Tomato tart helps Chicago youth with special needs
Chicagoans can enjoy one of the city's tastiest new treats while helping support job and nutrition training for people with special needs.
What's happening: The Cuca Cucina tomato tart, created by Chicago chef Elizabeth Floersheimer, hit local stores this month and 10% of proceeds go to a foundation that helps people like Floersheimer's son Samuel, who was born with Down syndrome.
Zoom in: After she learned about the connection between Down syndrome and other medical conditions, including dementia, Floersheimer said she felt compelled to work with youth with special needs to build an early appreciation of high-quality, healthful foods.
She has been doing this through cooking class and special dinners, and later plans to launch something called Route 21 (named for a Down syndrome diagnosis code) to help individuals with special needs with job training.
What they're saying:"So many times children and young adults with special needs are placated with food," Floersheimer tells Axios.
"A lot of times it is their biggest pleasure, as it is with many people. So why not teach them from a young age about amazing food and how it can heal your body? Why eat chicken tenders when you can eat coq au vin?"
Dig in: While the tomato tart might look like a pizza, the butter crust makes it more like a decadent quiche. Perfect for brunch or light dinner with a salad.
Floersheimer recently contracted with a local baking facility to produce the tarts while young adults with special needs, including her business partner Samuel, market them with samplings at local stores and farmers' markets.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
BSX Q1 Endoscopy Sales Rise 6%: What's Behind the Growth?
Boston Scientific's BSX Endoscopy business develops and manufactures devices to diagnose and treat a broad range of gastrointestinal (GI) conditions using innovative, less invasive technologies. The company is strategically positioned to benefit from the expanding global endoscopy devices market through its strong innovation pipeline and well-diversified product offerings. Per an Allied Market Research report, the global endoscopy devices market was valued at $28.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $44.1 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2023 to 2032. Sales of Endoscopy products totaled $673 million, up 6% both operationally and organically, for the first quarter of 2025. Endoscopy sales accounted for 14% of the company's overall revenues. Sales growth can be attributed to steady performance across geographies and BSX's diverse product suite. A key highlight was the continued double-digit growth of the AXIOS Stent and Electrocautery Enhanced Delivery System. AXIOS is the first and only stent indicated for transgastric or transduodenal endoscopic drainage of symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts. Additionally, the Endoluminal Surgery franchise saw double-digit growth from two innovative technologies — OverStitch and MANTIS Clip. This indicates robust adoption of advanced endoscopic tools aimed at minimally invasive procedures. The segment's consistent growth is attributed to its balanced regional performance and strong traction in newer, high-potential product lines. Accordingly, Boston Scientific is poised to sustain long-term growth in the high-potential endoscopy space. Stryker's SYK Endoscopy segment posted strong growth in the first quarter, with U.S. organic sales rising 11.1%, driven by double-digit gains in core endoscopy and sports medicine portfolios. Key growth catalysts included the 1788 camera platform, as it continues to win customers. Robust global performance and product innovation position the segment for continued success. Johnson & Johnson JNJ, through its subsidiary Ethicon, is a key player in the field of endoscopy. The company offers advanced energy-based endoscopic surgery platforms known as ENDOPATH and HARMONIC. Additionally, it provides staplers and suturing devices such as ECHELON and PROXISURE. JNJ's strategic growth initiatives involve a strong emphasis on digital surgery platforms, artificial intelligence and analytics to enhance endoscopic procedures. Shares of Boston Scientific have gained 27.3% in the past year compared with the industry's growth of 9.7%. The S&P 500 composite has also grown 11% in the same period. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, BSX trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 32.13X, above the industry's 21.33X. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BSX's earnings has been on the rise over the past 60 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research BSX stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Stryker Corporation (SYK) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
A Donor Heart Saved Her Life. Why Are Others With Down Syndrome Denied Transplants? (Exclusive)
Charlotte Woodward was born with a heart defect, as nearly half of all people with Down syndrome, and 13 years ago, received a donor heart that saved her life Research has shown people with Down syndrome and other disabilities face discrimination when being evaluated for organ transplants Woodward has been fighting for justice for others with disabilities in need of transplants, and now a bill that could help is awaiting a floor vote in CongressCharlotte Woodward's doctors tell her she's a boring patient — even though she lives with a transplanted heart. 'It's because I'm so healthy,' she explains. 'I take very good care of my heart.' Woodward, 35, knows she's lucky. Born with a heart defect — like nearly half of all people with Down syndrome — she received her donor heart in 2012. But research has shown that more than 40% of pediatric transplant centers often consider intellectual disabilities a cause for concern when evaluating for organ transplants, because of assumptions that patients with disabilities may not be able to care for themselves and because of 'preconceived notions about their quality of life,' says Michelle Sagan, communications director for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). 