New Years Resolution: Eat More Fries!

Well... as long as they're Peas of Mind fries! Did you know one serving of our fries (Veggie Wedgies) has: zero grams of fat, 70-80 calories, and a full serving of fruits/veggies! Try this reci-pea for Curry Fries mmmm !

Curry Fries
-canola oil spray
-2 shallots, minced

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-2 stalks of lemongrass, sliced crosswise
-1 inch piece of ginger, minced
-2 TBL of curry
-3 cups of veggie broth

Preheat Oven to 425˚F.



Coat the inside of a small pot with pan 
spray and put over medium heat.  Add 
shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger and 
curry.  Let cook about 5 minutes.  Add the 
veggie broth and bring to a boil. 



Once curry begins to boil, lower heat to simmer and continue to cook down the broth with 
lid off, about 15 minutes.



Take out lemongrass stalks and puree curry in a blender until smooth.  Meanwhile, pour 
Cauliflower Veggie Wedgies® in a large bowl.  Spray fries generously with canola oil spray 
and toss.  Pour fries in one layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes.



Salt the fries out of the oven and drizzle the curry sauce over them. Serve immediately.

Will's on CNN!

One of our dearest Peas fans was featured on CNN today!

We've been so inspired by Will, by his life changing journey, but also by the way he writes about it (he's a exceptionally playful writer). We're so glad that our fries were a part of Will's journey and that he continues to enjoy them (and our new pizza too)!

Go Will! You amaze us :)

Changes in School Food, Part 2. Get Involved!

We are thrilled about the changes happening to school food menus across the country, like the addition of Veggie Wedgies in place of the deep-fried standard!
 

At the same time, there are more improvements to be made, but what specifically is next? That is the big question. So we turned to our friend and pediatric dietitian, Melanie Silverman, to hear her opinion on the topic and tips on how to keep the momentum going. Here is what she had to say:

On December 13^th, 2010 President Obama signed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.  Believe it or not, there had not been a change in school nutrition standards in 15 years so we were long overdue for change.  The gist of the bill is this: 

1. Schools will receive 6 cents more reimbursement per meal.  
2. Foods offered will have less sodium and fat and more fruits and vegetables.  
3. Policies will be made to help schools send consistent messages about healthy eating, which includes what is available in school vending machines and school stores.  
4. Processes for children who are eligible for school meals will be simplified.  
5. Farm-to-school pilot programs will be started.  

Many say, and I do agree, the bill falls short in terms of reimbursement for meals.  I have heard experts suggest that we need an additional dollar per meal to elevate school lunch to where it needs to be.  Six cents is a long way from a dollar so what are we suppose to do to move the process along?  When my clients complain to me about their kids’ school lunch programs I suggest this to them:  get involved!  

Here is what we can do: 

1. Look at your kids’ school lunch menu. Ask your kids what the problems are and take notes.
2. Talk to other families about their issues with the school lunch program and suggest changes.  Start small.  Simple changes like removing sugary drinks or changing white bread to wheat bread can make a big difference.  
3. Keep in mind, money is the issue so your challenge is to come up with cost conscious changes that the school districts can feasibly do.   
4. Contact the school administrators to set up an appointment to voice your concerns and offer suggestions. 
5.  Write your local papers and officials and let your voice be heard that you want change. 

Recently, I heard an excellent idea from a local mom in my community.  She suggested providing cut up fruit and vegetables trays on the tables for kids during lunch.  The problem was the labor involved to cut those fruits and vegetables.  Food service personnel are busy preparing meals and have little to no time to peel carrots and slice apples.  A super savvy mom came up with the idea that school parents or community volunteers could come in and help with preparing the fruit and vegetable trays and labor would be free.  This is the type of innovating thinking we need in school lunch.

I applaud the efforts in Congress passing the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act, but we cannot sit back and wait for the six cents to become a dollar; we have to put our minds together now and make the change happen ourselves. 

Melanie R. Silverman MS, RD, IBCLC is pediatric registered dietitian and lactation consultant in Laguna Beach, California.  You can learn more about her private practice at www.feedingphilosophies.com and what her feeding philosophies are at blog.feedingphilosophies.com

Changes in School Food, Part 1

The fight against childhood obesity and the struggle to makeover the school lunch program have finally reached a critical tipping point. Our government is proposing and passing laws that are enacting real change to a system that has been in place for decades! Hooray!

