Well, we're getting to that time of year where food and socializing are abundant, holiday celebrations at your kid's school and at home abound, and everyone starts the downward spiral that is the source of many resolutions for the coming year.

This applies most of all to your children (if you have any). Since our child entered public school this fall, I've been made aware of what many parents consider a proper snack for their child (mainly because my child relays this to me in a "why-can't-I-have-

red-hot-cheetos-and-

Chips-Ahoy!-cookies for snack" diatribe). Let me just say that I'm not entirely against such foods on occasion, but they are not snacks; they are indulgences and should be treated that way.

The average child usually consumes between 1,000-1,400 calories a day (to find out what your child should be consuming, head on over to MyPyramid.gov and on the left, click the "For preschoolers" or "For Kids" link.  If you download MyPyramid plan for your kids and can't read it, try opening it in Word.  Anyway, my point is that if you're giving a kid a 200 calorie snack and it's devoid of any meaningful nutrition, it wastes anywhere from 10-20% of their day's calories.

So it's good to find snacks that are healthy, fast and well accepted by your kids.  The ones we've been able to agree on: applesauce, carrots with dressing, celery with peanut butter, yogurt, grapes, nuts, bananas, cheese (not cheez whiz stuff, but real cheese) and whole grain crackers.  Buying a fancy little spoon for their lunchbox and a $1.79 refreezable ice (see the butterfly in the pic?) keeps everything cool and makes everything look more acceptable to both your child and their inquisitive friends.  I once made our child a pasta salad with chopped vegetables and a tiny bit of salad dressing.  She loved it, but her friends made fun of her ("what is that?" and that was the end of that). 

Since we run out the door like lightning every morning, it helps if snacks are packaged and ready to go.  And cheap.  I know that.  For many people, that seems limited to 10-packs of chips or 100-calorie cookie packs.  These are not great snacks -- they contain little if any vitamins and minerals, and they also disregard one very important point: children are a captive audience during snack time at school.  This means that they're hungry, and whatever is packed (unless positively shameful) will be quickly consumed because it's available.  Thus, it's a great opportunity to get some veggies, fruits or other healthy snacks down the hatch.  A  4-pack of applesauce is about $2.00-$2.50, 3 packs of carrots and ranch, or celery with peanut butter are $2 at Trader Joe's, little packs of Stoneyfield yogurt are about $3.50 for 6.  Theoretically you can do healthy snacks for kids at well under $1 a day.  And that's for high-end organic good stuff, folks.

As a rule, read the label for sodium and fat and avoid the product if either of those ingredients is listed as 20% or more of the Daily Value (that's those percentages on the right). 

All of this, of course, is good advice for you, too.  If you want to start the year healthier and wealthier, bypass that snack machine at work, bring your own snacks and eat just those (squirrel the money you would have spent at the vending machine or the coffeehouse -- those frappucino dealies with whipped cream can kill anyone's diet -- into a jar and you'll have some money for nice clothes during the holiday sales).  Bring a container to work to take home any especially fabulous goodies, but unless it's the Christmas party, you really need to just say NO.  Save the snacking and grazing and enjoying for the social occasions when you'll want to let go a little, and for the rest of the time, polish that halo!

Okay, so starting today and going every Tuesday from 3pm-8pm, Westfield is having another go at a Farmer's Market. It's at the corner of Woodman and Riverside, so it's probably best to park behind Macy's at the mall. Here is there web site for more information on vendors and pictures.

Sorry about the lack of recent posts!

p.s. -- SB 1420, the menu labeling bill PASSED. So you'll see menu labeling for calories and fat on the actual board starting in 2010! Look for fast food establishments to create things you would actually want to eat as a marketing tool. America wins! (Okay, California wins!)

So the other day I bought those Anasazi beans from Whole Foods, and kombu, which is supposed to help tenderize the beans and impart some flavor. I learned about adding kombu to beans during the soak and the cooking from the Real Food Daily cookbook, which has difficult but entirely worthwhile recipes that make you look like a damned genius (and I LOVE the restaurant. If I was rich I'd hike it over there daily, all right. Try the chocolate pudding there -- a dessert I barely cared about if there was a cake or cookie to be had -- it's  ridiculous how good it is).

Ah, distracted by chocolate with just minutes to write. Back to beans.

