Monday, June 28, 2010

Bringing spice to a summer menu


It’s not easy keeping things interesting when you’re serving thousands of meals daily, but Food and Nutrition Services is adding some extra variety with a summer full of special theme days.

In June, the cafeteria at Cox South began a rotation of events, ranging from “Meatless Mondays” to “Action Station Fridays.”

“We want to be healthy and offer healthy foods,” says Jason Bauer, assistant director of retail and production in Food and Nutrition Services. “And we want to have fun.”

The “Summer Promo” also includes outdoor grilling on Wednesdays and a partnership with local restaurants for lunch menus on Tuesdays.

Bauer had chosen a few restaurants with healthy menu items and then approached them to see if they’d share their recipes. Valentine’s, Ocean Zen, The Balanced Palate, Social Suppers, Tuscan Grill and The Argentina Steakhouse are among the restaurants that offered to share recipes. Over the last few months, Cox’s head chef visited the restaurants and learned the secrets to each of the dishes that will be served in the cafeteria.

“We always want to offer people healthy options and the restaurant partnership will show people the healthy alternatives that are available in the community,” Bauer says.
“It gives people the chance to try a restaurant maybe they haven’t sampled in the past.”

For this summer, the promo event will be only in the Cox South cafeteria, but Bauer says the department is working to standardize all three cafeterias. Healthier options, such as the regular “best bite” meals and Bauer’s own trail bars will be available at Cox North and Cox Walnut Lawn and during overnight shifts.

After the popularity of the summer specials, Bauer says he’s working on a fall promotion as well.

“People always like a tasty healthy option and they like the change and the variety.”


Dijon Pork Chops
5 servings

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Honey
2 1⁄2 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
1 teaspoon Fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon Cider vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon Onion powder
5 Center cut pork chops


Directions:
1. Mix together honey, Dijon mustard, orange juice, fresh tarragon, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder.
2. Heat up grill.
3. Grill chops until 145 degrees for 15 seconds.
4. Brush occasionally with sauce.

TIP: Goes great with baby red potatoes and steamed California-style vegetables.


Creamy Piccata Chicken
4 servings
Ingredients:
4 5-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1⁄2 cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons diced shallots
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1⁄2 cup penne pasta, cooked
1⁄2 cup broccoli

Directions:

1. Dip chicken in flour, egg, then flour, coating well.
2. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking oil. Heat over medium heat and sear chicken, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
3. In the same skillet, cook shallots and thyme, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender.
4. Stir in lemon juice and cook 1 minute. Stir in heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
5. Garnish with parsley and lemon peel.
6. Spoon sauce to cover chicken.
7. Serve with pasta.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Children’s Miracle Network Telethon raises $1.37 million for area children


The 25th annual Children’s Miracle Network Telethon raised $1,374,521 to benefit local sick and injured children thanks to the outpouring of generosity from people in the community, despite difficult financial times.

“We could not have asked for a better event,” says Heather Zoromski, director of Children’s Miracle Network. “We could not continue to help families across the Ozarks without the donors, sponsors, volunteers and help from CoxHealth,” says Zoromski.

Zoromski acknowledged the generosity of a few sponsors including the following: Sensory Integrations, Downhome Productions, Re/Max, Great Southern, Credit Unions for Kids, Price Cutter Charity Championship, CoxHealth, MSU Dance Bear-A-Thon, Mason’s, Dairy Queen, Kum & Go, 92.9 Bass Country, STAR 105.1 and Walmart.

KY3 televised the event live beginning June 5 and ending at 5 p.m. June 6, making it possible for CMN to share “Miracle Kid” stories with the communities served by CMN and CoxHealth. This year the telethon also featured adults whom CMN helped when they were children.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Cafeteria's summer of variety ranges from the grill to restaurant dishes and veggie fare


Food and Nutrition Services kicked off a summer of culinary delights on Wednesday by firing up the grill in front of Cox South. Lunchtime diners were treated to grilled chicken, pulled pork hamburgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings.

The event was the first in the cafeteria’s “summer promo,” which features new themes and dishes four days a week. Jason Bauer, Assistant Director of Retail and Production in Food and Nutrition Services, details the promotion:

Meatless Mondays
On Mondays there will be no meat served in the entrée section of the cafeteria. This is to help decrease our carbon footprint, help with cutting calories due to high fat meat products and help promote meatless dishes.

