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Eat Up

Your family cookbook Here's a culinary project the whole gang can enjoy. By Amy BentleyPublished: April, 2010

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If it seems like all your family eats during a typical busy week are pizza, fast food and Hot Pockets from the freezer, it’s time to kick the junk food habit!     Too many families have needlessly given up trying to eat better, and childhood obesity is on the rise. Since it’s spring and time for a fresh start, give healthy eating another chance. Make it a fun family affair by creating and printing your own family cookbook. It’s a great way to preserve recipes that can be passed on for generations. Start out on a weekend when the whole family is home; bring everyone into the kitchen for a planning and recipe-gathering session. Each family member can contribute some recipes and ideas, and once they are written down, you can categorize them by groups, such as “snacks,” “pasta dishes,” “side dishes” and “soups and stews.”     Prepare some of the dishes over the next few weeks, and take photos of the completed dishes. Ask friends and relatives to send a few favorites to include as well, and give the contributors credit in the cookbook. Be sure to include healthy foods everyone likes that are simple and relatively quick to make during the week.     Remember: This is a guide to healthy meals for your family, so focus on what everyone will really eat. Make sure the recipes include a nice, seasonal variety of fruits and vegetables. Try to include some low-fat desserts, too.      Type in all your recipes, categorize them and save them in one file or folder. Play with fonts and type styles for the pages.      Photos, clip art (from Microsoft Office) or drawings that the kids have made are a great addition. You can insert them on the pages with the recipes or create separate pages for photos only. Images can depict the food and the cook, with captions of course!      Make title pages for each category. Don’t forget to make an index page, a table of contents and perhaps a dedication page. In addition, a page with a photo of the entire family would be a nice touch.      When the cookbook is done, you can print out copies from your printer or send it to a local or online printer store for professional printing and binding. Amy Bentley is a regular contributor to OC Family magazine. ASK THE NUTRITIONIST Q: Is it true that television watching is associated with childhood obesity? A: There is a correlation with kids who get too much “screen time” – being in front of the TV, video games or computer – and obesity. When children are preoccupied with those sedentary activities, they don’t get enough exercise and may tend to snack more. Kids who get four or more hours of screen time per day have the highest rates of being overweight. Research shows that kids who reduce screen time lose weight. April 20-26 is Turnoff Week, an awareness campaign by the National Institutes of Health organized to reduce screen time and get kids moving!      For more information, visit wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov or call toll-free 866.35.WE CAN. Erin Silva, MS, RD healthierpackagedfoods.blogspot.com Click HERE to send us your nutrition questions. «« CHEF JAMIE'S RECIPE OF THE MONTH Cold cucumber-melon soup By Chef Jamie Gwen Cold soups are easy to make, because all they usually need is a quick puree in the blender. This recipe (a kid favorite, for its sweet and creamy virtues) combines two of spring’s best produce offerings: melons and cucumbers. It’s perfect for Easter meals and spring brunches. Try topping the soup with crab or shrimp for a delicious twist!  Ingredients: > 3/4 cup plain yogurt > 3/4 cup crème fraîche > 1 medium-size seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks > Salt and freshly ground pepper > 1 small clove garlic, minced or smashed through a garlic press > 2 cups very ripe honeydew or Galia melon > 6 radishes, thinly shaved > 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint > 1 tsb. lime juice > Freshly chopped chives for garnish Directions: In a blender, puree the yogurt, crème fraîche, cucumber and garlic. Pour into a bowl. Place the melon in the blender and puree until smooth. Add the pureed melon to the cucumber mixture, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Refrigerate the soup for two hours or until thoroughly chilled.     To serve, combine the radish slices, mint and lime juice. Season the garnish with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into chilled bowls, and top with the radish salad and a sprinkling of fresh chives. Serves 6 Jamie Gwen is a celebrity chef, certified sommelier and cookbook author. For delicious recipes and cooking tips, visit chefjamie.com.

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