They came out great (see pic). Beans run something between $.89 and $1.99 a pound these days at Whole Foods, and I recommend the pricier organic varieties. Keep in mind that a pound of dried beans will make 5-6 cups of cooked beans so they go far for very little money (you're lucky if you get 1.5 cups in a can).

Beans are: high in fiber, low in fat, high in iron, a good source of protein and good plant chemicals.  They're also delicious and when cooked correctly taste like tiny baked potatoes.

Except for black-eyed beans and lentils, most dried beans need a good soak. I put mine in a mixing bowl, fill er up, rinse, drain, and fill again 3" over the beans after sorting through the beans for any duds (dark, mangy looking specimens or the odd pebble). Cut a piece of kombu that's about 2-3" long (about half a strip) and leave them to soak overnight. Soaking, in addition to hydrating the beans, will eliminate some of the oligosaccharides in beans that make you blow up like a flesh balloon. Ann Gentry from Real Food Daily says that the kombu also makes the beans more digestible, but I think that's because of the tenderizing.

After they're soaked and you know you'll be around for a bit, drain the beans, toss them into a pot and cover with at least 4" of water, leaving the kombu in, put the heat on the lowest setting, partially cover (and don't let the top slip over the beans or you'll have a foamy mess overflowing in no time -- I lay a wooden spoon over the top and balance the lid over that so it lays there jauntily but can't flatten out), set a timer for 1 hour and walk away. Stir if you feel like it in between. Add a dash of canola oil to discourage the foaming if you wish. Skim off the foam or don't. But after an hour come by and have a bite. Still too firm? Give it another half hour and walk away. Drain.

In my case, serve immediately to small child standing at my feet who, after one taste of some cold-rinsed beans I was checking, demanded a bowl. Mush them up with a fork and throw them into a burrito. Put them over cous cous in a hurry. You get the picture.

When our child spiked a fever (it's not even winter yet and she's got a fever already?!) I tore through the freezer and made smoothies. She drank the entire cup, loaded herself up with vitamins and antioxidants and cooled herself down, all while asking if it counted as dessert (a  small cookie accompaniment cleared that all up).

Needed:

• A blender
  
• Milk, yogurt, ice cream, soy milk, or soy ice cream, whatever cold milk-like substance suits your fancy
• Frozen mango
• Frozen blueberries
• Frozen strawberries and/or
  
• Whatever frozen fruit you like, including slicing up fresh peaches and the like and freezing them ahead of time. 
  
• Banana?
• It's all up to you

All I did was toss in the mango, strawberries and blueberries (all cheaper than fresh, they keep way longer and have almost the exact same vitamins and nutrients), fill 'er up with soy milk and let the blender rip.  And stir.  And blend.  And stir.  Until it was still frozen and frothy and way too good. 

We finally trekked to the behemoth Pasadena Whole Foods. 

Since we didn't get to go away for Labor Day we felt like indulging, and there really was something for everyone. The child chose peanut-butter-coated pretzels and a ginger "person" (is it discrimination to call it a "man"?) but we drew the line at a large block of Valhrona milk chocolate on the grounds that it would be used for evil and not good by all of us, probably as soon as we peeled back the wrapper (rule #1 with questionable food purchases: Know thyself).

We founds some beautiful biodegradable plant pots (the kind you have to send off to some composting plant probably but they're made with recycled plant materials -- grain husks) and bought one for us and one for my mom in a beautiful green color.

We got a frozen gluten-free pumpkin pie for my gluten free mother-in-law (a tester for Thanksgiving?) , some kind of Sumatra coffee for the Hub, and uh, a pair of eco-friendly shoes for me (so much for my love of lunchbags over shoes...sometimes I can be swayed).

Oh yeah, there was also food, and how - anasazi beans in bulk, which we don't have near us, 25 lb bags of organic brown rice (we didn't get that but it was amazing to think about it), kombu (seaweed that is supposed to make beans more digestible and add flavor- I'll update on whether it works later), really awesome whole wheat burger buns, 6 month aged cheddar that the small child insisted upon...and we could have come home with much, much more.  It was like a department store for food - walls of cheese, small mountainous displays of chocolates, cases of baked goods, a sake section (!).  In short, it was fun. 

