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Wholesome Snacks
Here
are two snack ideas to help start the new year off right!
#1:
"Berry Delicious" Snack Mix
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4 cups prepared granola
2 cups raspberry yogurt-covered
pretzels (optional)
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup coconut shavings
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1.
Toast almonds, coconut, sesame
seeds, and sunflower seeds in a shallow baking pan in a 350°F
oven for 7 minutes.
2.
Stir and toast for another 5 minutes.
Let cool.
3.
Mix all ingredients in a bag and shake.
4.
Store in an airtight container.
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#2: Applesauce Muffins
Makes 12 muffins.
- 2
Tbs canola oil
- 3 Tbs brown
sugar
- 2 eggs,
beaten
- 1 tsp pure
vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup
nonfat milk or soy milk
- 1 1/2 cups
unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups whole
wheat flour
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1 tsp baking
soda
- 1/2 tsp
salt
- 1/2 cup
chopped walnuts
- 2/3 cup
mixed dried fruit of your choice (raisins, cranberries, chopped
apricots, chopped prunes, chopped dates)
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1.
Preheat oven to 350 F..
2.
Combine the oil, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, and applesauce
and set aside.
3.
Combine the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, and salt, and mix thoroughly.
4.
Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5.
Add the nuts and fruit, and stir just enough to mix.
6.
Pour into oiled muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes or until
springy.
7.
Let cool for a few minutes before removing from tin.
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Green Opportunities
Some
earth-friendly tidbits that have landed in our office in recent weeks...
Looking
for more lunchmaking ideas? Visit Mimi Ito's Web site at www.chanpon.org.
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She says, "Laptop lunch boxes are a clever integration of
the aesthetics of bento with the social progressivism,
health orientation and design aesthetic of the San Francisco Bay
Area. The compartments fit together in bento fashion, but are
packed in a carrying case that look like a cross between a laptop
case and a soft American kids' lunchbox. The deluxe set also comes
with a plastic water bottle and a spoon and fork. Maybe if I had
started off with Laptop Lunches rather than standard Japanese
bento, my daughter may not have felt as strange during
the kindergarten lunch hour." |
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- Just
because winter is on its way doesn't mean you have to stop COMPOSTING.
Bring it inside! It's really quite easy to set up a small, clean and
effective indoor composting system that will turn your food waste
into the best organic fertilizer on the planet. Plus, you'll be the
life of every party when people find out you have worms for pets!
The landfills are overflowing and so are the water treatment facilities.
Turn your food waste into black gold. Learn how to set-up an indoor
composting system here: www.organicconsumers.org/organic/compost.cfm.
- Recent finding from
the ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION--Produce with
the lowest pesticide levels: asparagus, avocados, bananas,
broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya,
pineapples and sweet peas. Produce with the
highest pesticide levels: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries,
imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries,
spinach and strawberries.
(Source: ORGANIC BYTES #70 Health, Environment,
and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge! 11/30/2005)
-
Using the Internet is a great way to cut down on the amount
of paper we use, and more and more children are becoming Internet
savvy. THE CENTER FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE INTERNET USE at http://csriu.org
and www.cyberbullying.org
provides information for parents, teachers, and teens on strategies
for preventing cyberbullying.
- CAR
SEAT SAFETY--Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance
Company have teamed up to provide in-depth information (including
an informative video) on up-to-date car seat safety. Visit www.chop.edu/carseat
for information on choosing the best car seat, installing a car seat
properly, and choosing the safest seat in the car. They've included
information for children of all ages.
- LIVING
TREE PAPER COMPANY (www.livingtreepaper.com)
sells printing and writing papers made from nonwood fibers (flax straw
and hemp) and post-consumer content. By providing high-quality papers
that are environmentally responsible and economically sound, they
are helping to minimize the environmental impact of paper production
and use, and they're supporting the market for recycled paper. They
offer coated and uncoated printing & writing papers directly to
printers, distributors and end-users. They also provide a complete
range of printing services, using soy-based inks.
Tammy Pelstring Interviews Michelle
Stern
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Michelle
Stern, founder of What's Cooking, has parlayed her experience as
a high school science teacher into a second career as a children's
cooking instructor. Based in Marin County, California, Michelle's
classes are designed to get young children involved in understanding
how whole ingredients come together to make wonderful meals that
nourish their bodies. |
T:
Tell us about yourself and your background?
M: I'm a teacher. It's in my blood. I majored
in biology at UC Santa Cruz, where I earned a teaching credential
so I could share my passion with other people. After graduating,
I taught high school biology and environmental science for 5 years.
When my daughter was born, I stopped teaching to be a full-time
mother. After the adoption of my son, I started yearning to do something
"professional" again and began working as a consultant
with The Pampered Chef.
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T:
What inspired you to start What's Cooking?
M: My Pampered Chef customers started asking if
I would hold cooking classes for children. They kept telling me that they
wanted more options for children's birthday parties and wanted to learn
how to be more confident in the kitchen with their children. After doing
some market research, What's Cooking was born.
T:
In your classes, do you teach children about the importance of good
nutrition?
M: We talk about "growing food" vs.
