ChopChop Summer 2016

™

Fruit, main, green, home-grown —we’ve got bowls full!

Gear up and get on.

(We’ll help.)

• Watermelon ‘popsicles’ • A very green drink • Skills you need

our Mission

ChopChop’s mission is to inspire and teach kids to cook and eat real food with their families.

WHAT MATTERS TO US

We believe that cooking and eating together is vital to every family’s health and happiness, as well as a vital component in resolving the widespread problems of obesity, hunger, and poor nutrition.

We believe that teaching children to cook sets them up for a lifetime of wellness, and to that end we work to get our magazine into the hands of kids who most need it.

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When you subscribe, not only do you get our awardwinning magazine, but your money also helps us donate ChopChop to communities in need. A one-year subscription costs $14.95; two years costs $24.95.

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DONATE!

Want to help our non-profit? Support our mission to get ChopChop to organizations that serve those most at risk by donating at www.chopchopmag.org/donate For more information: info@chopchopmag.org

All recipes by Sally Sampson and Catherine Newman, unless otherwise attributed.

Contact Us Customer service and subscriptions: 877-297-0962 or customerservice@chopchopmag.org or write to: PO Box 1981 Williamsport, PA 17703-1981 Editorial inquiries: 617-924-3993 or write to: 695–697 Belmont Street, Belmont MA 02478 Copyright © 2016 ChopChop Kids, a 501 (c)(3) corporation. ISSN 2169-0987.

25th printing, printed by R.R. Donnelley in Strasburg, VA, May 2016. Printed in the U.S.A.

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SALLY SAMPSON PATTI MCKENNA CATHERINE NEWMAN VIC DEROBERTIS CARL TREMBLAY CATRINE KELTY GINA HAHN CHRIS POWERS SHARON SPRAGUE Stacy Ciaravella Evilee Ebb ABBY REICH HANA NOBEL

Founder/President Executive Director Editor Creative Director Photographer Food Stylist Copy Editor Graphic Designer Marketing Business Development Business Development Special Projects Associate Special Projects

Contributors: BIRDY NEWMAN, ADAM RIED, Vayu Maini Rekda

TECHNICAL REVIEW AND ENDORSEMENT PROVIDED BY

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse specific products or brands that may be included in this magazine.

BoARD oF direCTorS Connie Askin National Director of Development, Year Up, Boston, MA Peter Nirenberg, CEO Image Architects, Short Hills, NJ Sally Sampson ChopChop Magazine, Watertown, MA Lisa Simpson, MD, MPH President and CEO, Academy Health, Washington, DC Andrew Steinberg President, CEO and Chairman, Modern Publishing, New York, NY Shale Wong, MD, MSPH University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO Barry Zuckerman, MD Chief of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA AdViSory BoARD Urit Chaimovitz Designer, Boston, MA David Cutler, PhD Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA Teresa DeLuca Physician Executive, New York, NY Mollie Katzen Cookbook author, Berkeley, CA Ann Marchetti AWMarchetti Consulting, Fort Lauderdale, FL Vivien Morris, MS, RD, MPH Chairperson, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, Mattapan, MA Natalie Digath Muth, MD, MPH Pediatrician, Children’s Primary Care Medical Group, San Diego, CA Ellen Rome, MD, MPH Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH Helen Veit Historian, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI John Willoughby Writer, editor, and cookbook author, Cambridge, MA Fiona Wilson University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH nuTriTion AdViSory BoARD Christina D. Economos, PhD Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA Shirley Huang, MD The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA David Ludwig, MD, MPH Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA Walter Willett, MD, MPH Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Table oF ConTenTs

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Issue 25, Summer 2016

Departments 4 Dear Reader 5 Mailbox 6 ChopChop Jr. Salad on a Stick 10 Think Again!

Feta gets the fruit treatment.

18 Kitchen Skills How to “toss” a salad and cut up a whole melon 20 What’s Different?

Can you tell what’s been changed in these two pictures?

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25 DigDig Grow Your Own Salad

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28 Taste Test Salad smarts

14 Kitchen Sink Salad The formula in action!

30 Healthy Hero Urban Gleaners

16 Chickpea “Croutons” A crispy, crunchy salad topping

31 Scrumptious Word Search 33 Kitchen Science The Phases of Melon 36 Quick Bites Instant snacking 37 Get Moving Ride a Bike!

