San Antonio, Texas — Health Confianza, a county-wide health literacy program focused on improving health outcomes through health literacy and collaboration, is giving away 5 aprons and 5 tortilla warmers to a total of 10 lucky followers on IG and FB in a random drawing to be held on May 8^th. If you win, we’ll direct message you.

We are also giving away a total of 30 (aprons and tortilla warmers) to individuals who belong to one of our active Community Health Clubs. Each participating club facilitator will be given a set of giveaway rules tailored for the club, but the official rules still apply.

Giveaway Rules 

1. Official rules: Eligibility to the “Fiesta Flavor Giveaway”. This giveaway is organized by Health Confianza. Employees of Health Confianza are not eligible to enter the giveaway, vendors of Health Confianza, and retailers, or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies or any other company or individual involved with the design, production, execution or distribution of the Sweepstakes, and the immediate family. Open to the public (followers specifically) NO purchase or payment is necessary to enter or win the
2. Sponsor and Administrator Sponsor: Health Confianza, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229
3. Giveaway period: The time of the giveaway begins April 24, 2025, and ends May 4th, 2025.
4. How to enter: To enter, follow @HealthConfianza on Facebook and or Instagram.Followers must like the post (optional SHARE POST on their social media) and tag 1-2 friends in the comments. One entry per person per social media channel unless you enter in our extra entry challenge. The Extra entry challenge will allow the public to get one extra entry in the giveaway if you post on your social media, tagging us in your favorite fiesta themed food you like to cook. Entry can also be done by sending us your favorite fiesta theme recipe through social media or through an online form accessible by a QR code.   
5. Winner selection: On May 8th, we will select the winners across social media platforms. The winner selection will be done live on Facebook and Instagram on May 8th. Time to be announced. Health Confianza will choose between a tortilla set or an apron for the winners — it will be done at random. The selected winners will be tagged on a social media post on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on May 10th, 2025. Health Confianza will direct message the selected winners on the social platforms to collect their legal name, phone number, and other contact methods to arrange the delivery of the
6. Verification of Potential Winner Potential winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Prize is non-transferable and no substitution will be made except as provided herein at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any listed prize for one of equal or greater value for any reason.
7. Prizes 10 (10) Grand Prize winners will win either a tortilla set or apron handmade by Fuerza Unida. Actual items may differ from depiction of the prize in Giveaway advertising, and Sponsor disclaims all liability in conjunction therewith.
8. Entry Conditions and Release By entering, each participant agrees to: (a) comply with and be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor and Administrator, which are binding and final in all matters relating to this Sweepstakes; (b) release and hold harmless Sponsor, Administrator, the prize suppliers and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Sweepstakes, and all of their respective affiliates and related entities and each of their respective officers, directors, agents, vendors, employees and other representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, including but not limited to invasion of privacy (under appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light in the public eye or other legal theory), defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a participant’s entry, creation of an entry or submission of an entry, participation in the Sweepstakes, acceptance or use or misuse of prize (including any travel or activity related thereto) and/ or the broadcast, exploitation or use of entry; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to an entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes and/or entrant’s acceptance, use or misuse of prize.
9. Publicity Except where prohibited, participation in the Giveaway constitutes winners’ consent to Sponsor’s and its agents’ use of winners’ name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.
10. General Conditions Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Sweepstakes, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process 2 or the operation of the Sweepstakes or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Entry in the Sweepstakes constitutes an entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to abide by and accept the terms and conditions of these Official Rules. No substitution of prize or cash equivalent except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Cash equivalent may be less than the approximate retail value of the prize. Prize is non-transferable except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. All federal, state and local taxes on the prizes are winner’s sole responsibility. By accepting the prize, winner waives the right to assert as a cost of winning said prize, any and all costs of redemption or travel to redeem said prize and any and all liability that might arise from redeeming or seeking said prize.
11. Limitations of Liability The Released Parties are not responsible for: (a) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (b) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (c) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (d) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; or (e) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. If for any reason an entrant’s entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant’s sole remedy is another entry in the Sweepstakes, provided that if it is not possible to award another entry due to discontinuance of the Sweepstakes, or any part of it, for any reason, Sponsor, at its discretion, may elect to hold a random drawing from among all eligible entries received up to the date of discontinuance for any or all of the prizes offered herein. No more than the stated prize will be awarded. In event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated prize by a random drawing among all legitimate, unawarded, eligible prize claims.
12. Governing Law All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of the Participant, or Sponsor in connection with the Promotion shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s laws.
13. Entrant’s Personal Information collected from entrants is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy and is available at. Each entrant acknowledges that, by entering the Sweepstakes, entrant has opted into Sponsor’s Privacy Policy and, by opting into Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, has read and accepted Sponsor’s Privacy Policy.
14. Sweepstakes Results For Sweepstakes results will be announced on Social Media platforms Instagram and Facebook Sponsor: Health Confianza

 

 

 

San Antonio, TEXAS — Health Confianza, a health literacy program housed at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), was selected for a 2025 Presidential Excellence Award for Staff Team Excellence. A committee of UT Health San Antonio peers selects the award recipients. Health Confianza’s team will be honored with a plaque during an April dinner event.

