What's New in Natural Foods

September 2008

Hello Everyone

The one sure sign that fall is almost upon us: kids are waiting on the corner for the school bus. I don't know who is more bummed about that -- the kids or me! Summers just seem to fly by. The thought of having to start wearing socks and shoes, jackets and even gloves is more than I care to envision. Keep reading below to learn how to retain some evidence of summer by freezing garden vegetables to use this winter. And speaking of those kids going off to school, read up on how to help get their brains ready to learn (hint: breakfast). And never fear -- the end of summer doesn't have to be the end of wonderful foods. I've concocted 12 original, tasty, and very satisfying meals for our summer's swan song -- September.

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Saving the Summer's Abundance

With food costs still rising, it's a good idea to take advantage of low prices on local summer produce and put it up for winter. Farmer's markets will be jam-packed with especially good deals all throughout September - check them out. And if you're a gardener, you might already have an abundance from your own yard. The basil on my deck has gone wild and I'm up to my ears in it!

Making pesto is a great way to use up fresh basil (I have a recipe for it in one of this month's Dinner with Jennette meals), but if you're strapped for time you can simply blend your basil with olive oil (use just enough oil to make the blender run). Store it in ice cube trays in the freezer - you can take them out as needed to use with pasta dishes, soups, vegetables or meats.

Of course, you can always can fresh tomatoes, but if you're not up for that kind of project, you can use my ultra low maintenance tomato-saving technique: chop up the tomatoes and place them in freezable containers; the juice will rise to about the top of the tomato chunks. Cover and freeze, preferably in 2-cup containers. You can use these in place of canned diced tomatoes in any recipe, though you'll have to add a little more salt.

Peppers and summer squash can also be chopped and frozen. Store these in freezer bags, being sure to squeeze out any air from the bag. People with vacuum sealers swear by them, but it's not necessary to have one to successfully freeze produce. Come January you'll be enjoying fresh tasting peppers without paying astronomical prices for ones shipped from Holland. Saves money, saves fuel, even saves time chopping!

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Back-to-School Nutrition Tips

I get a lot of questions around this time of year about feeding kids. My number one recommendation is to make sure your children get their days off to a good start with a nourishing breakfast. This needs to include protein! Protein provides the building blocks for neurotransmitters the brain needs to concentrate and learn. It also helps to keep your kids' blood sugar stable, which means fewer mood swings and behavior issues.

Eggs are always a good choice: over easy, poached, boiled -- your preference. My daughter loves scrambled eggs with raisins in them. I know, it's unusual, but they're actually really good - you should try them. Make sure to put the raisins in with the egg before cooking, so they get nice and soft. Serve them with a piece of whole grain toast and they're ready to start their day.

Hot cereals are a lot more nutritious and digestible than cold cereals, but either way, you need to serve them with a protein. If not eggs, you could have sausage, some smoked salmon, even leftover meat. The son of one of my clients has chicken nuggets for breakfast. That's an acceptable way to get the protein in - as long as you're using good quality chicken nuggets (ones without corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, MSG, or other chemical additives) from the co-op or natural foods section of the store.

For a really quick - and easy - breakfast, serve whole grain toast or tortillas with peanut butter or deli turkey. And while you're at it, make sure YOU are getting protein for breakfast, too. You'll have more energy, fewer cravings and be more able to concentrate all day if you do. Test it out for a week and see.

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September Meals

Summer's end is a great time to focus on getting back into a routine at dinnertime. But that doesn't mean your meals need to be routine. A subscription to Dinner with Jennette will provide a delicious variety of meals each month. "Korean Nori Wraps with Rice and Pork," "Cuban Sloppy Josés over Skillet Cornbread" and "Golden Turkey Curry with Peaches" are all some of the dishes Dinner with Jennette subscribers will be enjoying this month.

September's Dinner with Jennette meals include some tasty late-summer dishes to help you use up the last of your tomatoes, herbs and sweet corn: "Seafood Fra Diavalo," "Creamy Southwestern Succotash" and Pesto Pasta Salad." And as the weather gets cooler, we have more fall-minded fare, such as "Baked Chicken Mole," "Lentil Soup with Fennel and Honey" and "Dilled Beet Salad with Spinach and Apple."

Dinner with Jennette makes mealtime easier for the cook, and more fun for the rest of the family. And we shouldn't overlook that balanced nutrition benefits everyone.

As always, I'd love to hear from you. And please use the forwarding option to send this newsletter to anyone who might be interested in healthful food. Thank you.

Best, Jennette