I'd like to try the prepared food there some time (it takes up half of the second floor, and there is seating too). The mac n cheese (large shells with gooey yummy looking cheese) was hard to resist.  Vegan? They have a CASE of prepared food that looked very very promising indeed (but I don't have an expense account, so it was eyes only): grilled tofu, quinoa patties, kale salad, something made with a LOT of beets...a wall full of gluten-free products with a freezer case containing pecan, pumpkin and apple pies, hamburger buns, various breads, etc.  They had a case full of raw prepared foods from Leaf (a raw restaurant in Sherman Oaks and Culver City, and if you haven't tried their carrot "cake" you should - it is a wonder.

So if you're out near Pasadena, check it out: 465 S. Arroyo Parkway, ph. 626.204.2266

SB 1420, the Senate Bill for (good) menu labeling, passed in both the Assembly and Senate, and now it's up to Arnold to make sure it passes. He's busy with the budget, but if that ever ends, perhaps we'll see some public health reform here. Thanks, NYC, for getting the ball rolling. Want to catch up on this? I wrote about it in detail here.

I wrote about the Sherman Oak's Farmer's market about a week and a half ago. We went last Thursday but...Poof!...the market was gone. And there's nothing about it on their web site. I called Westfield Fashion Square and they told me it was not going to be happening for a while, with no other explanation. So there you go. If I hear otherwise, I'll report back but for now, there's Studio City on Sundays (At Ventura and Laurel Canyon), and if you know of other good farmer's markets in the valley, please feel free to post them in the comments section. Here's a list for those still searching...

I really do. And yet, I told you I don't really pack lunch anymore. But I like it when I do. When I worked in an office I looked forward to my lunch and my book more than anything in the day (and the job wasn't torture or anything. Mostly). And in the heat I never, ever leave the house with out a LARGE cooler bag filled with refreezable ice to keep our water cool and in case the small child has leftovers or I need to bring a snack (it's always one or the other).

I love lunchboxes. They make lunch a lot of fun by giving you little spaces in which you can imagine what it is you'll be dying for come the afternoon and what you'll have waiting for yourself as a treat.  This company makes little plastic boxes (the safe sort) that seal easily and can be opened by a 3 year old that are perfect for snacks (nuts, raisins, a chocolate, crackers -- or grapes, carrots, etc.  Pack wet OR dry but not both because the wet ingredients sog up the dry, but it's like a tiny, inexpensive bento box. 

And then there's bento boxes.   The ingenious Jennifer McCann's terrific web site Veganlunchbox often mentions the coolest new lunchboxes -- check it out (and for ideas, her book is really great even if you aren't vegan but especially if you are)!  Most of these I learned about from her.  I Love Obento is really adorable lunch for the Hello Kitty crowd.  I dig Laptop Lunches, the only downside that some of the lunch containers have no lids so I don't know how they hold up with travel.  I like the idea of the To Go Ware, but there's no way to keep things cold without putting it...in a cooler bag.  But if you're going to work with a refrigerator, they're awfully cool for things like salad and fruits and/or vegetables.  You can also pack frozen fruits and/or vegetables and let them come to temperature in the To-Go Ware.  By the afternoon when they're singing happy birthday in the office over a giant chocolate cake you'll be happy to have it (even if it's just so you can eat the veggies, wipe it out and take some cake home. This is how my mind works).



Here is one I really love:  Lunchsense.  It's a washable, purselike container that snaps together (or apart for a picnic lunch!) and contains lunches like a perfectly formed puzzle.  All of this appeals to my sickening sense of organization and cleanliness and fun.  And comes with an ice pack.   I want one.

A lunchtime proviso: you can't microwave plastic (it migrates into food) so it's best to get a thermos to keep things hot if you need that, or pack a heavy glass container, or keep one at work for the microwave.  And you shouldn't keep it all at room temp either because it's usually more than 2 hours from commute to lunch.   And 2 hours is the time limit on room temperature foods that are normally kept hot or cold.  Any longer and you could get sick.  So consider that stuff and remember that you can always take the stuff out a half hour before you eat it and let it come to room temperature.



All these cute containers give me another reason to love my dishwasher (it's the kind you roll over to the kitchen sink, but it gets the job done and saves me from cleaning 17 little pieces left from lunch.  If you don't have one, stick with bigger containers (like the To-Go Ware pictured at right) that are easy to wash up.

