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October 2007
In this issue, you'll find:
- From Our
Desk to Yours...
- Favorite
Photo
- Roots and
Rice
- Green Opportunities
- Laptop Lunches
in the News
- New Retailers
- Lunch Programs
Do Evolve: Interview with Mima LeCocq
- What works...Success
Stories
- Featured
Web site: www.FuelEconomy.gov
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From Our Desk
to Yours...
| NEW
ADDITION TO THE OBENTEC FAMILY: We are truly pleased to welcome Nancy
Waterous, the newest member of the Obentec team. She has very quickly
come up to speed on our many products and company policies and has
eased into the position with enthusiasm and confidence. (She even
packs a Lunch Date for work every day!) As a former librarian, Nancy
brings a wealth of experience in customer service, and she has exceptional
research and organizational skills. We're very fortunate to have her
on board! |
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GREEN
FESTIVAL 2007: Join us at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center
on November 9-11 for this big event, featuring more than 150 visionary
speakers, 400 green businesses, great how-to workshops, organic beer and
wine, delicious organic cuisine, and diverse live music. Find great ideas,
positive energy, abundant hope, and earth-friendly holiday gifts. And...don't
forget to stop by the Laptop Lunches booth to introduce yourself. At the
SF Concourse Exihibition Center, Nov 9-11.
Got a favorite
photo to share?
| Email
it to us at newsletter@obentec.com,
and we'll publish it here! |
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A
Spooktacular Halloween Lunch!
-
Bat Tortillas: Cut a whole wheat tortilla with a bat cookie
cutter, brushed the bats with olive oil, and bake them until
crispy
- Fingers:
String cheese with red pepper fingernails, held on by a
dab of cream cheese
- Pumpkins:
cantaloupe balls
- Ghosts:
apple slices
- Fat-free
chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a "gummy"
lifesaver and chocolate chip eye
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"This
is a lunch I made for my daughters last year at Halloween."
--Debbie Moors, Berthoud, CO |
Roots and Rice
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Golden Beets with Wild Rice
- 1 ½ cup wild rice
- 6 medium golden beets
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
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Golden
Beets with Wild Rice. |
| 1.
|
Cook
wild rice according to directions, using vegetable or chicken broth
instead of water. |
| 2. |
While
rice is cooking, quarter the beets and steam until tender. Let cool. |
| 3. |
Heat olive oil in sauté pan. Add chopped pecans and toast until
aromatic and lightly brown. Set aside. |
| 4. |
Once
beets are cooled, peel skin from beets and cut into cubes. |
| 5. |
Toss
cooked wild rice, beets and pecans, and serve. |
| 6. |
Sprinkle
lightly with crumbled goat cheese (optional). |
|
Simmered
Japanese Daikon and Carrots
- 2 medium
daikon radishes
- 1 large carrot
- 2 Tbs. sushi
rice
- 3 cups water
Simmering Sauce:
- 4 cups water
- 3 Tbs. light
soy sauce
- 2 Tbs. mirin
- 4 Tbs. miso
paste
- 1 4-inch
by 4-inch piece of kombu seaweed
- 1 tsp. honey
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Simmered
daikon and carrots
served over rice. |
| 1.
|
Peel
and slice the daikon and carrot. Make a shallow "X" on each
daikon piece so the heat and flavor can absorb more easily. |
| 2. |
Place
the daikon, carrots, and rice in a sauce pan, cover with water, and
simmer until tender but not mushy. Drain. |
| 3. |
Place
the kombu in a sauce pan. Combine and add the rest of the simmering
sauce ingredients. Add the daikon and carrots, and simmer for about
20 minutes. |
| 4. |
Serve
over steamed rice. |
Green Opportunities
Some
earth-friendly tidbits that have landed in our office in recent weeks...