"treats." I try to focus my lessons on healthy recipes. Children
are more likely to eat food that they have prepared themselves. I love
when kids try healthy recipes that they are proud of. (Nobody needs
to be convinced to try sweets!)
T: Besides making delicious creations, what else
do children gain from your classes?
M: I believe the culinary arts foster children's
self-esteem, creativity, and confidence. Exposing them to new foods
helps build social skills through sharing and cooperation. They learn
to make quality time with their families through cooking and eating.
As for the educational and developmental benefits, children are given
the opportunity to hone their fine and gross motor skills, to develop
their senses and new vocabulary, explore chemical and physical reactions
(such as freezing and boiling) and practical mathematical applications
(such as measuring, counting and working with fractions).
T: What is your most popular class?
M: Every month I offer classes that feature different
themes. In October, students loved my Spooktakular Snacks class. I am
looking forward to the class in January: Chinese New Year. There also
seems to be a large demand for classes for children between the ages
of 4 to 6. The cooking birthday parties are also very popular…for children
of all ages.
T:
What do children seem to enjoy most about your classes?
M: They love that they get to play with their
food…and that it usually yields something delicious!
T:
What makes your classes unique?
M: Most cooking programs start with children who
are older. I don't see any reason to put the enthusiasm of younger children
on hold. So, I start with children as young as 2 ½ in parent-participation
classes, and I do lots of classes with children 4 to 6. Cooking is a
rare opportunity for children to be in control of their environment.
If they can cook what they want, they are that much more inclined to
love being in the kitchen.
T.
Who inspires you?
M. When I was young, I was inspired by my mother
and grandmother's cooking. Now I am mostly inspired by my children.
For
more information on Michelle's classes, visit her Web site at www.whatscooking.info.
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A
Word on Healthy Snacks
The
holiday season has come and gone. The kids are back in school
(or almost), and many of us are now trying to ease ourselves back
into our non-holiday routine--and that includes returning to a
balanced, non-holiday diet.
Thus it seems timely to include in this month's newsletter the
following information on snacking from the Center
for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI):
With most holiday gatherings centering around food, it's fine
to indulge a little in holiday treats, particularly if they are
healthful alternatives to the usual fare of baked goods and sweets.
When
planning for your child's classroom party or any other gathering,
consider serving these healthful foods:
Fruits
and vegetables. You
might be surprised how many kids actually prefer fruit and vegetable
snacks to other treats. Offer your children a wide variety and
continue to experiment.
Healthy grains. Serve whole-grain
snacks, which provide more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than
refined grains. Granola bars, baked tortilla chips, or sugar-free
breakfast cereals are great items to keep in the car while performing
errands.
Low-fat and fat-free dairy foods or dairy
alternatives. Make sure that all dairy foods you serve
to your children are low-fat or fat-free. Serve small portions.
Cheese goes very well with other healthy foods, such as fruit
and whole-grain crackers.
Nuts and trail mix. Because nuts
are high in calories, it's best to serve them in small portions,
or as part of a healthful trail mix.
Water. Water should be the main drink
served to kids at snack times. If you must serve juice, make sure
it's 100 percent juice (no sugar or high-fructose corn syrup added),
and make the portions small.
Read labels carefully!
This information was adapted
from "Healthy Snacks for Children" tipsheet published
by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/snacks_summary.pdf.
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What
Works...Success Stories
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"I am very interested in providing
healthier food for my family. I’ve been getting your newsletter
for awhile, and I finally decided to take the plunge and order your
lunch box for my 9 year old daughter.
"Thank you for your very
informative website and links. I am on the Fitness and Nutrition
Committee for the PTA at my local elementary school. We are working
to improve the message our children receive at school about what
good nutrition and fitness are all about and to help the food service
staff and parents provide healthy lunches that kids will eat. Your
site has provided us with a lot of good information."
--Barbara
Morgan, Fircrest, WA
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"I really appreciate your prompt
response and suggestions. Thanks again for coming up with such a
great lunchbox! There is really nothing else like it. From working
at a public charter school, I can definitely attest to not yet having
come across a lunchbox half as good as yours. And I love seeing
my 5-year-old walking outside in line for lunch carrying his 'Laptop
Lunchbox' like a briefcase. He is so proud of it. In fact, he and
my daughter (7-years-old) were carrying the lunchboxes the entire
day that I received them in the mail (with nothing inside) and constantly
thanking me for them. I extend those thanks to you."
--Sumayya
Allen, Atlanta, GA
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"Just wanted you to know...I love
your product, newsletter, and recipes. Thank you for doing the work
you do. It is much appreciated!"
--Gail
Dutto, San Bruno, CA
Do
you have a success story or photo to share? Email it to us at newsletter@obentec.com.
Featured
Web Site: www.BetterWorldClub.com
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Looking
for a green auto club? Better World Club provides 24-hour roadside
assistance nationwide. Visit their Web site at www.betterworldclub.com
for travel discounts, free maps, and road trip planning. You'll
also find savings on eco-friendly travel opportunities like ecotours,
ecolodging, and hybrid car rentals. And...they have the nation's
only bicycle roadside assistance program.
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February
Highlights
Hearty Salads,
Green Opportunities, and Tips for Greening Conferences and other Events.
©
January 2006 Obentec, Inc.
849 Almar Ave., Suite C-323
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-457-0301
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