Get yourself a Klean Kanteen (can no one spell?) and you'll be all set.

What to pack?  Here are some Trader Joe's lists that might zero you in a bit, but nothing beats hanging around the store for a bit for ideas.

All of these might seem expensive at around $30 a crack, but consider this: if you're eating lunch at a restaurant 5 days a week, even if you spend just $5, it will only take a couple of weeks for the thing to pay for itself, because bringing your own food is cheaper.  And you'll probably lose weight and be healthier because of what you packed.  And you'll have time for that magazine or book you've been wanting to read.  You'll read it at the park where you'll find a mate because you're looking so good now and you're obviously very intelligent because you're sitting there reading.  In other words, pack a lunch and all will be right in your world.  You don't believe me but just try it and see if I'm wrong.

I have the advantage of working at home most of the time, which means I can make my lunch on the fly. The downside: I often end up standing in front of the open fridge wishing I had started some rice half an hour ago when I wasn't starving. Or that someone would swing by and make me a meal.

So today I ended up whipping up one of my very favorite things: an omelette. Not just any, but an imitation of Le Pain Quotidien's lovely, lovely parmesan pesto omelette, since I'm a lady who lunches...mostly at home. This is a fast, good, pretty low fat way of making an omelette that tastes as good or better than the kind made with plasticky drooling cheese. Wish I'd thought of taking a picture of it before the parmesan started to melt, but there you go.

You need:

• One small omelette pan (if you don't have one I recommend the 8" open skillet most manufacturers of expensive sets use as a "try me" pan: a good one is about $20 and for eggs, go non-stick).
• cheese slicer or grater (or sharp knife and patience)
  
• a carton of egg whites or perhaps 4 freshly cracked ones
  
• A block of parmesan cheese (get the real stuff)
  
• Trader Joe's Pesto alla Genovese (basil pesto) (a dab will do ya, trust me)
  
• a tiny amount of butter or trans-fat free margarine like Earth Balance for the pan
  

All of the ingredients came from Trader Joe's.  The egg whites are good for at least 2 omelettes -- use within the week, and the other stuff will last...a couple of months!  All for about the cost of one omelette at a restaurant. 

Slice yourself some cheese, very thin (I use the center slicer on an old grater).
Heat up the pan on low, toss in the butter/margarine (half a teaspoon will do) to coat.  Pour in half a cup of egg or more when the pan is heated.  Omelettes are supposed to be made on high heat, but I prefer a gentler heat and to wait so that there isn't much "skin" formed around the omelette.  If you prefer that, heat on high.  After the egg turns white and starts to bubble around the edges, gently lift the sides with a spatula and tilt the pan, allowing the extra egg on top to flow underneath.  When the top looks soft but not watery, add 1/2-1 teaspoon pesto, then fold to make the omelette.  Gently heat for another 30 seconds to a minute, then plate and add the cheese over the top.  Makes a good dinner with very little mess.

Le Pain Quotidien serves the omelette with artisan bread and a small salad of baby greens with vinaigrette, which is surprisingly perfect even in the morning.  TJs sells bagged greens, vinaigrette and baguettes if you're in the mood to go all European.  And there you go.

There's a new little farmer's market on Thursdays in Sherman Oaks from 5-9 pm at the corner of Riverside and Woodman behind Ross and Bank of America. You can park next to Macy's. If you come hungry and/or with children, they've got you covered because there is a lot of prepared food (chicken, kebabs, mountains of homemade potato chips, and one of the vendors has some nice looking bakery for dessert). There are also children's rides and some toys, so if you want to avoid them, be forewarned to stay to the right on the aisle where the food is located or be prepared to suffer the consequences (non-stop nagging or shelling out money for a blow-up slide, based on experience). And there are gift items and pet adoptions, but these things really don't a good farmer's market make. There are a only a few farmers in attendance, but they all have good stuff to make it worthwhile. Gala apples (normally a winter crop, but in California, just starting to come in), artichokes, corn, strawberries, honey, fresh green beans, as advertised -- and the very best cheese I have ever tasted (try the Jersey Jack if you're a purist). There was a nice band playing and it's at a time of day when the shade and sun mix peacefully and it's usually cooling down (finally). If you feel like sitting outside, maybe have a bite and take home some great stuff to cook tomorrow it's a nice little visit.