- POINT
OF RETURN –
This 17-minute video documentary illustrates what happens to recyclables
after they leave the curb and explores the local, regional, and
international consequences of recycling. Looking at economic and
land policies in Oakland, Northern California, and the Pacific
Rim, Point of Return raises awareness among the general public,
elected officials, and other decision makers in the US and in
Asia. View the video at: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8090488110377995776&q=Point+of+Return
- JUNK
FOOD MARKETING TO KIDS –
A new study in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
indicates that the annual $10 billion the food and beverage
industry is spending on advertising foods to kids is working
alarmingly well. The study found that four out of five kids
preferred the flavor of foods served in McDonalds packaging
as compared to the exact same foods served in packaging
without the McDonalds brand. By the time they are two years
old, children may already have beliefs about certain brands,
and by the age of six they can recognize brands and specific
brand products. Not surprisingly, the study found that kids
with more televisions in the home had stronger preferences
for brands. The authors suggested this study strengthened
the justification for tighter regulation or banning of advertising
and marketing of high calorie, low nutrient food and drink,
and perhaps a ban on all marketing that is aimed at young
children. Learn more and take action in OCA's "Appetite
for a Change" campaign: http://www.organicconsumers.org/afc.cfm.
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- BREAK
THE BOTTLED WATER HABIT –
Pledge today to Break the Bottled Water Habit and pass the
word along. Do so and you could win a $4000 week-long stay
in Sun Valley, $800 worth of high-end carpets from Flor,
or other great prizes. Take the pledge at http://c3.newdream.org.
Americans consumed more than 31 billion liters of bottled
water in 2006 – nearly 28 gallons for every man, woman,
and child. Manufacturing all those bottles required 900,000
tons of plastic and emitted as much greenhouse gas as 500,000
cars! Trucking a bottle of water 500 miles can double its
climate impact – and some are shipped much, much farther.
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- CLOTHING
SWAPS –
Want to pay less for quality clothing and help the environment
too? Consider attending a clothing swap. Gather up the gently
worn or new clothing that you no longer wear, take it to
a swap, and exchange it for clothing you love. For more
information, visit www.clothingswap.org,
www.swaporamarama.org,
or www.buffaloexchange.com.
You might find yourself having fun and meeting new friends
as well!
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Laptop
Lunches in the News
Family Fun Magazine
Building
a Better School Lunch: Simple strategies to help your children eat right,
whether they bag it or buy it
By
Leslie Garisto Pfaff
"The
standard lunch bag possesses mysterious powers capable of turning perfectly
nutritious meals into (ahem) trash. Combine these cool containers with
our inspired (and nutritious) dishes for a midday meal that won't get
tossed or traded away. Obentec's Laptop Lunch System A plastic Japanese-style
bento box features five individual containers in an insulated carrying
case, plus water bottle, utensils, and recipe suggestions. $35; laptoplunches.com"
Babble.com
Babble
Best: Lunch Boxes
By
Katie Bayless
"In
my former life as a teacher, I was privy to the waste school lunches can
leave in their wake — chip bags, juice boxes, plastic wrappings from sandwiches,
fallen crackers and carrots. Even the healthiest of lunches can create
monstrous amounts of trash. Enter Laptop Lunches. This Bento lunch box
includes an insulated carrying case (with external pocket, shoulder strap
and name tag), a reusable water bottle, a stainless steel spoon and fork,
and the Laptop Lunch Bento Box, which is filled with five removable, reusable
containers. I had two concerns with this bag: first, would foods really
stay in their compartments even though only the dip container has a lid?
A rigorous one-minute shake test proved satisfactory. Second, do you really
want to pay $35 for a lunch bag? But if I add up the money spent on pre-packaged
food and plastic baggies to put everything else in, plus a healthy dose
of guilt for adding to the landfill, I figured this bag was priced just
about right..." [Read the rest of the article at www.babble.com/content/articles/columns/top5/Babble-Best-Lunch-Boxes.]
Contra Costa Times
Pack-a-Punch
Lunch: First step: Make food fun; Second Step: Make it Wholesome
By
Jackie Burrell
"Five
days a week, 38 weeks a year, year after year after year ... it's no wonder
refilling your kid's lunch box begins to resemble a scene from "Groundhog
Day." Morning comes, the alarm clock clangs, and there the lunch
box sits once more, waiting for culinary inspiration or at least -- oh
God, not another overly fragrant tuna sandwich..." [Read the rest
of the story at http://tinyurl.com/3b73kl.]
Veg Family
Packing
the Vegan Lunchbox
by Cathe Olson
"When my daughters started at public school last year, I was nervous
about what the other kids might have to say about their lunches. Would
my girls get teased about the healthy, vegetarian fare in their lunchboxes?