38 Solutions Puzzled? We’ve got answers.

22 Classic(ish) Three-Bean Salad Make this picnic favorite from scratch.

Awesome Recipes

24 Garlicky Mustard Vinaigrette A zippy all-purpose dressing 26 Fattoush The best salad you may never have heard of

8 The Perfect Fruit Salad It’s not rocket science—but it is delicious!

32 Frozen Watermelon “Popsicles” Cool off with our one-ingredient wonder.

Summer of Salads 12 Mix-and-Match Salad One foolproof formula for lots of perfect bowls

34 Cucumber Agua Fresca Like salad—in a glass.

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WINTER 2011

3

I

Dear Reader, love salad. I mean I really love salad. I am often amazed at how you can combine a bunch of ingredients and so quickly create something new with such great flavor and texture.

Plus, salad is the perfect dish for budding chefs: it’s not hard to make, but it has a number of components, and allows you to work on many different skills, including washing, peeling, chopping, measuring, tasting, and, of course, improvising. You can learn so much just by making a salad!

There is no right salad—a great one can be as simple as a mix of greens drizzled with oil and vinegar or as complicated as what I refer to as a “kitchen sink salad,” a combination that includes everything from cheese and fruit to beans, nuts, and seeds. And, weird as it sounds, sometimes the best salads don’t even include lettuce. But you’ll find out for yourself what you like, once you get tossing.

Happy chopping,

Note: If you make a salad with a lot of unexpected ingredients, be sure to tell your guests, just in case one has an allergy!

Learn the Lingo!

Here are some of the cooking terms you might see in our recipes.

If you come across others you don’t know, look them up! (You knew we were going to say that.)

• Cored means with the stem and hard center part removed.

• Diced means cut up into cubes or squares about the size of dice.

• Minced means finely chopped.

• A pinch is the small amount you can pinch between your finger and thumb.

• Pitted or seeded means with the pits or seeds removed.

• Sauté means to cook something gently in a little oil.

• Simmer means to cook at a very gentle boil.

• To taste means taste it to see whether you want to add more of something.

• Toss means to mix together lightly.

Learn the Key! At the top of each recipe, you’ll find a key code. Here’s how to read it: ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES

adulT

“Yes” means you need an adult to help you. “No” means you can do it by yourself. Always get help from your adult when a recipe calls for using a knife, food processor, blender, or stove.

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handS-on Time

This is how long it takes to work on the recipe, including gathering your kitchen gear and preparing the food.

During hands-on time, you can’t do anything other than work on the recipe.

❚ TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

❚ MAKES: 6 SERVINGS

ToTal Time

This is how long it takes to make the recipe from start to finish, including the time for cooking and baking when you may be able to do something else—like clean up! In recipes that do not involve cooking, this may be the same as handS-on Time.

makeS

This number will usually tell you how many people the recipe serves. But sometimes we’ll tell you how much the recipe makes.

Mailbox Dispatches from our loyal ChopChop readers.

Join the fun!

Write to us at: ChopChop 695–697 Belmont Street, Belmont MA 02478. Please include an adult’s email address and phone number.

Find more on our Facebook page in our photo album “Mailbox”! www.chopchopmag.org

SUMMER 2016

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RECIPES JUST RIGHT FOR THE LITTLEST COOKS

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Salad on a stick

Salad you can eat with your hands! And Zoe’s using both of hers.

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

Safety Tip

Get an

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HEALTHY START

The Perfect Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is a juicy, beautiful favorite, and summer is the perfect time to make it! Fruit is ripe now and makes a cool and welcome start to a hot day. You don’t really need a recipe for fruit salad. It can be as simple as a bowl full of cubed melon, or as complicated as a dozen kinds of cut-up fruit. Mix and match however you like! ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 15 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 4 SERVINGS

KITCHEN GEAR Measuring cup Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Large bowl Large spoon

INGREDIENTS 4 cups fresh fruit, peeled and/or cored and cut into bite-size pieces, as needed Berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) Fruit with pits (peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, cherries) Citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, clementines) Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon) Tropical fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple, kiwi) Grapes

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the fruit in the bowl and stir gently. Serve right away.

Fancy That!

Make it monochromatic (that means “a single color”): use watermelon, strawberries, and cherries for a red salad; green grapes, honeydew, and kiwi for a green one.

Make it breakfast by adding a dollop of plain yogurt and a handful of toasted nuts or seeds to add protein and crunch.

Make it exciting with added flavors: a little lime juice and grated zest (the colored part of the rind) add zip to sweet fruit, such as melon and mango; chopped fresh mint adds color and flavor; a sprinkle of shredded unsweetened coconut goes well with tropical fruit.

