
avocados work well. Remember, in the
winter you can even stew prunes or dried
apricots and use this for fruit and liquid.
Vegetables: Greens (tender ones like
spinach and chard), squash, spirulina,
parsley, etc.
Sweeteners: Granulated raw cane
sugar, maple syrup, agave or honey (must
warm first)
Protein: Nut butters (peanut butter,
hazelnut, cashew, almond, walnut, etc.)
or commercial protein powders such as
soy, whey, hemp, rice, pea, etc. (optional)
extracts, spices and flavors:
Vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, cocoa
powder, etc.
Oils: Flax oil, flavored fish oil (yes,
believe it or not, for added nutrition!)
Liquids
Fairly clear liquids: Water, fruit
juice, tea (herbal non-caffeinated choices,
since stimulants are not recommended
for children)
Dairy liquids: Milk, lactose-free
milk, yogurt, goat’s milk
Creamy non-dairy liquids: Soy
milk, soy yogurt, rice milk, hazelnut
or almond milk (most are available in
vanilla), coconut milk, hemp milk
For adults only: Leftover coffee
or black tea (to provide the breakfast
pick-me-up)
June 2014
Basic recipe, variations
The basic recipe yields approxi-
mately 2 cups in a blender (this mid-
point results in the best blending action,
even in an inexpensive blender).
Ice: Fill blender to 2-cup line with
crushed ice or a combination of other
frozen fruit*
Liquid: 1 cup non-dairy milk, dairy
milk, water, tea, juice or yogurt
*Ripe frozen bananas or avocados
add a very nice smooth consistency to
the frozen drink/smoothie. To freeze
bananas, remove the peel and freeze
chunks in a plastic bag.
Basic Fruit Smoothie
½-1 cup fresh or frozen fruit (such as
banana chunks, peaches, berries)
1-1½ cups ice (the balance of the fruit
and ice at the 2-cup line)
1 cup liquid such as milk, yogurt, non-
dairy milk (unsweetened), tea or
other
1 tablespoon sugar or other sweetener
to taste**
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
**The sweetness required depends
on the sweetness of the fruit or the type
of liquid used. Non-dairy milks vary in
sweetness, as do the other beverages.
You may not need any added sweetness.
Peanut Butter Chocolate
Smoothie
2 cups ice (or combination of frozen
banana chunks and ice at the 2-cup
line)
1 cup milk, non-dairy milk (unsweet-
ened) or other liquid
2 tablespoons peanut butter (or other
nut butter such as almond, cashew
or hazelnut)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweet-
ened***) or carob powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar or
other sweetener to taste)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
*** Could use other sweetened
chocolate powders, but would need to
adjust sweetness
Please note: This is a good recipe
to use avocado for thickness in place of
banana as the brown chocolate/cocoa
powder hides the green avocado color.
Pumpkin/SquashSmoothie
½ cup cooked pumpkin or winter squash
(chunks or puree)
1½ cups ice (the balance at the 2-cup line)
1 cup liquid such as milk, yogurt, non-
dairy milk (unsweetened), tea or other
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar or
other sweetener to taste)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie
spice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Please let me know what you think of these recipes. Siletz Tribal Head Start
offers my time at no cost to you to support family nutrition over the telephone.
Please contact me (503-588-5446) if you have nutrition concerns about your
Head Start child.