Also, what would my daughters think about the foods the other kids were
eating? Would they bug me to let them get the school's hot lunch? What
if they felt left out not eating processed foods or meat?" [Read
the rest of the story at www.vegfamily.com/whole-family/lunchbox.htm.]
New
Retailers
The Littlest
Birds
647 Haywood Road
West Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 253-4747
www.thelittlestbirds.com
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Earthy
Babes
2111 Fenton Rock Lane
Katy, TX 77494
281-392-2870
www.earthybabes.com
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Vertable,
Inc.
1719 South County Hwy 393
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 225-9839
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Real
Green Goods
35 S. Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 224-9700
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Viva
Granola
237 Marlene
St. Raymond, QC G3L 4N2
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Stephanie
Riley, ND
Tahoe City, CA 96145
(530) 583-0002
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Just
Add Heat
610 Ford Drive, Unit One
Oakville, ON L6J 7V7
(905) 338-9816
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Green
Rooms Inc.
88 Dunn Street, Unit 1
Oakville, ON L6J3C7
(905) 337-3373
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Butter's
Better Lunches
Seattle, WA
(206) 859-1771
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Shine
the Love Productions
Ellisville, MO 63021
(314) 920-61103
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Fisique Health
Toronto, ON
(416) 315-2244
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Garden
Baby Boutique
821 Bay Street
Port Orchard, WA 98366
(360) 447-8302 |
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Visit www.laptoplunches.com/retail.html
for a complete list of retailers.
Want to see Laptop Lunches at a store in your neighborhood? Email us at
info@obentec.com, and we'll give them a call.
|
Lunch
Programs do Evolve: Interview with Mima LeCocq
Mima LeCocq teaches French at Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory
School (GBK) in Santa Cruz, California. In May 2007, the school
realized its dream of moving from its cramped, aging buiding
to a spacious, newly renovated campus. The move made it possible
to implement a nutritious, environmentally sound lunch program.
And Mima, with a wealth of experience and talent, was chosen
to head up the transition.
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Mima had worked extensively in the area of gourmet
cuisine, including a stint as a cook at Chez Panisse Restaurant in
Berkeley. She and her husband, Tom McNary, founded a local take-out
and catering business, Carried Away, which her husband now operates.
At the old campus, GBK offered pizza and soda once a week, take-out
bagels on the other days, and tolerated vending machines full of...
well...let's not mention that here. The new program, which focuses
on homemade, increasingly locally grown, earth-friendly lunches, has
been a real hit among students. And the vending machines now contain
a selection of more nutritious offerings like trail mix and dried
fruit. Amy spoke with Mima recently about her experiences to date. |
| Amy: |
Hi
Mima. I'd like to start by saying that the new lunch program at Kirby
has been quite the talk of the town these last few months. Envious
parents joke about GBK lunches being tastier and healthier than lunches
served at many local restaurants--for a fraction of the price--and
they're right! Can you describe the program for us?
|
| Mima: |
Thanks
for the compliment. We launched the program in May on the very first
day in our new building. We offer a daily hot lunch special with
a vegetarian option, a salad bar, a bagel bar with various toppings
& spreads, and a juice bar. Some days we make cookies or have organic
popsicles or ice cream sandwiches. Lunch is $5.00, the juice bar
is $1.00, and dessert is included in the lunch price. We like to
offer dessert whenever we have room in the budget.
|
| Amy: |
So
it sounds like the program is just breaking even. Is that okay?
|
| Mima: |
A
food program shouldn't operate at a loss, but sacrificing profit
for the sake of our kids' health and welfare doesn't seem too much
to ask. I recently talked to a teacher from Piedmont whose school
lunch program was being transitioned from homemade to disgusting
corporate, and the kids were miserable. The district had mandated
that they net a daily profit to support the school. Isn't this what
taxes are for?
|
| Amy: |
Can
you tell us a bit about your guiding principles?
|
| Mima: |
We
serve wholesome, nourishing food, all made from scratch. The emphasis
is on using primarily natural and local, organic ingredients. We
have hired a brilliant chef with a lot of experience. The preparations
include NO trans-fats, added sugars, or artificial ingredients.
