The Origin Of Tater Tots
We’re exploring the school food system over the next couple weeks on Earth Eats. Last week, we spoke with blogger and mom Mimi Ito. This week, we speak with Janet Poppendieck, author of Free For All: Fixing School Food In America. “It is a fundamental characteristic of our species that we have to teach our young what’s good to eat,” she says.
In January, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign helped draft new guidelines for school lunch nutrition which now includes more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains and a gradual reduction of sodium over the next ten years. But how did the government get involved in providing food to school children in the first place? Poppendieck traces it all the way back to the 1930s.
One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
Twisted Limb Paperworks has been an innovator in sustainably produced stationary since 1998, creating handmade 100 percent recycled products from office paper, junk mail and grocery bags.
Sometimes more unusual materials find their way into the paper, like grass clippings. Most recently, they’ve started using the spent barley from Upland Brewing Company to create four beer-inspired colors of paper – a process that is garnering national buzz.
Our first recipe today is the first of three soups. In spite of the see-sawing temperatures, it is still February, so Chef Daniel Orr suggests these recipes as a way to warm you up. The star of the dish is yellow lentils.
Quinoa is high in protein, but not only that, it’s a complete protein, which means it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids. It’s also high in iron, dietary fiber and it’s gluten-free. You can sprout the stuff, and unlike the 12 hours it takes to sprout wheat, it only takes quinoa 2-4 hours to grow its little tendrils. It’s no wonder this little seed has been called a superfood. We are using them in our Later-Winter Soup With Turkey And Quinoa.
Lima beans are also on the menu today. We’re cooking them from dry, but you can soak them ahead of time if you like. They’ll certainly cook faster that way. What you do is add one part beans to three parts water and soak them for 6 hours before you start to cook. Enjoy this Lima Bean Soup!
News Stories In The Show:
- CDC Issues Alarming Raw Milk Report
- Connecticut Could Become First State To Label GMOs
- Fast Food Workers Believe Their Jobs Make The World Worse
- Food Trucks Face Battle In California
Stories On This Episode
Selling raw milk is illegal in Indiana, but residents find ways around it despite the ban.
Author Janet Poppendieck joined us to discuss school lunch policy reform and history, and how society is impacted by the federal school lunch program.
This vegetarian soup is hearty enough to eat as a meal. Use water instead of stock and it's also vegan-friendly!
Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese makes paper from Upland Brewing Company's spent grain, but don't ask her to tell you how she does it. This is a secret worth keeping.
Experiment with cooking beans from dry for this recipe. You can inject a lot of flavor this way.
Quinoa is a complete protein that is high in iron and dietary fiber. Throw some leftover turkey into a pot for a tasty and nutrient-rich soup.