Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes

This past Saturday I helped volunteer with the Community Nutrition Partnership and the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the NC Science Festival. We were trying to get kids excited about cooking with local and healthy ingredients so we made Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes. The recipe was a huge success with the kids!


The kids and parents liked it so much, we ran out of recipe copies. So, for those wanting the recipe, please see below:

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Oatmeal Pancakes
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup oats
1 cup whole wheat flour*
2 eggs**
1 cup skim milk**
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs. honey
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

*To make this recipe gluten-free: substitute buckwheat flour for the whole wheat flour
**To make this recipe vegan: substitute Ener-G Egg Replacer for the eggs and use almond or soy milk instead of skim milk.

To mash the sweet potato, take 1 medium sweet potato and cut into big chunks. Boil for approximately 20 – 25 minutes, or until soft. Drain the sweet potato chunks and mash with a fork or potato masher.

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

Measure about ¼ cup batter and pour onto oiled skillet or griddle. Cook over medium heat until bubbles start to form at the top of the pancakes (about 2-3 minutes). Flip the pancake and cook for another minute, make sure the pancake does not start to burn.

Remove from skillet and serve with sliced fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Zoning laws to limit fast food restaurants near schools in NC?

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, with approximately 2/3 of adults and 30% of children currently being overweight or obese (Trust for America’s Health, 2010). Obesity is the leading preventable cause of illness and is a major contributor to chronic disease, morbidity, mortality and health care costs (Trust for America’s Health, 2010). Research has shown that there is correlation between fast food restaurant density and county obesity rates (Center for Law and Public Health, 2005). Additionally, many fast food restaurants locate near schools, which increase access to unhealthy foods. One way to address this is by limiting the presence of future fast food restaurants from locating near schools. However, is it legal for North Carolina local governments to restrict fast food restaurants? To answer this question, we need to answer (1) who gives local governments the authority to create zoning ordinances, (2) what is a fast food restaurant, (3) how can local governments zone for fast food restaurants?

North Carolina’s Delegation of Authority to Local Governments

Local governments derive their powers from the state government. These powers are granted through statutory delegations, specifically Chapter 160A and 153A of the North Carolina General Statute, which specify the powers of governing cities and counties (Bluestein, 2006). One of the most important statues pertains to local government’s regulatory authority, which allows them to create ordinances that, “define, prohibit, regulate, or abate acts, omissions, or conditions detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of its citizens and the peace and dignity of the [city or county]; and may define and abate nuisances.” For local governments, the only requirement for ordinances they pass is that they must be consistent with North Carolina state law and the Constitution of the United States (Bluestein, 2006). According to North Carolina General Statute, local governments have the authority to regulate land use and development, operate public enterprises such libraries, recreation facilities, and hospitals. N.C.G.S. 160A-19; N.C.G.S. 153A-18; N.C.G.S. 160A-311; N.C.G.S. 153A-274; G.S. 160A-18 ; N.C.G.S. 153A-444; N.C.G.S. 131E-7; N.C.G.S. 153A-263. Additionally, local governments have the power to engage in broad range of activities that promote economic development in their community. N.C.G.S. 158-7.1.

Definition of a fast food restaurant

The only definition for fast food restaurant in the N.C.G.S. is “an establishment engaged in the business of regularly and customarily selling food, primarily to be eaten on the premise.” N.C.G.S. §18B-1000 Article 14(2). For the purpose of zoning for fast food restaurants near schools, the National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity suggest defining fast food as food that is (1) made in advance, (2) prepared for quick consumption, (3) ordered or serve over a counter or via a drive-through window, and (4) paid for before consumption (National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity, 2009).

Zoning Future Fast Food Restaurants

The North Carolina state government authorizes local governments to create ordinances, which include zoning laws that promote the public’s health and regulate the community’s development. Local governments use zoning laws as part of the community planning process, so while they cannot remove current fast food restaurants near school grounds, they can prevent future fast food restaurants from locating near school grounds (National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity, 2009). As long as a local government can make the case that they have a reasonable basis for enacting a restriction on fast food restaurants locating near schools (preventing childhood obesity and protecting the public’s health), a court will likely uphold the zoning ordinance grounds (National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity, 2009). Courts have upheld zoning ordinances that restricted adult businesses and liquor stores from locating near school grounds. In Mom N Pops, Inc. v. Charlotte, 979 F. Supp 372 a court upheld the City of Charlotte’s ordinance prohibiting adult establishments from operating near residential districts, schools, churches, child care centers, parks, playgrounds. In Augusta-Richmond County v. Lee, 277 Ga. 483, 592 S.E.2d 71 the court upheld denying a liquor license to a store that was trying to locate too close to several schools and churches.

Conclusion

Based on the local government’s authority to create ordinances that protect the health and wellness of their citizens, it is legal for North Carolina local governments to introduce zoning laws to limit the presence of future fast food restaurants near schools. As long as the local government can show that restricting fast foods from locating near schools is beneficial to children’s health and the overall health of the community by preventing obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases, most courts should uphold the zoning law.

Barriers to Fruits & Vegetables among Low-Income Individuals in North Carolina

Last month, my research colleagues and I gave a presentation at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum's Annual Symposium, "Hungry in the South" in New Orleans. Listed below are preliminary results from 8 focus groups we conducted during this past summer.