We would like to share our stance on some of these powerful changes and what sparked them:

1) Have you seen Jamie Oliver's T.V. show called Food Revolution? Wow, has it really stirred up controversy by exposing the politics behind school lunch. We believe his revealing show accelerated the rate of change happening around this topic. "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution campaign seeks to educate families about food and cooking, and address the quality of the food served in school lunch programs." (jamieoliver.com)

• Peas position: We love to cook, break bread with loved ones, and enjoy swapping useful tips for cooking and feeding kids healthfully, but we recognize that there's not always time to make healthy meals from scratch. We are proud to offer wholesome and convenient food that parents can feel good about feeding their kids (and themselves) on those chaotic days when meals from scratch are not feasible.

2) Lisa Mancino of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees school-meal programs, calls the new approach "stealth health," getting kids to eat healthy without even realizing it. As it turns out, the problem may not be the presence of junk food after all; it's that the good food just isn't appealing enough. ("Stealth Health for Kids" - Newsweek, 2009.)

• Peas position: We're often associated with the concept of "stealth health"...where adults 'sneak' veggies into kids' foods. We take a more transparent approach. We aren't hiding the broccoli in our Broccoli Veggie Wedgies; we are just reinventing the classic French fry by making them healthier. For us, it's not about tricking kids. We hope they like what they are eating and also know that its made from veggies. Maybe after knowingly enjoying Broccoli fries, a broccoli floret in a stir fry won't look so daunting/disgusting.

3) Under a federal law passed last December, the USDA guidelines will limit the number of calories served at every school meal and require programs to offer a broad variety of fruits and vegetables - not just corn and potatoes. The USDA has proposed a ban on potatoes in school lunch programs as an attempt to fight childhood obesity. 

• Peas position: Years ago we tried to work with a few local schools but were told our foods didn't have enough calories required for school lunch. We couldn't believe that schools were wanting more calories instead of more nutrients! As regular french fries are served less frequently in schools (or eliminated from school menus altogether), Veggie Wedgies are bursting onto the scene, replacing the fat- and salt-laden offenders. We couldn't be more proud!

4) The expansion of breakfast served at schools has yielded great results with students and teachers. Many kids who weren't getting breakfast at home are now better able to focus in class from the mid-morning until lunchtime. Even the kids who were used to having breakfast at home are fond of choosing their breakfast (hot or cold) at school. Get the full inside scoop from an observant school teacher on the Fed Up with School Lunch blog.

• Peas position: We think this is a great idea and others in the food industry do too. Major retailers like Walmart are getting involved by funding projects like Breakfast in the Classroom which "aim to increase breakfast consumption among school children and spark the academic and nutritional gains associated with the morning meal." (walmart.com)

Stayed tuned for more thoughts on school lunch in a couple weeks!

Brown Paper Bag It This Superbowl Sunday

When you just can't watch another fumble, touchdown, or "hut hut hut" bring the kids into the kitchen and make this half time treat, microwave popcorn in a brown paper bag.

Most store bought microwave popcorn brands contain hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors  (some even contain fish!), and added colors. Why not make your own and skip the bad stuff!

Homemade Microwave Popcorn
(makes 1 serving)
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
1 teaspoon oil, canola or olive
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste), preferably popcorn salt
brown paper lunch bag
stapler

Toss the corn kernels, oil and salt together in the brown paper bag. Fold the top of the bag over twice and staple once to close.

Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, until popping sounds are about 5 seconds apart. Open carefully; there's hot steam in there just like store-bought microwave popcorn!

Additions:

• add a teaspoon of sugar to the popped corn for a sweet/savory Kettle Corn.
• add a sprinkle of onion powder, or any finely ground spice blend you have in the house at the shake step. 
• use our ranch-inspired seasoning blend! Prepare the popcorn without the salt called for above, pop, open the bag, add 1/2 a recipe of Peas Signature Spice Blend (including parmesan cheese) fold the bag closed and shake to distribute. 

Spice Up Your Next Bag of Veggie Wedgies!

Although we created Veggie Wedgies to make vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower more appealing to kids, we know that adults enjoy eating Veggie Wedgies too! Here at Peas HQ, we created our own low calorie, signature spice topping which we toss our Veggie Wedgies in. If you want to eat them like the pro's do, try this reci-pea for our "ranch" inspired spice blend (the kids will love it too)!

