In celebration of National Nutrition Month, MUSC Employee Wellness and Sodexo hosted a live cooking demonstration on March 2 in front of the Colbert Education Center & Library.

MUSC executive chef Fred Bennett prepared items featuring several varieties of goat cheese provided by Giddy Goat Cheese. Items included barley, rice and vegetable sauté with cracked pepper and sea salt goat cheese, whole wheat pizza with pure goat cheese and caramelized onion and cremini mushroom pasta with wilted arugula and crystallized ginger goat cheese.

Recipes are available at http://www.muschealth.com/nutrition/News/Giddy%20Goat%20Cheese%20Cooking%20Demo. Guests were able to ask questions about the ingredients and preparation and enjoyed samples of the items and different varieties of goat cheese. The following Monday these items were featured in World Cuisine at the university cafeteria and Beth Wendt with Giddy Goat Cheese was on hand with samples and additional information on their products.
Giddy Goat Cheese is made fresh weekly at their creamery located right across the Ashley River in the Avondale area of Charleston. Owner Farrah Hoffmire will be bringing this healthy, organic product to the MUSC farmers market beginning Friday, March 18.  

Giddy Goat Cheese is an artisan cheese handmade with fresh, hormone-free, grade A goat’s milk from small South Carolina Farms. In addition to being incredibly delicious and versatile, it is also a healthy alternative to traditional cheese products. Goat cheese, like goat milk, is easier on the human digestive system and lower in calories, cholesterol and fat than cheese made with cow milk. In addition, goat milk cheese is rich in calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, phosphorus, niacin and thiamin. To learn more about Giddy Goat Cheese and how they support grassroots organizations and the community, visit http://www.GiddyGoatCheese.com or http://www.OrganicProcess.com and to stop by the farmers market on March 18 to welcome them to MUSC.

MUSC Good Eats! Events

• Wellness and You Specials: Meatless Monday, March 14 – Mediterranean eggplant soup, $1.59 available in Ashley River Towers (ART) and university hospital cafeterias. Thursday, March 17 - red, white, & blue parfait served during breakfast for $2.99, Mexican spiced tenderloin for $3.69 and Mexican vegetable medley for $.89 in the Café.
• Wellness Wednesday:  March 16, the MUSC dietetic interns will be giving a Wellness Wednesday Presentation, “Going Green with Nutrition” outside the Ashley River Towers cafeteria highlighting the health benefits of green food.  Green vegetables are naturally good sources of Vitamin K, Magnesium, Vitamin A, and calcium.
• Lunch and Learn Series: Eat This, Learn That! – Wednesday, March 16 from Noon – 12:30 p.m. in Room 107 Colbert Education Center & Library. Join registered dietitian Janet Carter for her presentation, Celebrating National Nutrition Month's “Eat Right With Color.” Participants will have an opportunity to sample the Wellness & You item featured in the university cafeteria and will also receive a 10 percent off coupon for that item. Space is limited, register at nashatke@musc.edu.

Employee Wellness events

• Chair massages: Free massages are offered to employees on Tuesday nights and midday Wednesdays. Look for broadcast messages for locations and times.
• MUSC employee fitness series: A free Tai Bo class will be held from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m., March 16 at the MUSC Wellness Center. Participants will also receive a free one-day pass to the Wellness Center. E-mail musc-empwell@musc.edu to register.
• Mobile mammograms:  Looking for a convenient way to have your mammogram? The Hollings Cancer Center Mobile Van will be conducting mammograms from 9 a.m. to 3 p..m, on March 16, at Harborview Office Tower.  Call 792-0878 to schedule an appointment.
• Discounted state park annual passes: Ranger John Phelps from Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site will be located in the Children’s Hospital Lobby on Wednesday on March 16 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. selling annual state park passes to employees at a 20 percent discount. Visit http://www.charlestowne.org/ or http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/ to learn more about the natural and historic settings in our community and state.
• Wellness Wednesday: Join Stephanie Power, injury prevention coordinator, on March 16 in the Children’s Hospital lobby from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.  to learn about National Poison Prevention Week, steps that you can take to help prevent accidental poisonings and tips for promoting community involvement in poison prevention.
• Free bone density screenings: The MUSC Osteoporosis and Bone Health Center and MUSC Employee Wellness are offering a bone mineral density screening, free of charge, to any employee who is at risk including any postmenopausal woman (not currently taking prescription medications for osteoporosis) who has not had a DXA scan in the last two years. The next screening is scheduled for Wednesday, March 23 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. For information or to schedule an appointment, e-mail musc-empwell@musc.edu.
• Smoking cessation clinic: Freedom From Smoking (FFS) Clinic is a program developed by the American Lung Association that provides a group setting for adults to work through the quitting process. There are eight group sessions led by trained facilitators and physicians who are also MUSC employees. This clinic is open to all MUSC employees and their spouses. The cost is $25 per person and the first class begins on Tuesday, April 5 at 5:30 p.m. For information or to register e-mail musc-empwell@musc.edu.
• Farmers market: Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Friday in the Horseshoe and in the grassy area next to ART behind Charleston Memorial Hospital. Check out the newest addition, Giddy Goat Cheese beginning Friday, March 18.

Contact Susan Johnson at johnsusa@musc.edu to become involved in employee wellness at MUSC. Events, speakers, classes, or any other ideas are welcome.