Literacy: More than Just Reading Books

by Stefania Moffatt

For some, the love of reading takes hold at a young age. For others, however, the pleasure associated with reading is something that needs to be cultivated. For parents with children in the latter group, take heart; getting your child to appreciate the written word and develop his or her literacy skills doesn’t have to be a struggle.

Reading books is certainly an effective way for a child to enhance his or her literacy, and provides an opportunity to explore emotions and empathize with characters in a book. Reading to/with your child is an important activity to incorporate into daily routines as well. It is also important that children see their parents reading. Most children want to emulate their parents; if they come to see that their parents consider reading to be an enjoyable activity that continues into adulthood, this helps encourage the children to embrace reading as well.

One also has to realize that you don’t have to rely on books alone; learning and reading can happen at any time. Parents can look for ways to incorporate reading into everyday routines, like encouraging children to look for signs and recognize letters on license plates during time spent in the car. When putting a toy together, parents can encourage the child to follow along with the instructions. The same goes for following recipes while making dinner. Anything that gets letters and words flowing through developing brains can enhance the development of literacy.

Written-word skills can also be developed  through other fun activities, such as singing, playing a board game, or writing a story or poem. These elements of literacy development are part of this year’s Family Literacy Day on January 27, the theme of which is “15 Minutes of Fun”.

Family literacy is about family members carving out time from their busy schedules to enhance literacy skills through activities they can do together, regardless of any differences among the literacy levels of the various individuals. Some of the possible activities one might consider include: using puppets to narrate a story, acting out different roles in a book, or creating a craft project that illustrates a storyline.

Learning together through family literacy is not only an important way to enhance a child’s development; it can also be beneficial for the parents. This kind of dynamic interaction between parent and child can help improve communication skills and keep adults mentally alert. And we can’t forget that spending time with kids means lots of hugs and kisses.

For more information on Family Literacy Day go to: http://abclifeliteracy.ca/fld/family-literacy-day. The website provides great tips on how to get you and your family reading.

Ottawa Outdoors Magazine

Winter 2012 (page 18)

Ice Treasure Hunt

Brave the frigid frost and head out on an Icy Treasure Hunt! Outdoor activities like this are a great way to get kids up and moving during the winter months. Here's how. The hunt is made up of individual clues which are a letter scramble of the words that will be their next destination. In the picture, you can see that the clue is for the word "swing." The treasure hunt is conducted like a traditional treasure hunt, but the twist is that the clues are frozen in ice. Once the kids free the clues, they can spell the word and make way to their next destination.

Click to read more ...

Cool as a Cucumber

They are low in calories, they add a delicious crunch to a veggie platter and add refreshing taste to water.  You just can’t get much cooler than that. 

Cucumbers serve up a good dose of fiber, minerals and vitamins and a whole lot of refreshment.  At 95 per cent water content, a cup of cucumber slices is nearly as thirst-quenching as a glass of water. Just thinking about cukes makes me feel cooler.

If your use of cucumers has been limited to tossing a few into a salad lately, here a few great recipes to get the cool cucumber back in your plate. 

Cucumber, Couscous and Bean Salad

Preparation Time: Not Available 
Cooking Time: Not Available 
Cooking Time: 3 to 5 minutes 
Standing Time: 5 minutes 
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• ·        1 cup (250 mL) couscous
• ·        1-1/4 cups (300 mL) vegetable or chicken broth
• ·        1 can (19 oz/540 mL) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ·        Half an Ontario Greenhouse Cucumber
• ·        2 green onions, sliced
• ·        1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley
• ·        2 tbsp (25 mL) each of lemon juice and olive oil
• ·        1 small clove garlic, minced
• ·        Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In large skillet, stir 1 cup (250 mL) couscous over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes to lightly toast. Stir in 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) vegetable or chicken broth; bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, half Ontario Greenhouse Cucumber, diced, 2 green onions, sliced, and 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley. Add couscous. Combine 2 tbsp (25 mL) each lemon juice and olive oil and 1 small clove garlic, minced; pour over salad and toss gently.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chilled.

Chicken and Tzatziki in Pita Pockets

This Greek sandwich actually makes a full meal. Tzatziki, a cool garlicky mixture of shredded Ontario Greenhouse Cucumbers and yogurt, is generously spooned into pita pockets stuffed with sautéed boneless chicken breasts, sliced tomatoes and lettuce. It's a perfect fast and fresh dinner for families on the go.

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes 
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 
Servings: 4, Makes About 1-1/3 cups (325 mL) of sauce.