Team Leader: Jason Rosenfeld, DrPH, MPH, CHWI, Associate Professor/Research
Team Members:
Santos Barrientes, CHW, Community Outreach Coordinator-Senior
Adelita G. Cantu, PhD, RN, Professor
Maria G. Castillo DeLeon, Community Outreach Coordinator-Senior
Cynthia Parker, CHW, Community Outreach Coordinator-Senior
Melanie A. Stone, DrPH, MEd, Assistant Professor/Research
Mia Kisako Vento, Project Coordinator-Senior
Sandra Selene Zaragoza, MA, Marketing & Comm Specialist-Senior

Read more here.

Community Health Club discussions lead to many great “a-ha” moments. In the spirit of club knowledge sharing, we are starting a series called “Buena Idea,” looking at some of the smart solutions and practical ideas that our club facilitators and members are coming up with to live healthier.

San Antonio, Texas — When Marissa Gutierrez of the city of San Antonio’s Healthy Neighborhoods program set out to do Health Confianza’s Salud con Sabor curriculum at The Untouchables Community Health Club, a club member approached her with an idea.

Cheryl Tondre suggested they take the opportunity to teach members how to use an air fryer to cook healthier, using less fats and oils.

At first, Gutierrez said, she wasn’t exactly sure how she was going to incorporate an air fryer into the curriculum.

“I would say that I was a little nervous at first when my community members requested it as our main focus,” Gutierrez said “I didn’t have an air fryer at the time and had very little knowledge when it came to using it.”

However, when she learned that every community member in the club had an air fryer at home that “they either used daily or was left to collect dust in the box,” she agreed it was worth a try.

La Idea

Tondre saw the value in air fryer for senior community members like her in terms of safety and convenience. Many people own an air fryer, Tondre said, but don’t use it because they aren’t sure how to use it or what it can do.

“The air fry is so easy to work with,” Tondre said. “I’ve done pork chops, I’ve done chicken, I’ve done cookies, I’ve done pizza. And it keeps the elderly away from the stove.”

It can also help with electricity costs during the summer because you don’t have to turn on the oven, Tondre added.

The Untouchables ran with the idea and developed eight weeks of demos using the cooking device. From November to December, they made dishes including BBQ air fryer chicken, egg salad, air fryer Chex mix, and air fryer seasoned potatoes.

What helped with the success of the air fry series, Gutierrez said, was their openness to learn and engage with one another.

“The community members who used their air fryers daily had the opportunity to share their knowledge with their neighbors, and the neighbors who didn’t have as much experience got to learn from their more experienced neighbors and hands-on learning,” Gutierrez added.

The air fryer series was a hit, with packed meetings and seniors asking questions on both the nutrition curriculum and air fryer recipes.

Gutierrez also added an activity on local grocery apps for smart phones. That activity led to showing members how to first download the app, then use the app for coupons and additional savings (see story). While some members needed help downloading the apps, most were eager to do so.

The Untouchables wrapped up their graduation of the Salud con Sabor curriculum on Jan. 14^th, posing for pictures with their completion certificates and eating garlic cheesy bread made with air fryers.

“We were able to harness and highlight the community’s strengths and help each other grow, especially me,” Gutierrez said. “They inspired me so much that I went out and purchased a small air fryer to help me in the kitchen. I believe they all enjoyed the ability to learn new ways to take smalls steps towards their own successes in reducing the amount of fried food they eat.”

 

San Antonio, TEXAS — The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and its partners are offering free continuing education for Community Health Workers. To register, see below or click here.

 

San Antonio, Texas — Health Confianza’s Community Health Club program has been running in Bexar County for a little more than three years. We surveyed our club members to gain insights into the impact this peer-to-peer learning model is having in our communities. See below.

*Infographic by Health Confianza Project Manager Mia Vento.

 

 

 

At our Community Health Clubs, facilitators take relatable problems like high food costs, and turn them into an opportunity to share ideas and resources.

That’s exactly what Marissa Gutierrez, a Community Health Club facilitator who works for the city of San Antonio’s Healthy Neighborhoods program, did for her club, called The Untouchables. She wanted her club members to know that spending a few minutes a week using apps and/or social media can help them save money on their next trip to the grocery store.

