“Weight sits
like a spider at the center of an intricate, tangled web of health and
disease. Three related aspects of weight
– how much you weigh in relation to your height, your waist size, and how much
weight you gain after your early twenties – strongly influence your chances of
having or dying from a heart attack, stroke, or other type of cardiovascular
disease; of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes; of
being diagnosed with postmenopausal breast cancer or cancer of the endometrium,
colon, or kidney; of having arthritis; of being infertile; of developing
gallstones; of snoring or suffering from sleep apnea; or of developing
adult-onset asthma.”
--Walter C.
Willett, M.D., from Eat, Drink and Be Healthy
When I was a
kid, I always looked forward to the trip to visit my grandparents and their farm
in Indiana. When we woke up in the
mornings, my grandfather would have already been up for hours milking the
cows. Days were filled with helping (or
at least we thought we were helping) plow the fields or taking tractor rides
around the farm’s back roads. Afternoons
I would help my grandmother with a task in the kitchen to help get supper on
the table. Evenings my brothers and I
chased lightning bugs around the front yard while my mother and grandparents
rocked on the porch swings and my grandfather relaxed, smoking his pipe.
Thinking
about those wonderful summers on the farm with my family reminds me about how
important my grandfather’s job was. He
was a farmer. He grew corn and soybeans
and provided a safe home for his dairy cows.
He respected the land by growing his cash crops and then letting the
soil rest and replenish by planting alfalfa.
He always planted a big vegetable garden for my grandmother out behind
the farmhouse. The tomatoes and beans we
ate in the summertime were bursting with flavor in every bite, unlike the hothouse-raised tomatoes you often see in
stores today. Enjoying the flavor of
fresh-picked vegetables lovingly prepared by my grandmother was the essence of
childhood memories on the farm. We ate
the food that had been grown by my grandfather and prepared by my grandmother; when it was gone we went outside to
play. Every day, we seemed to eat just the
right amount of food and enjoyed lots of physical exercise and fresh air.
Next time
you buy vegetables, think about who grew them and how they got to your store
and your table. Better yet, visit your
local farmers market and buy vegetables directly from the farmer who grew
them. The shorter the distance
vegetables have to travel to get to your family’s dinner table, the better for
your health. Support your local farmers.
Give them your respect. When we
have access to foods grown without chemicals, we have a better chance of not
triggering cancer and staying at a healthy weight. Kids deserve good foods. Thank you to all the farmers working to grow
good food! Thanks, Grandpa, for teaching me about respect.
Here is an easy recipe that we have been working on in the Growing Healthy Kids Test Kitchen. My grandfather would have loved it! You can substitute yellow cornmeal if you cannot find blue cornmeal. Blue corn is higher in nutritional value and has a nutty taste. Kids love to make these and they make a great addition to a healthy school lunchbox!
GROWING HEALTHY KIDS: Our Recipe Collection
Blue Corn Cakes
In a medium
mixing bowl, combine:
- · ½ cup blue cornmeal
- · ½ cup flour (I like to use oat flour)
- · 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- · 1 teaspoon salt
In a small
saucepan, sauté for a few minutes over low heat:
- · 3 Tablespoons butter
- · Corn kernels, cut off 1 ear of fresh corn (or use 1/2 can of corn, drained)
Pour corn
mixture into dry mixture.
Add:
- · 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or a little more if needed)
Whisk
together until batter is smooth. Let
rest for a few minutes. Add more milk if needed.
Ladle ¼ cup
batter onto griddle coated with just a little grapeseed oil. Cook until sides of cakes bubble gently and
cakes are light golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Gently turn
them over with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden
brown.
Serving
suggestions: Top with chopped tomatoes,
fresh cilantro and fat-free sour cream OR sautéed red peppers and Vidalia onions.
Makes 8
griddle cakes. Enjoy!
In gratitude,
Nancy
Heinrich
Founder,
Growing Healthy Kids
