Mary Louise Parker's Healthy Porcupine Meatballs
Contributed by: NAPSA
The Recipe For Keeping Kids Fit
(NAPSA) - Studies show that children are more likely to eat foods that they help prepare, so kitchen time can be an ideal opportunity to get kids thinking about nutrition.
With this idea in mind, members of the Junior Leagues hope to raise awareness and help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues with the second annual Junior Leagues' Kids in the Kitchen program, an international childhood obesity and nutrition education initiative.
More than 225 Junior Leagues in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom will host educational activities like cooking classes, health fairs, vegetable gardening lessons, exercise sessions and grocery store tours.
"With recent studies from the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity estimating nearly half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by 2010, now is the time for us to help our children learn about nutrition," said Sandi Kemmish, president of the Association of Junior Leagues International.
The initiative is supported by the Cartoon Network's "Get Animated" program, a pro-social, pro-lifestyle movement designed to motivate, energize and educate kids.
To engage children in the preparation of their food, the Junior Leagues' Kids in the Kitchen Web site, http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli. org, features kid-friendly, nutritious dishes from celebrities, ranging from Food Network chef Ellie Krieger to actress Fran Drescher to New England Patriots fullback Heath Evans.
Try this delicious recipe from actress Mary Louise Parker to help start things off.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. organic ground turkey meat
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 egg white or egg white substitute
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup cooked basmati or brown rice
- 1/8 cup bread crumbs
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Blend all items and then add rice.
Mix rice loosely with meat mixture and form 1-inch balls.
Place steamer inside large saucepan; put water in the bottom of the pan.
When water reaches a boil, place meatballs in steamer.
Keep meatballs in steamer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Meatballs can be dipped in organic ketchup or sprinkled with a little low-fat mozzarella and placed under the broiler until cheese melts. Serve with organic tomato sauce.
