Newsletter Archive

• From Our Desk to Yours...
• Favorite Photo
• Mom-a-licious Lunch Recipes
• Green Opportunities
• Laptop Lunches in the News
• New Retailers
• Mom-a-licious: An Interview with Domenica Catelli
• What works...Success Stories
• Featured Web site: http://www.biggreenpurse.com

"Why do kids love Lunchables? It's not the taste--remember TV dinners? Fun, but yuckkkk!. Kids love little compartments. So when I discovered Laptop Lunches last year, my ultimate lunchbox dreams came true. My kids LOVE them, and I can do away with plastic wrap, ziplock bags and juice boxes. I get to pack waste-free lunches, buy snacks in bulk, and save money. It's like sending a 'hug in a lunchbox.' Thanks!"

                     -- Gina Flanagan, Westlake Village, CA, www.kidsfuncards.com

Three Bean Salad

"Beans are one of the few foods out of a can that I will use," says Domenica Catelli. "It saves hours of cooking time and the beans retain their nutrients. This recipe is crunchy, fresh, and full of protein and fiber."

• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo) beans
• 2 ribs celery, finely minced
• ½ small red onion, minced
• Handful, flat leaf parsley, minced
• Juice of 2 lemons
  or 2-3 Tbs. vinegar
• 1 tsp. celery seed (optional)
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch salt and pepper

Lunchtime Lentil Soup

Don’t be intimidated if you've never cooked with lentils. These tiny legumes are full of flavor, are nutrient dense and cook in just 15 minutes. Find them in the bulk section or in the aisle where you find rice and beans.

• 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, minced
• Handful cilantro, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 3 tsp. mild curry powder
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 ¼ cups dried red lentils
• 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomato
• 2 carrots, peeled and minced
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• Lemon (optional)

• GREEN CITY REPORT CARD – At www.sustainlane.com/us-city-rankings, you'll find information on the greening of the 50 most-populous cities in the US. The report benchmarks each city's performance in 16 areas of urban sustainability. Now in its third edition, the peer-reviewed Rankings track the unfolding story of cities working to improve quality of life. Some cities are becoming more self-reliant and better prepared, while others have been slow to take advantage of green opportunities. Check back periodically as the pages are continually updated with stories from the field.

ENVIRONMENTAL STREET ART – In recent weeks, a growing number of polar bears have been sighted on the streets of Washington, DC. The bears are part of a collaborative art project between Greenpeace and street artist Mark Jenkins. The art installations are designed to highlight the shared plight of polar bears and humans in the face of global warming. Photos available at www.xmarkjenkinsx.com/outside.html.

IDLE FREE – Did you know that 10 seconds of idling uses more gas than restarting your car? The folks at Idle Free You and Me are reminding drivers to turn cars off when stopped, especially near schools and playgrounds. Do we really want our kids breathing in all that exhaust? The New Jersey Environmental Federation has created a very informative Web site at www.cleanwateraction.org/node/140. They offer great facts and statistics and provide resources that can be used to spread the word in your community, for example, signs that can be placed in front of schools and other places where drivers tend to idle. Their message? "Turn the key. Be idle free."

ONLINE MAGAZINES – Looking for a paperless way to enjoy your favorite publications? Check out www.zinio.com to learn more about their two delivery methods: the no-software-required "Instant Access" option and the "Take Them With You: Zinio Reader" option.

Recipes for healthy, tasty packed lunches

September 11, 2008

A lunch box of tricks: Xanthe Clay lifts the lid on the secret of how to enjoy a taste of home while sitting at your desk

Positively Green

Lunch That Makes Sense

Amy Hemmert, co-creator of Laptop Lunches (with Tammy Pelstring), offers up a Bento box system that includes plastic containers within a larger plastic container within a fabric lunchbox. It includes stainless-steel cutlery and a reusable drink container and all fits together like a perfect puzzle. Part of the pleasure of these lunchboxes are the myriad menus inspired by the lunchbox--visit www.laptoplunches.com to see what I mean.