Veggie Wedgie Signature Spice Blend

• 1 tsp dried parsley, crushed
  (substitute with 2 tsp minced fresh parsley)
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 pinch black pepper (optional)
• 1 bag of Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies
  Carrot, Cauliflower, or Broccoli fries
• cooking spray, olive oil preferred
• 1 Tbl grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the desired amount of frozen Veggie Wedgies in a large bowl. Spray with cooking spray and toss to coat lightly. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake as directed, 10-12 minutes, turning the fries once about halfway through the bake.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix.

When your Veggie Wedgies have browned nicely, transfer them back to the oily bowl. Toss the fries with a proportional amount of spice blend. For example, if you baked half a bag of fries, use half of the spice blend, reserving the rest for when you back the remainder of the fries. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and gobble them down!

Those Picky Eaters… Ages 9-12

We get emails from parents all the time, and we love hearing from them! Our favorite customer emails are the success stories, like when a toddler who typically turns his nose up at steamed broccoli florets gobbles down Broccoli Veggie Wedgies, making dinnertime more enjoyable for the whole family. That said, we also really appreciate learning about current eating issues parents are grappling with regarding their kids.


One challenge we've been hearing about from parents lately is how to handle an older picky-eating kid who wants to make their own eating decisions and hasn't yet outgrown their finicky phase. 


Here at Peas, we've found that our Veggie Wedgies and Pizza help parents with kids of all ages (and even adults themselves!) eat more veggies, but we were curious to learn more about these older picky-eaters and how to encourage them to eat more healthfully and adventurously.


We hooked up with Melanie R. Silverman, a Registered Dietitian who specializes in pediatric nutritional care, for her thoughts on the topic. Here's what she had to say:


"I think the best nutrition recommendation I give to my families is to eat a wide variety of foods.  I cannot point to a single supplement, powder or pill that proves to provide all necessary nutrients our bodies need.  So what do you do when your ten year old child will eat six foods and none of them involve a vegetable?


Ah...the good ol’ times.  Remember when that ten year old was ten months old and ate everything you offered?  Your steamed vegetables went down as fast as fruits or desserts did.  So what happened? If your situation is like many families, the change came around eighteen months when kids strive for independence.  Kids this age cannot choose what they wear, when they sleep or where they go, but they can choose how much they eat and if they eat at all.  Panic sets in with parents when children this age begin skipping meals and snacks.  Frustrated and worried, parents start to give their kids what they know their kids will eat.  These actions support picky eating and can persist for years.


So what do you do if its ten years later and you have a picky eater on your hands?  First, stop talking about it.  Chances are, out of love and concern, you make comments to your son or daughter about his or her pickiness hoping they will spontaneously ask you to roast Brussels sprouts and grill salmon for dinner.  Keep quiet; they do not want to hear about it anymore.  Second, you can surely give them a multivitamin for nutritional insurance, but I want them to learn to eat a variety of food, not take supplements.  Prepare to make changes in how and what you feed your children.  Here are three ways to get started:

• Eat as many meals as a family as possible.  In my experience, people underestimate the value of family meals as a tool to expand their child’s repertoire of foods.   Family meals can expose children to a great array of foods and since you are not discussing their picky habits anymore, they may be more inclined to try new foods on their own.

• Plan strategic meals.  I am not asking you to serve tofu, chickpeas and kale for dinner.  What I am asking you to do is extrapolate in your meal planning.  Think about what your child will eat and build your menus from there.  For example, if your child is a white bread-lover, by all means, offer bread.  Offer rosemary olive, asiago cheese or pumpernickel bread with olive oil for dipping and see what happens.  

• Eat out.  Try different restaurants like Indian, Sushi or Thai.  If you child likes Italian prepared pasta dishes, Pad Thai is an option.

If parents begin with the changes I describe above, over time something will likely kick in with these kids and they will try new foods. If you start to notice your child trying and enjoying new foods, do not make a big deal about it in front of him or her.  Go with the flow and take comfort in the fact that you did some great parenting to get your son or daughter to this point."

Melanie R. Silverman MS, RD, IBCLC is pediatric registered dietitian and lactation consultant in Laguna Beach, California.  You can learn more about her private practice at www.feedingphilosophies.com and what her feeding philosophies are at blog.feedingphilosophies.com




Thanks for sharing your expertise with our readers, Melanie!

Veggie Wedgies vs The Competition

We're dedicating this blog to Veggie Wedgies!

See how they stack up against the competition (store bought frozen french fries and fast food french fries):