Products that can help make school lunches waste free

This week The Scramble newsletter tackles ideas for healthy school lunches you can pack for your kids. While I often use regular plastic containers with lids and wash and reuse reclosable plastic bags and plasticware, when we need to use it, here are a couple of great products, suggested by Scramblers, that are specifically designed to help you pack a waste-free lunch for yourself or your children:

http://www.reusablebags.com/store/wrapnmat-p-2.html#

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=69729&PRODID=69697

If you have any waste savers that you use to pack lunches, please post them here. Thanks!

I've pledged to reuse my own water bottles--have you?

Join me in a pledge to Break the Bottled Water Habit by Thinking Outside the Bottle!
http://water.newdream.org/campaigns/water/register/130b42a39fc094fe218918a9997fc24a/
Did you know you can reduce your carbon footprint, help eliminate waste and pollution, and give yourself a chance at some great prizes in one simple step? It's a win-win situation for you, the community and the ecosystem - and you can even win a $5,000 prize package from Brighter Planet that includes a trip to Glacier National Park.

What do you have to do? Just fill out the pledge form at http://water.newdream.org/campaigns/water/register/130b42a39fc094fe218918a9997fc24a/ and then start using reusable water bottles instead of buying bottled water. It's that easy. You'll be doing your part to reduce the 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide produced in the manufacture of plastic bottles for the US consumption last year. Imagine saving the energy equivalent of a quarter bottle of oil for every bottled water you would have consumed - not to mention the money! Plus you'll curb your carbon footprint by almost 41 pounds a year!
Visit the Break the Bottled Water Habit site to sign up.

Go to: http://water.newdream.org/campaigns/water/register/130b42a39fc094fe218918a9997fc24a/ to join the campaign.

Farmer's Markets offer Loads of Kitchen Inspiration

The farmer's markets here in Maryland are truly in their glory right now. When I pulled up to the curb of one of my regular spots last Saturday, the market looked paltry with only a few vendors, and I worried that I may have disappointed the friend I had brought along for the ride. But on closer inspection, we had hit the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The farmer's 12 year old son, Oliver, helped me select juicy peaches and watermelon and beautiful beets, broccoli, eggplants, and onions, which have inspired this week's meals. These treasures were only a small fraction of the variety the farmer's had to offer, but I had to remember just to buy enough for the week, to hold me over until next week's visit.

Tonight we enjoyed eggplant, tomato and mint stew, and roasted broccoli that was so flavorful and tender I could have eaten it for my main course!

I hope you are getting a chance to support your local farms this season and enjoy their truly wonderful, flavorful foods and come face to face with the good people who get up so early in the morning to harvest our wonderful foods.

Are you Queen or King of the Grill?

As I am putting together next week's menu (I hope even you tofu-phobes try the new delectable Crispy Sweet and Sour Tofu!), I wonder, are Scramblers getting tired of grilling or are they loving the recipes for the grill in the newsletter? During the warm months, especially in the late Spring, Summer and early Fall, I include a recipe for the grill in The Scramble nearly every week. While I often give alternative methods for cooking these recipes, I'd love your thoughts on whether there are too many grilling recipes, not enough, or about the right number.

Do you like to use the grill or does your spouse/partner prefer using it? Do you even have a grill that's in working order?

I'm burning for your feedback!

Greatest letter and recipe from 10 year old Caroline

I received this adorable letter last night from the daughter of a loyal subscriber. I love how her recipe even includes a Scramble Flavor Booster and a Tip!!

Dear Aviva,
We are big fans of the Six O'Clock Scramble. The meals are delicious and my mom says that the preparing is easy. Enclosed is a recipe that I got at my camp that people came back for thirds of. It is a delicious and creamy Alfredo Pesto Sauce that will please children and adults alike! We made it at home, too.
Love,
Caroline S. (Age 10)

Serves: 5 people Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 15 minutes

Alfredo Pesto Sauce

This dish is quick and easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser. Serve with Harvest Salad (I made up this salad.)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup whipping cream
1 pound capellini or spaghetti, freshly cooked

Directions:

Finely chop basil, nuts and garlic in processor. With machine running, gradually add olive oil through feed tube and process until smooth. Add 1/2 of parmesan. Transfer finished pesto to small jar. (This can be prepared four days ahead. Pour in enough olive oil over sauce to cover. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bring cream to boil in a heavy medium sauce pan. Whisk in pesto. Season sauce and remaining 1/2 cup parmesan in large bowl. Toss to coat pasta evenly and serve.

Scramble flavor booster: Don't forget the parmesan cheese!

Tip: Continually stir cream so that it won't burn.

Serve with Harvest Salad.

Needed:

Lettuce
1 Apple
Grated Carrots
Grated Swiss Cheese

Cut apple. Mix all of above and sprinkle with swiss cheese.


Enjoy.

Love,

Caroline S.

Homemade Hummus without Tahini

Homemade Hummus (tahini-free)

Prep = 10 minutes

I love hummus, and even enjoy making my own once in a while, but I have one problem with it—tahini, the sesame paste that is traditionally used to make hummus, is not a pantry staple for most people, including me. Therefore, it takes up space in our pantry and eventually goes bad if I don’t make a lot of hummus. Well, now that problem is solved with my tahini-free hummus. If you have a chance to make it, let me know what you think!

15 oz. canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juice only
2 – 3 garlic cloves, to taste (coarsely chopped)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup roasted red peppers or pitted black olives
pita wedges or pita chips and/or baby carrots for serving

In a food processor, puree all the ingredients until it is very smooth. Serve it with pita and baby carrots.