Hemmert offers up some tips for a greener lunch: Get kids involved with packing the lunch - they're more likely to eat it. Think beyond the bread: Try wraps, English muffins, pitas, bagels and rice cakes. Pack fresh, organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables when possible. Offer a variety of colors, textures, shapes, sizes and food groups.

For more information about Positively Green or to subscribe to this inspirational new magazine, visit www.positivelygreen.com. When you subscribe, you'll save 30% off newsstand prices, and they will donate $2 to the eco-charity of your choice.

Classic Catering
99 Painters Mill Rd.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
(410) 356-1666
www.classiccatering.com

The Natural Home
36 N. Lexington Ave.
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 285-9442
www.naturalhomestore.com

Nature Kids Mercantile
7660 S. Northshore Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37919
(865) 247-7301
www.naturekidsmercantile.com

G2 Green Gifts
St. Vital Shopping Centre
1225 St. Mary's Road
Winnipeg, MB R2M 5E5
(204) 255-0086

Roam'n Around
616 Main St.
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 716-1660
www.roamnaround.com

Neat
628 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M6J 1E4
(416) 368-6328   
www.neatspace.ca

www.bethebay.com

Mom-a-licious: An Interview with Domenica Catelli

Domenica is a recurring Iron Chef judge, spokesperson for the Organic Trade Association's "Go Organic for Earth Day!" campaign, chef to celebrities, inspirational mother and author of the cookbook, "Mom-a-licious." Her mission is to educate and empower mothers to make healthy choices in the way they feed and nourish themselves and their families. Domenica's career flourished and her passion for organic and whole cooking soared when she opened "Ravens" at the Stanford Inn in Mendocino, California. She has been a guest on "Oprah and Friends" on XM radio with Dr. Oz, and has been featured in Vegetarian Times, Kiwi Magazine and oprah.com. Her second cookbook is scheduled to come out in fall of 2009.

Mom-a-licious is a compilation of recipes, tips, techniques and inspiration that I have gathered in my lifetime. The recipes are all tested and tweaked by busy non-foodie moms to make sure that they are approachable, tasty and kid-approved. The recipes take 7 steps or less (many being 3 or 4), so they are time friendly as well.

I grew up in a restaurant family in the wine country of Sonoma County, California. I started cooking professionally at age 18 in Southern California. When my daughter, Chiara, was born I started to take a serious look at what foods were available for infants and toddlers. I found that healthy, organic children’s food was difficult to find. I started to make my own baby food and pack Chiara’s lunches in ways that had other moms asking for recipes. When my family moved to Chicago a few years later, I saw that the middle of the country didn't have the same access to round-the-calendar seasonally fresh food. I understood that families in the rest of the country could be empowered by my knowledge. The seed for the book was planted then, but it took many years for it to come to fruition.

The recipes come mostly from my daily life. I am not a recipe person, so it was difficult for me to be precise with measurements. I am all about throwing together something tasty from what's in the garden and refrigerator. I hope to provide techniques for--and instill confidence in--those who feel unsteady without an exact recipe. I always encourage people to make the dishes their own. I love when someone writes in to the Web site or comes up to me at an event to share their experiences going out on a limb and giving chard a chance. They discover that they love it, and in addition, added something to it that they are really excited about. (Yes, people CAN get excited about chard!)

• Freeze your sandwiches! This saves both time and money. You can't freeze lettuce or tomato, so pack that on the side. Try peanut butter and jelly, turkey (or veggie meats) and cheese, hummus and cheese, etc. Make a week’s worth, pop in the lunch box in the morning, and it is thawed out by lunch (and not soggy).
• Bringing homemade soups is always delicious, filling and nutritious.
• Have something "live" at lunch, such as fresh raw fruit or veggies. This helps give sustained energy for the afternoon.
• Finally, get the kids to help pack and prepare their lunches. They're more likely to eat what they've helped prepare.
  

Amy: