‘V’ is for ‘vegetable’ and you can bet Mack will remember

Last week was “V” week in Mack’s 3-K class.  Pretty much every week since school started the three year olds have studied a letter of the alphabet.    And usually on Friday each child gets to bring something that starts with the letter of the week for show and tell.  But some letters aren’t as easy so Ms. Mary makes up for it, like for “U” week. “U” was for umbrella, so all 19 of them brought umbrellas and had an umbrella walk around the school building.
“E” was for elephant.  They made elephant faces and wore gray shirts and lined up hand to shoulder for a very fun baby elephant walk!   For “T” Mack had to choose between a truck or a tractor to take and he was pretty sure that “M” was for Mack.  Being 3 is fun.
“V” was for vegetable.  Ms. Mary, who usually contacts the local University of Tennessee Extension office for a guest speaker on the subject, instead asked me, Mack’s grandmother, to come and present to her class.
Of course I’d do it.  Anything to make a trip up to Jackson to see Mack and his sweet mommy.
It’s been almost 10 years since I retired from our MSU Extension Service.  I had a few items and ideas left over from my Extension days. (Ms. Jamie, you’d been proud!) So, I packed up a cooler full of vegetables and a basket full of books, coloring pages, and an apron and headed up I-40.
I’d never taken Mack to school before,  though I had been to his school for orientation and to pick him up with Laura.  He told me which direction to go, he has gotten rather good at giving directions and explaining things.
So Mack and his GiGi went to school.  He showed me his cubbie and was proud to show me all around the room and all the stations.  Everybody came right in and got busy playing but he stayed pretty close to me until Ms. Mary called everyone to their seats for a snack, then we were off to chapel.
And for the occasion of his grandmother being there, Mack lead the 1 ,2, and 3 year old audience in the singing of their favorite song, Jesus Loves Me, after they had recited (well almost) The Pledge of Allegiance.  There was a tear in my eye.
Back in the classroom, they each found their assigned spot on the carpet and I was up! I put my rainbow striped apron on and reminded my audience that “F” had been for “farm” and that Old MacDonald had more than animals on his farm; he also had a garden. E – I – E – I – yum, yum, yum.  My version!  They got it and off we went.
Farmer MacDonald grew things red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet in his garden.  E – I – E – I yum, yum, yum. And out from my cooler came a variety of veggies (and fruits; thank you, letter “F”) of all shapes, sizes and colors of the rainbow. They watched, listened, participated, and shared. We gave a round of high-fives, jumped up and down, and turned around 5 times each to help us remember that we all need at least 5 fruits and vegetables every day.  Aww, I was so very glad to be there.
Then we ended with a book, my old favorite, “Tops and Bottoms,” about Old Bear and Mr. Hare and their joint gardening venture. Mr. Hare knew that some vegetables grow on top of the plant, such as cabbage and broccoli; some grow on the bottom like carrots and turnips; but others like corn grow in the middle of the plant.  Old Bear learned his horticulture lesson the hard way.
Ms. Mary called them over and told me to look at their faces. They had eaten up my props! Just as I had hoped. One had traces of strawberries around her mouth, another was still eating grapes, and most had smears of the ranch dip on their cheeks, evidence of veggie dipping!   And, for Friday, they each brought a canned vegetable and Ms. Mary made soup to wrap up “V” week.  E – I – E – I yum, yum, yum.
Mack thinks “W” week is for Walker but it’s for “weather” and the guest speaker is the local television station weather man! Wonderful! What an honor!

Recipe of the Week

Cauliflower Creole
Here you go!  5 Heart Healthy Vegetables in one dish!

1 large head cauliflower
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 ounces low fat cheddar cheese, grated

Separate cauliflower flowerets; cook until tender; drain.  Sauté chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic in canola oil. Slowly stir in tomatoes; heat to just before boiling. Gently stir in cauliflower. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Pour into oven-proof dish and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place in hot oven just until cheese melts. Serve as a side dish or with cornbread for a meatless meal.