Make it pretty by skipping fruit that turns brown or gets mushy once cut, such as bananas, apples, and pears— or sprinkle cut apples and pears with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning.

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WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

Chloe and Emmy plan to dollop yogurt onto their fruit salad to make it a more filling breakfast.

Safety Tip

Get an adult’s permission and help with all sharp knives, appliances (blender and food processor), the stove or oven, and hot ingredients. www.chopchopmag.org

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Think you hate feta cheese? Think again.

Feta is a salty, crumbly Greek cheese that’s traditionally made from sheep’s or goat’s milk and then brined, which means soaked in salty water. Here in the United States, feta is more often made from cow’s milk, which results in a milder cheese—but it might still taste quite strong to you, if you’re not used to the flavor. We love adding it to salads, because it crumbles so nicely and those crumbles add a little salty punch to each bite of food. If you’re still not sure about feta, try this salad, which balances the strong taste of the cheese with the sweetness of fruit and the fresh flavor of herbs. You just might like it after all!

Watermelon, Orange, and Feta Salad ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 4 SERVINGS

KITCHEN GEAR Measuring cup Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Measuring spoons Large bowl Spoon, for stirring INGREDIENTS 3 to 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon 1 large orange, peeled, sectioned, and diced ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, basil, or parsley leaves Pinch salt and black pepper INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put everything in the bowl and toss. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

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WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

THINK AGAIN!

Jeremiah, Sloan, and Valentina think the feta looks weird floating in brine! (But they like the salad.)

Safety Tip

Get an

adult’s rmission pe

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the stove or oven, and sor), s hot e ingr roc edients. (blender and food p www.chopchopmag.org

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From side dish to main dish, from leafy to substantial, we’ve got your perfect bowl. Follow a couple of these recipes to get started—then get busy inventing a salad of your own!

MIX‑AND‑MATCH SALAD

If you think salad is just lettuce and dressing, think again! We also call this “The Kitchen Sink” approach to salad making (as in “Everything but… ” ). We’ve got a list to help you get out of your salad rut—lots of fresh, interesting ingredients and toppings to mix together in whatever combinations you can dream up. We think the best salads include all kinds of flavors and textures— including salty, sweet, crunchy, and creamy. Just add dressing (like the Garlicky Mustard Vinaigrette on page 24), and eat!

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

• Fresh fruit, including grapes, berries, sliced or diced apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, kiwi, and mango, and sectioned tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, and clementines • Dried fruit, including chopped apricots, figs, and dates, and raisins, currants, cherries, and cranberries • Cooked and cooled (or leftover) vegetables, such as green beans, peas, asparagus, corn, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, broccoli, roasted bell peppers, and pickled beets • Fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, parsley, dill, chives, and mint • Raw vegetables such as sliced or diced cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, onions, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, jicama, radishes, celery, and fennel, grated raw carrots or beets, and sprouts • Canned vegetables, like artichoke hearts and hearts of palm • Pitted olives, green or black

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GREENS

• Crisp, such as romaine or iceberg lettuce, or Napa or purple cabbage • Tender, including Boston/Bibb lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and baby spinach • Bitter, like kale, endive, frisée, and radicchio • Spicy, including watercress, arugula, and mizuna

PROTEIN

• Cheese, almost any type crumbled or grated, including feta, Parmesan, cheddar, and blue • Grilled or leftover chicken, beef, shrimp, fish, or tofu • Canned and drained tuna, salmon, or sardines • Cooked beans, such as black, white, garbanzo, red kidney, or pinto • Hard-cooked eggs

CRUNCH

• Toasted nuts or seeds, including walnuts, almonds, pecans, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pepitas • Chickpea Croutons (page 16) • Croutons, made from whole-grain bread

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Kitchen Sink Salad

Here’s a favorite example of the mix-and-match principle: a main-dish salad that won’t leave you hungry since it’s packed with filling, delicious ingredients.

If you like, you can swap in a favorite salad green for the romaine. ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 4 servings

KITCHEN GEAR Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Measuring cup Medium-sized bowl Can opener Salad servers or tongs

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

Jeremiah can’t resist nibbling a handful of greens before the dressing goes on.

INGREDIENTS 1 large head romaine lettuce, cored and chopped 1 English cucumber (the kind that comes wrapped in plastic), diced 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 2 (5-ounce) cans white or light tuna, in water or oil, drained ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1 cup Chickpea Croutons (page 16) 1�3 cup Garlicky Mustard Vinaigrette (page 24) INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put everything in the bowl, toss, and serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Fancy That!