Ingredients:

• ·        1 tbsp (15 mL) Vegetable oil
• ·        8 Small boneless chicken breasts
• ·        Salt and pepper
• ·        Ontario Hydroponic Leaf Lettuce
• ·        8 Thick slices Ontario Greenhouse Tomatoes
• ·        1 Ontario Greenhouse Cucumbers, sliced
• ·        4 Pita bread rounds, cut in half, warmed
• ·        Easy Tzatziki Sauce (recipe follows)

Easy Tzatziki Sauce:

• ·        1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt
• ·        Half Ontario Greenhouse Cucumbers, shredded and squeezed dry
• ·        1 garlic clove, minced
• ·        1/4 tsp (1 mL) granulated sugar
• ·        Salt and pepper

Preparation:

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Sauté chicken breasts on both sides until lightly browned and no longer pink inside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Layer leaf lettuce, chicken breast, tomato slice and cucumber slices in each half pita. Top with Easy Tzatziki Sauce.

Easy Tzatziki Sauce: Combine yogurt, cucumber, garlic and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mom Savers

 Chrismtas Morning Make Ahead Recipes 

BUTTERMILK COUNTRY CARROT CAKE

Packed with wholesome Ontario Carrots, carrot cake always makes a great after-school snack.  This easy stir-together is chock full of carrots, iron-rich raisins and low-fat buttermilk.

Preparation Time:            30 minutes

Baking Time:                   1 hour

                                        Serves 12 to 16

2/3 cup (150 mL)               buttermilk

2/3 cup (150 mL)               vegetable oil

4                                      eggs

2 tsp (10 mL)                              vanilla

1 cup (250 mL)                 granulated sugar

2¼ cups (550 mL)             all-purpose flour

1½ tsp (7 mL)                   each baking powder and baking soda

1 tsp (5 mL)                      each ground cinnamon and salt

¾ tsp (4 mL)                     each ground nutmeg and allspice

4 cups (1 L)                      grated Ontario Carrots (about 8)

1 cup (250 mL)                 coarsely chopped pecans or unblanched almonds

1 cup (250 mL)                 golden raisins

Fast Icing (Optional):

1½ cups (375 mL)             sifted icing sugar

2 tubs (each 250 g)                     spreadable cream cheese

1 tsp (5 mL)                      vanilla

          In bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Beat in granulated sugar until smooth. 

          In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and allspice until evenly mixed.  Make large well in centre; pour in buttermilk mixture and whisk until no large lumps remain.  (Batter will be thick.)  Stir in carrots, nuts and raisins just until evenly mixed.

          Pour into greased 9- x 13- in. (3 L) baking dish, smoothing top.  Bake in 325ºF (160ºC) oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in centre.  Let cool in pan on rack.

Fast Icing:    Cream together icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla; spread over cake.  (Cake can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen.) 

Nutritional Information:

1 Serving:

          PROTEIN:                        6.5 grams

          FAT:                                 20.5 grams

          CARBOHYDRATES:          53.5 grams

          CALORIES:                      425

OVEN-BAKED FRENCH TOAST WITH GLAZED APPLES

Here is a breakfast or brunch dish that can be whipped together the night before. As it is baking, sauté apple slices until tender and glazed to serve over top. Serve with maple syrup.

Preparation Time:             15 minutes

Chilling Time:                    Overnight

Baking Time:                   40 to 45 minutes

                                        Serves 6

6                                      thick (3/4 inch/2 cm) slices of egg or raisin bread

4                                      Ontario Eggs

1-3/4 cups (425 mL)          milk

1/4 cup (50 mL)                Ontario Maple Syrup

1 tsp (5 mL)                      vanilla

1/2 tsp (2 mL)                   ground cardamom 

Apple Topping:

1/4 cup (50 mL)                packed brown sugar

2 tbsp (25 mL)                  water

3                                      Ontario Apples, peeled and thinly sliced

Pinch                                ground cardamom

1 tbsp (15 mL)                  butter

Icing sugar

Arrange bread in single layer in buttered 9-x 13­inch (3 L) baking dish, trimming bread if necessary to fit.  In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cardamom; pour evenly over bread.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Bake, uncovered, in 375°F (190°C) oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until bread is puffed in centre. 

Apple Topping: About 10 minutes before end of the baking, heat large skillet over medium-high heat; add brown sugar and water, stirring, until mixture comes to a simmer.  Add apples and cardamom; cook, stirring constantly with spatula and turning apple slices over, until tender but still have shape, about 4 minutes. Stir in butter until melted; remove from heat. Let cool a few minutes.

Remove French toast from oven; let stand for 5 minutes.  Cut into 6 servings; spoon topping over each.   Sprinkle with icing sugar to taste.

- more -

OVEN-BAKED FRENCH TOAST WITH GLAZED APPLES                                                                                Page 2 

Nutritional Information:

1 Serving:

                        PROTEIN:                              11 grams

                        FAT:                                        9 grams

                        CARBOHYDRATES:                        50 grams

                        FIBRE:                                    2 grams

                        CALORIES:                           321