The kid-friendly preparations encourage the students to taste before
purchasing so they can expand their horizons. They are also encouraged
to work in the kitchen before, during, and after school, prepping
vegetables, washing dishes, and learning what real cooking is all
about. They earn a lunch coupon for every hour worked.
|
| Amy: |
I
understand that you've added to the menu this fall. What's new?
|
| Mima: |
We
have expanded the salad bar to include make-your-own wraps, and
we'll offer soups in winter. We're hoping to purchase a smoothie
machine next spring if we can afford it, and I'd love to offer breakfast
sometime in the future.
|
| Amy: |
What
factors do you think have most influenced the success of the program
so far?
|
| Mima: |
Our
chef's excellent cooking! Rene Serna Martinez has worked for me
and my husband at our business for nine years. My husband, a trained
chef, has taught him everything he knows. He's family. He works
at Kirby Monday through Thursday and at our restaurant on Fridays
and Saturdays. He's not quite ready to open his own restaurant,
so this is a great learning opportunity for him. We've done all
of the leg work together.
|
| Amy: |
What
challenges have you faced?
|
| Mima: |
The
move to the new location was a lot of work. In addition to moving,
I was teaching six classes a day and starting the lunch program all
at the same time. But, in terms of starting up the program, I've had
virtually no obstacles because our principal, Josh Karter, gave me
carte blanche to do what I needed to do. There were no committees,
no voting, no squabbles. I kept him apprised of my ideas and progress
and checked for approval (mostly), but I've been most privileged and
fortunate in this regard.
|
| Amy: |
What parts of the program have worked well to date, and what, if anything,
are you planning to change?
|
| Mima: |
Most
everything has gone well. Some logistical issues need to be fine-tuned,
mostly related to the composting program, the work-for-lunch system,
improving lunch line efficiency, and implementing computerized payments.
|
Amy:
|
What
experiences do you feel have most prepared you for tackling this project?
|
Mima:
|
1. My childhood. I only ate food made from scratch, often made
of lentils and cheap cuts of meat, which I don't like now. (We didn't
have a lot of money.)
2. Owning my own business and watching and encouraging customers'
children to eat good food. It's important to believe that children
can and do enjoy good food. You know what I mean: mommy, with a grimace
on her face, says to little Johnny as he tries something green, "You
don't like that, do you, honey?"
3. Feeding my kids and their friends, and by extension, my students,
when they didn't have a lunch at the old school, and I would share.
I brought in lots of samples before the move in order to acclimate
them and get them excited about "Rene's cooking." Kids are sometimes
dubious at first, but never underestimate them. When they taste something
new, they'll often end up liking it. Then they become increasingly
adventuresome and trusting.
I encourage students to try just a bite of this or that. No risk involved,
and no harm if they don't care for it. They're liking quinoa for crying
out loud!
|
| Amy: |
What
recommendations do you have for others wishing to start a similar
program?
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| Mima: |
Don't
try to make money. Don't listen to nay-sayers. Some students at
GBK threatened mutiny when they found out we were planning to eliminate
the junk food from the vending machines. Ha! They came in droves
to check out the offerings and were just as excited by the healthy
options--like kids in a candy store--pardon the expression!
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| Amy: |
What's your long-term vison for the Kirby lunch program?
|
| Mima: |
I'd
like to be 100% green, (we're close) and 100% organic (or as close
as possible). I'd love to have a garden, cooking classes, and maybe
a GBK cookbook some day.
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Amy:
|
Speaking
of being green, what is the kitchen doing to address the issue of
sustainability?
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| Mima: |
We're
working with a waste management specialist, using recycled products,
composting, and having the students reuse and recycle extensively.
We'll actually be certified as a Green School soon.
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Amy:
|
And
finally, what's your favorite lunch?
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| Mima: |
A
really good burger, now and then, and I'm a sucker for fries while
I'm at it--though they're never as good as in France!
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What
Works...Success Stories
"My
5 year-old son started school last year and I'd always wanted to prepare
his lunch for him as we're a vegan family and I wanted to know he was
eating well. I did pack his lunch every day, but rarely did he eat everything
I prepared, and I felt limited because of the storage in standard plastic
containers. I came across your Laptop Lunches online and fell in love
with the concept. I instantly ordered one and upon its arrival my son
was ecstatic. I'd never seen him so excited about food!
