San Leandro Unified

Employee Wellness

Newsletter

Welcome to Active April!

Let's find ways to get moving and stay active and healthy.

Click here to download and print the calendar.

How to Live a More Courageous Life

Learning strategies to deal with your fears can help prepare you to take risks and change your life.

Seven Tips for Better Relationship Conversations

There can be gaps between how things are and how we want them to be in our relationships with partners, family, and even coworkers. Here's one way to address them.

April is Stress Awareness Month

Since April is Stress Awareness Month, it’s an excellent time to evaluate your stress level. Stress is an unavoidable, normal response to a change — even a positive change can be stressful.

Stress can manifest physically, such as:

Aches and pains
Muscle tension
Digestive or sleeping issues
High blood pressure

Stress can also manifest mentally in anxiety, depression, and irritability. These stress responses need to be managed with good amounts and types of sleep, food, and exercise. Saying “no” to extra responsibilities and “yes” to relaxing, healthy activities can also counter stress.

SLUSD partners with Claremont EAP and Care Solace to support our collective well-being, including you and your family. If you or your family needs support, use these resources available to you as a valued member of SLUSD:

1. Claremont Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Call 800-834-3773 if your need is urgent, or visit their website at: https://www.claremonteap.com/

2. Care Solace: Call 888-515-0595. Support is available 24/7/365 in any language. Visit www.caresolace.com/slusdfamilies and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

SLUSD Pet of the Month: Nadia and Reggie Malki-Koch

Garfield Elementary Principal Anna Malki-Kock loves more than just Gators!

Principal Malki is finishing up her first year over at Garfield Elementary, and she has a sweet furry family waiting for her at home! Nadia (black) and baby Reggie (tan) love helping a hard-working administrator from getting too overworked. Reggie just joined the family over Spring Break! Welcome to the SLUSD family!

We want to see your pets, babies, beautiful gardens, or any other photos that give you joy! Send photos to communications@slusd.us and share the love!

1-Pot Chickpea Shakshuka

Savory, flavorful shakshuka with chickpeas made in 1 pot in 30 minutes! A hearty yet healthy dish suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

SHAKSHUKA

1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
1/2 cup diced white onion or shallot
1/2 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1-3 Tbsp tomato paste
2-3 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup (or omit if avoiding sugar)
Sea salt to taste
2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 pinch of each cardamom and coriander (optional)
1 ½ 15-ounce cans of cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
4-5 whole kalamata or green olives (optional // pitted and halved)

FOR SERVING (optional)

Lemon wedges

Bread

Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro

Rice or cauliflower rice

Brown rice pasta

Instructions

Heat a large-rimmed metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant.
Add tomato puree or diced tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, sea salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional), cardamom, and coriander (optional). Stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chickpeas and olives (optional). Stir to combine. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and marry with the beans.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more cumin or paprika for smokiness, cayenne for heat, coconut sugar for sweetness, cardamom and coriander for earthiness (or slight curry flavor), chili powder for smoke/heat, or olives for saltiness and to balance the tomato flavor. Cook longer, as needed, to develop flavors.
Serve as is or with bread, pasta, or rice. Garnish with fresh lemon juice, additional olives, and cilantro or parsley for extra flavor (optional).
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop until completely warmed through.

(Credit: Minimalist Baker)

Cezerye

Cezerye is a delicious melt-in-the-mouth Turkish dessert. It is difficult to believe that it is fat-free and yet so delectable. The name is derived from the word "cezer", which means "carrot" in Arabic. It is healthy, light, and a delicious sweet.

Ingredients

6-7 medium size carrots
1 ¼ to 1½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
¼ cup pistachios, chopped

Instructions

Peel and wash carrots. Cut them into medium size pieces. Pressure cook.
Drain water and puree the carrots.
Transfer pureed carrots into a heavy bottom steel wok. Add sugar.
Cook on medium flame, stirring continuously till most of the water evaporates and the mixture becomes thick and dry. It needs continuous stirring or else it will start burning at the bottom as it thickens.
Add lemon juice, vanilla essence, and cinnamon powder.
Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes stirring continuously.
Add 1 cup of desiccated coconut and chopped pistachios. Stir well. Turn off the heat.
Let the mixture cool. When it is warm and easy to handle, make walnut size balls.
Roll in coconut. Keep in refrigerator.

San Leandro Unified School District | communications@slusd.us | www.slusd.us