This week’s Scramble column is devoted to how families approach desserts at their homes. Please add a comment below to let me know what your family’s approach is to eating or avoiding after dinner desserts. Thanks!
Archive for October, 2008
Do you or Don’t You Dessert
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008Whipping up Scary Halloween Treats on NBC
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008In case you want to see me in a goofy hat on TV, here’s a segment from our local NBC affiliate, WRC, with the host and I making healthy Halloween treats: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Scaring_Up_Treats_That_Wont_Bring_Boos.html
San Francisco Chronicle readers share tips for cooking at home more
Saturday, October 25th, 2008Including, The Scramble, thanks to Scramble subscriber Carolyn Rashby: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/25/HO6013NUQ7.DTL. Thanks for the great salespitch, Carolyn!
Lisa’s Letter
Friday, October 24th, 2008October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I wanted to share with you a moving letter I just received from my friend Lisa:
Dear Aviva,
I have been meaning to write to you for a while, but for a number of health related reasons have not been able to sit at the computer and compose a letter. As the leaves change color, and the cool air sweeps in, I realize the seasons are changing again. But one thing is not changing, and that is my appreciation for the Six O’Clock Scramble. You and the Scramble have helped me and my family in so many ways, and this is my way small way of saying “thank you”.
Five months ago, I had a recurrence of breast cancer. So far, I am doing okay, but without the Scramble, I would have had a harder time taking care of my husband and three young children. For months, many friends brought me meals from the Six O’Clock Scramble Cookbook. Recently, out of necessity, we hired a young woman to help us, and she did not know how to cook. I gave her the Scramble Cookbook and print out the weekly newsletter and now she picks out meals for the week, using the planning tips and weekly menus. She is learning to cook by following the directions, and has even improved her English. In these economic hard times, the Scramble is saving us money, and cutting back on my stress as I continue with treatments, sometimes too tired to think about food for my family.
I want to suggest to people who have a friend going through hard times that they make a meal from the Scramble Cookbook or newsletter and bring it over. As someone who has received many meals, and has made many meals for others, it’s so nice to have one place to go to, a place that is warm and delicious, where I know I will find a nourishing meal, which can make all the difference in a day of fighting breast cancer.
Thank you, Aviva, for your hard work and dedication, for making a difference in my life. You are a positive force in the world.
With sincere appreciation and gratitude,,
Lisa Flaxman-Martel, author of Glances at Time, A Young Mother’s Journey with Breast Cancer (http://www.musikids.com/glances/)
In honor of Lisa’s struggle and courage, and that of so many breast cancer survivors in our midst, The Scramble will make a special contribution to Lisa’s favorite national breast cancer charity, www.breastcancer.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about breast cancer. I hope you will also consider making a donation to breastcancer.org or your favorite breast cancer charity this month in honor of our sisters, mothers and friends with breast cancer.
7 year old Hannah shares her favorite spinach salad recipe
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008Hi Aviva, It’s Hannah. Here’s my recipe for the salad. I used a bag of baby spinach and I used a little lemon juice (1/4 - 1/2 of a lemon), 1 - 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and I sprinkled some sea salt (1/4 - 1/2 tsp.) Then I mixed it all up. You can add anything you want in the recipe. This salad is the only one my brother Max will eat! Bye bye from Hannah.
New Recipe Preview: Salmon Salad with Lemon and Dill
Monday, October 20th, 2008I just had to share this new recipe that has so much going for it, except it’s not quite right for Fall and Winter. So you won’t have to wait until next Spring to try it, you can have a preview here:
Salmon Salad with Lemon and Dill
Prep (no cook) = 15 minutes
4 servings
My family couldn’t believe how delicious this salad was. Not only is it inexpensive to make and heart-healthy, but it is so versatile—you can serve it over greens, stuffed in pita or a whole grain bun, or eat it on crackers. However you serve it, it’s a super combination of tastes. This recipe is adapted from the HEARTy Salmon Salad recipe from City Harvest food rescue program. Serve it with hummus and pita chips and red pepper strips and baby carrots.
15 oz. canned wild salmon
4 Tbsp. reduced fat mayonnaise or plain nonfat or low fat yogurt
1 lemon, juice only (1/4 cup)
1 small bunch dill, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
¼ - ½ yellow or white onion, finely diced (1 cup) or use celery
10 oz. frozen peas, thawed
Drain the salmon in a colander and discard any skin or bones (thought they are edible and very healthy if you don’t want to discard them.) In a medium bowl, combine the salmon, mayonnaise or yogurt, lemon juice, dill and onions and stir to combine. Gently mix in the peas. Serve it immediately or chill the salad until you are ready to serve it, up to 24 hours.
You Asked for it–Scramblers can now save their custom plans
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008Another item on your wish list has now been fulfilled, thanks to our supremely talented programmer, Sarah Chamberlin. Scramblers can now save their custom menu plans in their “recipe box” so they can use it again.
When you choose to create a custom menu plan, you will now see a box at the top that allows you to name and save your custom plan–that’s all there is to it. Your custom plan will now be in your recipe box in case you want to use it again some day.
Hooray, Sarah!
4 Kids’ Cereals Called Very Good by Consumer Reports
Monday, October 13th, 2008Cheerios, Honey-Nut Cheerios, Kix and Life cereals are all good bets for kids because they are low in sugar and salt, had a decent amount of fiber, and had additional iron, calcium or other nutrients: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20081001/kids-cereals-some-are-50-percent-sugar
Based on this study, check your family’s favorite cereals to make sure they have less than 9 grams of sugar per serving, at least 2 grams of fiber (3 or more is even better), and no more than 210 mg. of sodium.
Your suggestions for making grocery trips count, Healthy Halloween Snacks
Monday, October 13th, 2008This week’s Scramble column has my suggestions for getting the most out of your grocery trips, so you can go to the store as infrequently as possible. Shopping less is a great time to save money, time and energy. Do you have suggestions for making grocery trips more efficient or for saving time or money at the grocery store? If so, please share them here with other Scramblers and I’ll add them to my list next time. Thanks!
While you are sharing, please let me know if you and your kids have made any easy, healthy Halloween snacks to celebrate the holiday at home or at school parties. I’ll share my favorite suggestions in next week’s Scramble.
Funny Cats Working Out
Sunday, October 12th, 2008Okay, this has absolutely nothing to do with healthy dinners, but this hilarioius (at least in my opinion) video from my new favorite blog, all adither, had me laughing until I cried: http://alladither.typepad.com/all_adither/2008/10/cat-video-friday.html
My lazy cat, Siena, couldn’t even be bothered to watch those silly cats run so fast on the treadmill.