"Together
we pack him healthy wholesome vegan lunches, and he rarely comes home
with any food left. It's amazing how much of a shift he's had in the foods
he'll eat simply because of the presentation I can accomplish with the
bento box and thermos. He'll wolf down hearty vegetable and pasta soups
from his thermos and devour multiple containers of fresh organic fruits
and vegetables. He's even eating a lot more than he was before, and I
feel so good knowing that he's getting such a nutritious lunch and that
he's excited about it! I ordered a second bento box so I can pack multiple
dipping containers or multiple lidded containers. I'm excited for the
day my younger three sons are also going to school so I can pack four
healthy bento boxes and send my sons out into the world with them!"
--
Megan, Everett, WA (http://bentoboxlunches.livejournal.com)
"As
much as I try to fight it, I am an impatient person. It's usually exacerbated
when I'm waiting on something exciting. You can imagine how I was feeling
about the Lunch Date and spare inner containers that I ordered on Monday
afternoon - I couldn't wait to get them and to start using them. In fact,
this morning, I was feeling cranky that I didn't have an appropriately
sized container to put pico de gallo in for my celery sticks. I thought,
'If I had my Lunch Date this wouldn't be a problem anymore...'
Well yesterday, late in the afternoon, I received an email stating that
my items had shipped. What exciting news! I wasn't going to have to be
very patient at all! I told my coworker - who's using me as the guinea
pig for these products - that I'd probably get the delivery next week,
or maybe even on Friday.
You can imagine my surprise, then, when I got an email this afternoon
(Wednesday) that there was a package waiting for me at the front desk!
I ran up and got it, took it back and ceremoniously opened it in front
of my coworker. She was as excited to see it as I was. And now I'm so
pleased because I'm going to be able to bring my lunch tomorrow and Friday
in my Lunch Date instead of my awkward lunch bag full of tupperware and
Ziploc bags.
"This set is just perfect. The hemp bag is as cute as it is environmentally
friendly and the portion sizes are exactly what I want them to be - enough
to satisfy all of my hunger without leading me into the temptation to
gorge myself! I simply couldn't be more pleased.
"My coworker, by the way, is making louder and louder noises about
getting one of her own. I'm even thinking of making a recommendation to
the board that we consider making these an employee gift, to try to encourage
healthier eating in the company! Your sets of 24 gave me the idea - I
imagine that they were conjured originally with classrooms of children
in mind, but I think they could really help our adult population here
make better choices, too.
"I just wanted to thank you so much for developing this product,
and appeasing this impatient woman. This has been a spectacular buy thus
far."
--
Charlotte Gibbs, Sacramento, CA
"I
bought two Laptop Lunches plus an extra set of of the inside boxes, and
my kids really like them. We decorated the outside of each bento box and
the carrying case with puff paints and stickers to personalize them, and
I love that it's environmentally friendly and well organized. I still
don't have a solution I'm happy with for snacks, though, which we have
to provide each day, as well -- have you ever considered producing a smaller
bento box with only two inside boxes for snack time? It would be perfect!"
--
Leigh, Raleigh, NC
(Note from Obentec:
Stay tuned for some exciting new products in the spring of 2008!)
"I
love the Laptop Lunch System. I didn't think my kids would like them because
they don't feature popular characters, but I was wrong. They get compliments
from friends at school! The idea behind it makes me feel good about providing
waste-free lunches that are healthy too! Thank you!"
--
Sharon Wilder, Denton, TX
Do
you have a success story or photo to share? Email it to us at newsletter@obentec.com.
Featured
Web Site: http://www.fueleconomy.gov
This US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency,
and Renewable Energy Web site provides a wealth
of information on fuel economy and energy efficiency.
Find information on a car you're driving or a car
you're thinking about buying at www.fueleconomy.gov.
On
this site you'll find...
- Your
car's Energy Impact Score
-
Tool for finding the best gasoline prices
- Gas
Mileage Tips
- Information
on Alternative Fuel Vehicles
- New
Fuel Economy Ratings
- The
2008 Fuel Economy Guide
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November Highlights
Vegetarian
Thanksgiving Dishes, Green Opportunities, and School Lunch News
©
October 2007 Obentec, Inc.
849 Almar Ave., Suite C-323
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-457-0301
REPRINT PERMISSION
Feel free to reprint
or forward this newsletter with the following acknowledgment and contact
information clearly visible: "Thank you to Obentec, Inc. for permission
to use this copyrighted material. For more information, contact Obentec,
Inc. by email at in
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