Restaurant Tuesdays
We are teaming up with local restaurants in our cafeteria, on Tuesdays this summer.
The restaurants are going to give CoxHealth three healthy recipes that they serve in their establishment that we will serve in the cafeteria.
Some of the restaurants participating include: Valentine’s, Ocean Zen, The Balanced Palate, Social Suppers and Tuscan Grill.

Grill Out Wednesday
On this day we will be grilling out by the water fountain. We will feature a leaner burger and chicken every week but will have a new dish on the grill weekly, such as a chipotle burger.

Action Station Thursday
We have an action station daily, however, through the summer months we will be bringing back salads at the action station and/or will be serving new dishes every week on this day.

Friday Wraps
On Fridays we will continue serving wraps at the action station.

The “Summer Promo” will run through August.

Check out handcrafted gift items at special sale to benefit Children’s Miracle Network

Unique, affordable, handcrafted gift items, candles and more will be sold at the Children’s Miracle Network Summer Craft Sale 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday, June 18, in the main lobby of Cox South, 3801 S. National Ave.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale benefit the Children’s Miracle Network of CoxHealth. CMN is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance for sick and injured children living in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. Proceeds benefit CMN projects such as the C.A.R.E. Mobile (a children’s clinic on wheels) medical equipment, financial assistance and educational programs.

For more information, call Children’s Miracle Network at 417/269-KIDS.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

CoxHealth, CPR instructor honored by Safe Community Coalition


The Springfield Safe Community Coalition recently honored CoxHealth for contributing to the greater well being of the community by providing basic and advanced life-support training to thousands of people each year. The CoxHealth Educational Services Training Center earned an honorable mention for the 2010 Springfield Safe Community and Injury Prevention Awards. The awards recognize individuals, businesses, or organizations that promote or carry out valuable community safety and injury prevention programs in Springfield.

Springfield is one of only eight designated Safe Communities in the United States. Safe Communities and the awards are a project of the World Health Organization and the winners are selected by a an international panel of judges including representatives from the USA, Australia, Sweden and New Zealand.

Since 1997, the Training Center has provided American Heart Association programming and support to instructors and community members in basic and advanced adult and pediatric life support training courses. In 2009, the CoxHealth Training Center instructors trained 10,821 members of the community as a way to reduce adult, child and infant death and disability from cardiac arrest, stroke and choking. The center has consistently trained 7000-8000 people each year for the past 13 years.

Amos Hale (center, above), a CPR instructor with the center and son of Educational Services clinical educator Cheryl Blevins, was honored as a winner in the Outstanding Youth category of the awards. Hale, now 19, has been an instructor with the center since he was 16 years old.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Medical Mile run set for Saturday


Join in the fun of the 19th annual CoxHealth Medical Mile and 5K Run/Walk scheduled to begin 7 a.m., Saturday, June 5, rain or shine. While you’re there stop by the Wellness Expo from 7 a.m. – noon at The Meyer Center, 3545 S. National, for health screenings, children’s activities and more.

The Medical Mile has something for everyone – from children to senior adults, from serious runners to casual walkers – and it all benefits the Children's Miracle Network C.A.R.E. Mobile – a mobile health clinic for kids that specializes in immunizations, check-ups, sports physicals, treatment of common childhood illnesses and other primary care.

The morning’s activities will include an awards ceremony with KY3’s Ned Reynolds as the emcee. In addition to the races, there will be a Kids Carnival area with inflatables, bubbles, carnival rides, refreshments and more. Other activities include C.A.R.E. Mobile tours, visits with Pet Therapy of the Ozarks and fun with Louie,
The Springfield Cardinals mascot.

Pre-registration is available now at any CoxHealth Fitness Centers location or you can download the registration form at coxhealth.com. participants pick up their packets in Conference Room A at The Meyer Center, from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday, June 4.

Race day registration and packet pick up is available for limited times. Please see coxhealth.com for details. Entry fees before the day of the race are $50 for families, $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 14 and under. On race day, entry fees are $60 for families, $25 for adults and $12 for children.

A complete list of Wellness Expo activities and screenings, and more information about Medical Mile race divisions is available at www.coxhealth.com.