Many popular retailers use apps, digital coupons or online specials to attract shoppers. Shoppers who are not using the apps, may be missing out on additional savings.

In this era of high grocery costs, it pays to take advantage of digital deals, along with free food resources in the community.

Here is a modified version of Gutierrez’ club presentation:

1. Use apps to save on groceries and get health information. Pro Tip: Make sure you know your phone’s password and your email password. You may need to access your email to receive additional information.
2. Download popular retailer apps, such as MY HEB in the App Store on your Apple device or the Google Play Store on your Android device. Pro Tip: Make sure you know your phone’s password and your email password. You may need to access your email to receive additional information.
3. Learn to use apps to find digital coupons. Pro Tip: The MY HEB app offers digital coupons, and Combo Locos. You can also scan an items QR code to get nutrition facts and see if they are SNAP EBT eligible, low carb and more.
4. If a retailer does not have an app, look at their social pages on FB and Instagram to see if they advertise specials or have newsletters. Pro Tip: Poco Loco Super Mercado has several locations in San Antonio and you can sign up for weekly ads on their website. https://www.pocolocosupermercado.com/
5. Find SNAP-friendly retailers. Pro Tip: Follow Chicho Boys Fruit Market and River City Produce on Facebook to find affordable fruits and veggies. Chicho Boy accepts SNAP and is part of the Double Up Food Bucks Texas program. https://doubleuptexas.org/find-a-location/
6. If you are a parent, sign up for WIC benefits. Pro Tip: JC Food Mart  – a San Antonio-based grocery store that accepts WIC benefits and primarily sells WIC-authorized foods including fruit, dairy and formula. Visit https://www.jcfoodmart.com/ for locations.
7. Follow or visit nonprofits online for free food distributions. Pro Tip: San Antonio Food Bank offers Freshtrak.com, an updated list of food distribution events; and Find Help shows available emergency food resources, https://www.findhelp.org/food/emergency-food–san-antonio-tx

*Health Confianza does not endorse specific retailers or vendors.

San Antonio, TEXAS — During the 15^th annual Mayor’s Fitness Council Breakfast on Dec. 11, the council honored Jason Rosenfeld with its 2024 Spirit of Service Award and Health Confianza with its 2024 Healthy Champion Award.

The Mayor’s Fitness Council (MFC) is a community-wide collaborative to reduce obesity in San Antonio. The mission of the MFC is to increase awareness and connect San Antonio residents to opportunities for improved emotional well-being, physical activity, and healthy eating.

Jason Rosenfeld, associate professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio and co-director of Health Confianza, was recognized for a commitment to educating future public health leaders and the innovative health equity initiative titled, Health Confianza.

Rosenfeld and Melanie Stone, assistant professor of Family & Community Medicine and co-director of Health Confianza, established Health Confianza in 2020 to improve the health literacy of health professionals, organizations and community.

About Health Confianza:

Founded in 2021, Health Confianza is a collaborative, multilevel public health initiative aimed at creating a more informed, confident and healthier community. Through health literacy programs designed to help people make health decisions, we are increasing access to and utilization of health information and services. In keeping with its mission, Health Confianza, which is housed at UT Health San Antonio, has engaged with thousands of community members and provided support and training to numerous nonprofit agencies and clinics. In 2024, Health Confianza received the Promising Practice award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for its innovative approach and the strides it has made in improving health literacy in underserved, under-resourced communities in Bexar County. To learn how to get involved, visit HealthConfianza.org and WellnessCultura.org.

This article was co-authored and reviewed by Dr. Melanie Stone, DrPH, MEd, CHWI.

San Antonio, Texas — Every health care worker wants their patients and clients to leave an appointment recalling the conversation and knowing what steps to take next.  

Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. For some, an appointment can be an anxiety-filled experience, especially if there are language barriers, or a use of technical words that may make things hard to follow.

But there is a proven approach that can help.  

What is Teach Back

Health literacy experts support the use of Teach Back — an evidence-based method — during conversations between health care workers and clients that can improve recall, understanding and adherence to treatment plans. 

The Teach Back method is defined as asking patients, in a non-shaming way, to repeat, in their own words, what they need to know or do. For instance, understanding when and how to take their insulin, or how to properly use an inhaler to control asthma symptoms.  

An effective way to learn how to use this strategy is a program called the 5Ts for Teach Back. Health literacy expert Kathryn Anderson and a team at the University of New Mexico Hospitals created the 5Ts method, which breaks Teach Back into five skills that can help health care workers do it well with every patient or client conversation.  

