Costco Connection - August 2012

A recent study conducted by the Rand Corporation found that 96 percent of entrées sold at chain restaurants in the U.S. exceeded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s daily limits for calories, sodium and fat, with the worst offenders being “family” restaurants.

Plus, kids can learn so much in the kitchen.
“Cooking isn’t just about food,” Sampson tells
The Connection. “It helps with math skills, sci-
ence, reading, nutritional literacy and an under-
standing of other cultures.”
With the New Balance Foundation as her
lead sponsor, she raised enough money to
launch the business from her house in the
winter of 2010. She printed 150,000 copies of
the 32-page issue, which went almost exclu-
sively to pediatricians to hand out during
well-child visits.

Getting the doctors on board was easy.
“Pediatricians don’t have the tools to start a
conversation with kids about what they eat
or their physical behavior,” explains Sampson.
“Every doctor we approached said, ‘Bring
it on!’ ”
By the second issue, ChopChop had won
the endorsement of the American Academy
of Pediatrics. It has since grown to 40 pages
and a circulation of more than 600,000, and is
handed out by almost 50 percent of America’s
pediatricians. The magazine is distributed in
every state and goes to readers in 12 coun-
tries. About one-fifth of the copies are printed
in Spanish.

“This job taps every skill I have,” says Sampson, who has pulled together an impressive group of people, including Barry Zuckerman, chief of pediatrics at Boston Medical Center, to help her. ChopChop is guided by four boards, including a kids’ advisory board to review recipes and cookbooks.

Sampson is crystal clear about ChopChop’s mission: “We want to make cooking fun and interesting. We encourage curiosity,” she explains. “We don’t do cute food and we don’t trick kids. We don’t scold. We don’t talk about obesity.” The pages of her magazine feature real kids, not models, wearing their own clothes and cooking real food.

There’s a lot happening on each page to keep young readers engaged. “We take a food or a recipe and try to think of everything that’s interesting about it,” Sampson says. For example, the spring 2012 issue ran an eight-page story about eggs, which included four recipes with ideas for adding toppings and garnishes, a “Try This” trick, tips for making dyes for Easter eggs and instructions on using an egg carton to make a game.

Says Sampson, “Kids are naturally curious, and if they’re exposed to a range of ideas, something will pull them in.” C

Georgia Orcutt is the author of a number of cookbooks, including How to Feed a Teenage Boy (Celestial Arts, 2007), and a program manager for Oldways, a Boston nonprofit whose mission is to change the way people eat.

Squashy Chili

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped 3 garlic cloves, peeled and ;nely chopped 3 cups diced butternut squash

2 to 4 tablespoons chili powder ½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper ;akes (if you like spicy)

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne (if you like spicy) ¼ cup cold water

2 (16-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed well

1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed well

2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes including the juice

2 small or 1 large zucchini, diced

Extras to add (if you like):

2 tablespoons plain low- or nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves ¼ lemon, for squeezing

Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on a clean counter.

1. With the help of your adult, put the pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium.

2. Let the pot heat for a minute and when it’s hot, with the help of your adult, add the oil.

3. Add the onion, garlic, butternut squash, chili powder, oregano and cumin (and red pepper ;akes and cayenne if you like spicy). Cook on low heat until the onion is very soft, about 20 minutes. Stir from time to time. If it looks dry, add the water.

4. Add the beans and tomatoes, cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. 5. Add the zucchini and cook, uncovered, for 30 more minutes. Set aside to cool.

6. After the chili cools, divide it into portions. You can refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.

Confetti Orzo Salad

Orange Cranberry Seltzer

1 lime

3 cups unflavored seltzer
½ cup orange juice
½ cup cranberry juice (the kind that’s all
juice, not the kind labeled “cocktail”)

Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all of your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on a clean counter. 1. Cut the lime into 4 wedges.

2. Put the seltzer in a pitcher, add the orange and cranberry juices, and stir well.

3. Pour into 4 tall glasses and add 1 lime wedge to each. Serve right away.

Orange Cranberry Seltzer

Confetti Orzo Salad

3 cups cooked orzo, cooled
¼ cup lightly toasted walnuts, chopped
1 small zucchini, grated or chopped
1 carrot, grated or sliced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt