Click on the loads of blue links to dig deeper and share them with members in your community. Share this info with anyone who eats, not just your healthy food friends!  Please forward this newsletter to your child’s teachers and to others in your community who could benefit.

Dr. Susan Rubin

Founder Better School Food

A Call to Action: Slow Food USA’s Time for Lunch Campaign

For many years, advocating for better food in schools has been an uphill struggle. Many parents felt marginalized when they took a public stand against the excessive sugar, poor quality processed foods served in schools.  Now the rest of the country may have caught up with us. The conversation has changed. Discussions around healthcare reform now routinely include food, and especially school food as possible solutions to our skyrocketing healthcare costs.Here’s what Slow Food USA President Josh Viertel has to say about school food:  “The way we feed our kids is a reflection of our values.  We cannot, in good conscience, continue to make our kids sick by feeding them cheap byproducts of an industrial food system, it is time to give kids real food: food that tastes good, is good for them, is good for the people who grow and prepare it, and is good for the planet.” Time for Lunch has a 3 fold plan. #1 Sign the Petition and pass it on to everyone (and we mean everyone) you know. Here’s the link to the petition: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/ #2 Contact your Legislators  Pick up the phone, write a letter, have your kids write letters. This makes a huge impact and can really make a difference!  Lobbyists for big food corporations, junk food and agribusiness may have the money, but we have the numbers of dedicated eaters who are now paying attention to what happens in DC.  Those folks you elected to congress DO listen when you call. As few as 10 phone calls can change a vote on a key piece of legislation! Here’s the link to learn more about contacting your legislators: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/contact_your_legislators/ #3 Organize an EAT-IN on the National Day of Action, Monday September 7, 2009.  An eat-in is a combination pot-luck and a peaceful protest! It’s a great opportunity for you to build community and support around school food issues. Slow Food makes it easy! They’ve got a great toolkit on their site and will offer support to help you set it up. Here’s the link to learn more about the National Day of Action: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/organize_an_eat_in/ Let us know about your participation in the Time for Lunch campaign! We want to share your stories with the rest of the Better School Food community. Send us an email at info@betterschoolfood.org Or visit us on our Better School Food Facebook page.

Ingredients

12 tablespoons whole organic butter (or casein free alternitive)
1 ½ cups organic oatmeal, ground fine (can be made with gluten free oatmeal)
2/3 cup honey or agave syrup (add more if you prefer a sweeter cobbler)
2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ cups whole milk, kefir or whole yogurt (or casein free alternitive)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3 cups of fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit (if frozen thaw and drain off juice)

Directions•

Preheat oven to 350. Place the butter in 13×9 baking dish or 2 quart casserole dish. Put in the oven to melt the butter.
•In a medium bowl whisk together oats, honey, baking powder, sea salt, milk and vanilla.
•Remove hot baking dish from oven and immediately pour the batter into it. Spoon fruit over batter. Return dish to the oven and bake 35-45 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Taste great with organic vanilla ice cream!

Nutritional Info can be gluten free and casein free, egg free,

Recipe may be halved and baked in a glass pie plate.

Servings

6-8

More Than Pretty Colors

The pigments that give berries their beautiful blue and red hues are also good for your health. Berries contain phytochemicals and flavonoids that may help to prevent some diseases. Cranberries and blueberries contain a substance that may prevent bladder infections. Eating a diet rich in blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and strawberries may help to reduce your risk of several types of cancers. Blueberries and raspberries also contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision.

Share some of your favorite berry recipes! ]]> http://cravingbetterhealth.com/wordpress/?feed=rss2&p=5 http://cravingbetterhealth.com/wordpress/?p=3 http://cravingbetterhealth.com/wordpress/?p=3#comments Sat, 23 May 2009 12:40:34 +0000 julie http://cravingbetterhealth.com/wordpress/?p=3 Looking for a tasty way to incorporate more green leafy vegetables into your daily diet? Try a green smoothie! Green smoothies are fruit smoothies mixed with leafy vegetables.

The benefits are enormous! When your cells get the nourishment they need your desire for junk food will decrease. Cravings and junk food addictions are often a sign of magnesium deficiency and green smoothies are full of magnesium. You will also enjoy increased focus and less fatigue. This is probably one of the easiest and tastiest ways to improve your overall health and wellness!

Learn about the blender/juicer I personally use every day, the Vitamix 5200