'Their life is seen as not as important.' Another study found that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are less than half as likely to receive a kidney transplant as adults without IDD. Woodward has been working to change that. In 2020, she led a successful campaign to pass a bill in her home state of Virginia protecting those who are disabled from transplant discrimination. And now a similar federal bill named in her honor has been passed by a House committee and is headed for a floor vote in the House. It aims to provide protections, in part by mandating an expedited judicial review if someone is denied a transplant and believes their civil rights have been violated. 'People with Down syndrome and other disabilities should not be denied a lifesaving opportunity,' says Woodward, a program associate at the NDSS who went viral on the group's TikTok in 2020 for her video on "Things About Having Down Syndrome That Don't Make Sense". 'We need a legal solution to make it clear that blatant discrimination is wrong and is not permissible. I don't think people are doing it maliciously. They're just uneducated. It's rooted in fear and ignorance." From the day she was born, Woodward was underestimated, says her mom, Darcy. 'I was told she most likely never would read or write. It bewildered me. I didn't understand how someone could predict a baby's future.' Darcy ignored the warnings and read to her daughter, who learned to read by the time she was 4: 'I've been in awe of her every day of her life.' Her health was more concerning. She had four open-heart surgeries by age 10, and by the time she was 22, her heart began to fail. Her cardiologist told her mom he would have to 'go to bat' and work to convince hospital officials to get her name on the transplant list. 'He knew there might be opposition from the transplant team,' Woodward says. Fortunately she was matched with a donor heart in less than two weeks — and went on to graduate summa cum laude with a sociology degree from George Mason University. When Woodward, who loves to dance, is learning to play the electric guitar, and is in a long-term relationship with Peanut Butter Falcon actor Zack Gottsagen — began her job at NDSS, she learned her transplant experience was not the norm. The knowledge pained her. 'There have been many stories about denials of organs and transplants. We will never know how many,' she says, tearing up. 'I think, 'How could you?' ' The solution, she says, is legislation and education. 'I don't think people are doing it maliciously. It's rooted in fear and ignorance,' says Woodward, who urges people to consider organ donation — and call their representatives in Congress and urge them to support her bill. 'People with Down syndrome are just that: people. They have strengths and challenges like everyone else. They shouldn't have to prove their worth in order to get a transplant.' Read the original article on People
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Starbucks set to debut a new drink — packed with protein: ‘This thing is going to be a rocket'
Even Starbucks is hopping on the protein trend. If you've been on the internet in recent months, you've probably seen an increase in interest in protein-heavy food and drinks. Now, Starbucks is testing a new way to instantly add a whopping 15 grams of protein to nearly any beverage. The coffee giant is testing a protein cold foam at five locations in the US through its Starting Five program. It's part of CEO Brian Niccol's hopes to expand into the wellness category, the company announced during the Starbucks Leadership Experience in Las Vegas. 3 Starbucks is testing a protein cold foam at five locations in the US through its Starting Five program. Starbucks 'This thing is going to be a rocket,' Niccol said on stage in Las Vegas. 'It's on trend. It's delicious.' Niccol explained to Axios that the new innovation is geared toward a number of consumer groups, such as 20-year-old males, 50-year-old females and people taking GLP-1s. 'I was watching people coming to our stores, they would get three shots of espresso over ice,' Niccol explained. 'And in some cases, they pull their own protein powder out of their bag, or in other cases, they have a protein drink, like a Fair Life, and they'd pour that into their drink.' 'I'm like, well, wait a second, we can make this experience better for them,' he added. There's currently a huge push for protein with Gen Z, with different recipes and trends such as the '100 grams of protein daily' challenge going viral on TikTok. And with the continuous rise of GLP-1 drugs, research has shown that a high-protein diet is vital to maintaining muscle with the appetite-suppressing injectable treatments. 3 Starbucks shared that their protein powder should be able to be added to any of its cold foam flavors. Starbucks 'The good news is now I think we're right on trend, and we can do it, I think, arguably better than anybody else,' Niccol said. According to Fast Company, the protein cold foam will be identical to the cold foam Starbucks customers know and love — but it will be packed with somewhere between 15 and 18 grams of protein. The world's largest coffee chain reportedly initially imagined that the protein blend would simply mix into drinks, but it kept getting clumpy — something that protein powder consumers may know a thing or two about — and they wanted to solve that problem. 3 The protein cold foam will reportedly be packed with somewhere between 15 and 18 grams of protein. Dontree – The development team found that blending the powder into foam got rid of the clumps, which led to the protein cold foam innovation. Starbucks shared that their protein powder should be able to be added to any of its cold foam flavors, but the current testing version is a banana cold foam, FoodSided reported. They're starting the testing with Starbucks' Iced Caffe Latte. While it's being tested in just five locations at the moment, Niccol told Axios he thinks the nationwide release of the protein cold foam will be sooner rather than later. 'It's not one of those things that's years away. It's months away,' he said.