The 5 Steps

The 5Ts are specific, observable steps: Triage, Tools, Take Responsibility, Tell Me, and Try Again.  

Health care workers of various roles, from nurses and physicians to pharmacists and community health workers, rely on this method to get important information across to their audiences. 

The following definitions of the 5Ts are excerpts from the original academic paper with some entries edited for brevity. Read the academic article for a more in-depth explanation of each step. 

Defining the Steps

• Triage – In the first triage step, a health worker determines which one to three topics are most important and will be the focus for education and Teach Back. Research has shown that the more information a clinician delivers, the less information the patient will remember correctly. The authors encourage a “chunk and check,” meaning you deliver one chunk of information and then check back to make sure it is understood.  During the teaching step, the provider must use plain language and consider the patient’s cultural and linguistic background context.  

• Tools — A tool is broadly defined as any aid that can assist the clinician with providing a clear explanation. Reader-friendly handouts, simple pen-and-paper drawings, models or diagrams, use of the health care workers’ own body (such as using the fist to represent the heart pumping), or even a relatable story are possible tools.

• Take responsibility — The Take Responsibility step is critical for the non-shaming aspect of the Teach-Back definition. This step happens once the health care worker has delivered a chunk of information. The health care worker may state, “That was a lot of information, and it can be hard to remember all that at once, so I want to make sure I did a good job explaining it.”  

• Tell me — During the Tell Me step, the health care worker invites patients to state, in their own words, what they understood. The ask needs to be specific, such as, “How will you use your glucose meter when you go home?” This allows the patient and the health care worker to focus on one specific piece of information so they are both on the same page. In some cases, the provider may ask the patient to show, rather than tell, such as demonstrating the use of an inhaler.
  
  
• Try again — If the patient does not tell back correctly, the health care worker must explain the information again, modifying the explanation to make it clearer. This may mean using plainer words or using a different tool like a drawing or an analogy, to teach in a way that makes sense to the patient. Another round of Teach Back must be done to ensure correct understanding. 

How effective is the Teach Back method? 

There is a growing body of evidence that supports the effectiveness of Teach Back. It is associated with increased knowledge, better adherence to medical regimens, improved patient outcomes like glycemic control, and improved patient safety. 

Teach back is also recommended by The Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that accredits and certifies health care organization and programs in the United States. It is the number one ranked health literacy practice to teach trainees.

Learn more: 

1. The 5Ts for Teach Back: An Operational Definition for Teach-Back Training
2. TeachBackTraining.org

Related Health Confianza Articles and Resources 

4 Tips for Better Health Communication
Organizational Health Literacy Toolkit

 

 

 

 

 

Scroll down for six healthy Thanksgiving recipes, from dessert to main and sides and a turkey.

Cinnamon baked pumpkin: servings 10, calories: 106, fat:3g, protein:1g (Dessert)  

Recipe found on: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259396/cinnamon-baked-pumpkin/ 

Diabetes-friendly, low-fat, dairy-free, vegan, low-calorie  

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup packed brown sugar 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

• ½ teaspoon salt 

• 3 pounds baking pumpkin or winter squash (butternut or acorn), peeled, seeded, 

• 2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil, peanut oil, cooking oil, or butter, melted 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with foil. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In prepared 3-quart rectangular baking dish toss pumpkin with oil. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over pumpkin. 

1. Bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes. Uncover and stir pumpkin. Bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes more or until pumpkin is tender. Makes 10 (3/4-cup) servings. 

Sauteed brussels sprouts with bacon and onions (side)

Recipe found on: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249972/sauteed-brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-onions/ 

Servings: 10, calories: 77, Protein: 4g 

Ingredients: 

• 2½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed 

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces 

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 large onion, diced 

• 4 sprigs thyme or savory, plus 2 teaspoons leaves, divided 

• 1 teaspoon salt 

• Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional) 

Directions:  

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If sprouts are very small, cut in half; otherwise cut into quarters. Cook the sprouts until barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. 

1. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until brown but not crisp, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Pour out all but about 1 tablespoon bacon fat from the pan. 

1. Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, reducing the heat if necessary, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme (or savory) sprigs, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, add the Brussels sprouts, and cook, tossing or stirring occasionally, until tender and warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs. Add the bacon, thyme (or savory) leaves and lemon juice, if using, and toss. 

Herb-roasted turkey  

Servings: 12, calories: 172, protein: 25g  

Ingredients:  

•  10- to 12-pound turkey 

• ¼ cup fresh herbs, plus 20 whole sprigs, such as thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and/or marjoram, divided 

• 2 tablespoons canola oil 

• 1 teaspoon salt 

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 

• Aromatics, onion, apple, lemon and/or orange, cut into 2-inch pieces (1½ cups) 

• 3 cups water, plus more as needed 

Directions: 

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 475°F. 

1. Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavities and reserve for making gravy(optional). Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan; pat dry with paper towels. Mix 1/4 cup minced herbs, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin and onto the breast meat. Place 1 1/2 cups aromatics and 10 of the herb sprigs in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Add 3 cups water and the remaining 10 herb sprigs to the pan. 

1. Roast the turkey until the skin is golden brown, 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cover the breast with a double layer of foil, cutting as necessary to conform to the breast. 

1. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours more. If the pan dries out, tilt the turkey to let juices run out of the cavity and into the pan and add 1 cup water. 

1. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and cover with foil. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes. Remove the string and carve. 

Roasted sweet potatoes

Recipe found on: https://www.delish.com/cooking/a22639681/how-to-roast-sweet-potatoes/ 

Ingredients:  

• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2″ cubes 

• 2 Tbsp neutral oil 

• 1 tsp salt 

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil and salt. Spread on a baking sheet, then cover with foil, crimping edges to seal. 

1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Place sheet on rack; preheat oven to 450°. 

1. Leave potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes (they will begin to cook as the oven heats up). Remove foil from pan and continue to roast until potatoes are caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes more. 

1. Make Ahead: Potatoes can be roasted 5 days ahead. 

Green beans recipe  

Recipe found on: https://www.eatingwell.com/green-beans-amandine-8732105 

Calories: 109, carbs: 12, protein: 3g 

Ingredients: 

• 3 (8 ounce) packages haricots verts (French-style green beans), trimmed 

• 5 teaspoons unsalted butter  

• ¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds 

• 1 large shallot, minced 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

• ¼ cup dry white wine 

• ¾ teaspoon salt 

• ½ teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions: 

1. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Fill a large bowl or pot with ice water and set it near the stove. Steam haricots verts until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to the ice water and let stand in the water for about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Melt 5 teaspoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup almonds; cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a plate.
3. Increase heat to medium. Add shallot and garlic to the pan; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup wine; cook until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the beans, the almonds, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; cook, tossing to coat the beans with the sauce, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Crispy potatoes  

Recipe found on: https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/crispy-sheet-pan-roasted-potatoes/

Making oven roasted potatoes is pretty simple. You’ll just need: 

• olive oil 

• potatoes 

•  salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder 

• a baking sheet + parchment paper. 

You can use coconut oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. 

1. Cut potatoes: To cut potatoes, first slice them lengthwise into slabs. Then slice them into thick fry-like shapes. Finally, cut potatoes into cubes. 

1. In a bowl, toss together cut potatoes, olive oil + spices. Make sure all pieces are evenly coated 

1. Spread out potatoes on a lined baking sheet 

1. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes and stir potatoes to make sure all sides are getting evenly cooked. Bake for an additional 20 minutes until the potatoes are browned. 

The South Texas Community Health Workers Workforce Preparedness Collaborative (STCWPC), an initiative led by UT Health San Antonio, is celebrating the first community health worker apprentices to graduate from its program in South Texas during National Registered Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 17–23.

Established in 2022 to train community health workers (CHW), STCWPC integrates public health competencies into community health training, and advocates for greater CHW employment. These apprenticeship programs are relatively new in the field, but advocates believe they will help to elevate field growth through standardized professional development.

As part of its registered apprenticeship program, STCWPC provides annual stipends for CHW apprentices and mentors, manages documentation for the registered program, provides technical assistance in the design of apprentice evaluation and on-the-job training activities, and can support employers in finding complimentary funding for apprenticeship training.

Community First Health Plans, which offers health care coverage for individuals and families, recently graduated two employees from its apprenticeship program, leveraging support from STCWPC.

“I am so happy that this CHW apprenticeship program was able to address the workforce needs [Community First Health Plans] identified,” said Jason Rosenfeld, associate professor of medicine at UT Health San Antonio and director of the STCWPC. “Community First provides the example, as the first employer to sign up for our registered apprenticeship program and have their apprentices complete their training, for how other health and social service agencies in the region can develop their own, in-house CHW training programs.”

The collaborative is looking to assist more employers in early 2025. To receive assistance, employers must reach out to STCWPC by mid-February 2025.

If you are a hiring manager or employer who wants to learn more about hiring or upskilling a CHW apprentice, watch the collaborative’s recent webinar “Hire a Community Health Worker Apprentice: We’ll do the Heavy Lifting.”

Watch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr7t3Uwjjhg&t=14s

For more information, contact Shayanne Martin at martins5@uthscsa.edu