Add one of the following: • 1 tomato, cored and chopped • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese • 1 orange, peeled, seeded, and diced • ¼ cup chopped green or black olives

Safety Tip 14

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Get an adult’s permission and help with all sharp knives, appliances (blender and food processor), the stove or oven, and hot ingredients.

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Chickpea 'Croutons'

Try substituting crispy chickpeas for croutons in your next salad!

They’re tasty and crunchy, and they add a lot of flavor. ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 1 CUP

KITCHEN GEAR Can opener Paper towels Colander or strainer Medium-sized skillet Measuring spoons Heatproof spatula Cutting board Sharp knife (adult needed) Medium-sized bowl

INGREDIENTS 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed in cold water 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon salt 1 garlic clove, minced or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (if you like)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put a double layer of paper towels on your clean counter, and spread the chickpeas on them to dry a bit (this will make crisping them easier).

2. Put the skillet on the stove, turn the stove on, and set the heat to medium. Add the oil, then the chickpeas. Sprinkle on the salt.

3. Cook the chickpeas, turning them with the spatula every few minutes at first, until they are deep brown and crisp, 10–15 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic or garlic powder, if you’re using it. Set aside to cool.

5. Carefully put the chickpeas in the bowl and serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days (they will lose their crunch but still taste good).

Did you know?

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“Chickpeas” and “garbanzo beans” are two different names for the same beans!

You don’t have to put these on a salad! Zoe’s eating some as a snack.

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

Safety Tip

Get an

ll sharp knive stove or oven, a s, ap with a ), the nd elp ssor hot p h e l i c a d o ingr n r n c p a e edients. s d n ( o blender and fo adult’s rmissio pe www.chopchopmag.org

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Kitchen Skills: How to 'toss' a salad “Tossing” means to mix together lightly, and it’s how we make sure all the parts of a salad and the dressing are evenly distributed. Here’s how we do it.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl.

2. Drizzle the salad dressing onto the salad.

3. Use tongs or salad servers to very gently lift and turn all the parts of the salad. You want to make sure the ingredients are equally covered with dressing, but you don’t want to bruise the delicate leaves. Be sure there are not pools of dressing in some spots and undressed leaves in others.

4. Taste the salad to see if it needs more dressing.

If it does, add some and toss again. If the salad sits for a while, be sure to toss it again before serving.

Jeremiah might have a different opinion, but we think Valentina is doing a great job tossing the salad!

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WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

How to Cut up a Whole Melon Melons are so sweet and delicious, but their tough rinds can make them hard to deal with. Here’s how we do it. (Note: This is a job for an adult.)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, or small watermelon) on its side on a cutting board and use a large, sharp knife to carefully slice off about ¾ inch from its top and bottom. If there are seeds, use a large spoon to scrape them out.

2. Turn the melon upright, onto one of its cut surfaces.

Use the knife to cut the rind off in skinny strips, starting at the top, and cutting down to the bottom, following

Safety Tip

the curve as well as you can. When all the rind is cut off, trim away any green or white that’s left on the melon.

3. Cut the melon in half, top to bottom. If there are seeds, use a large spoon to scrape them out.

4. Lay the melon halves cut-side down and cube them by cutting first in one direction and then the other, in a grid pattern.

5. Eat the melon, or use it in your recipe.

Get an adult’s permission and help with all sharp knives, appliances (blender and food processor), the stove or oven, and hot ingredients.

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WHAT’S DIFFERENT?

We found 9 changes in the picture on the next page.

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Can you find them all?

Solution on page 38.

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Classic(ish) Three-Bean Salad This is our version of the classic picnic salad. We like it because we usually have canned beans in the pantry, which get us two-thirds of the way there! And our little secret? If we don’t have any fresh beans, we sometimes add an extra can and serve the salad over greens. ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES (PLUS 2 HOURS CHILLING) ❚ MAKES: 4–6 SERVINGS

KITCHEN GEAR Can opener Colander or sieve Measuring cup Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Medium-sized bowl Spoon, for stirring INGREDIENTS 1 (15-ounce) can (or 1 ½ cups) dark red kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed in cold water 1 (15-ounce) can (or 1 ½ cups) white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed in cold water 2 cups green beans, trimmed and snapped into bite-size pieces 3 scallions, roots trimmed off, white and green parts chopped ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (about ½ small bunch) 1/3 cup Garlicky Mustard Vinaigrette (page 24) INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the beans, scallions, and parsley in the bowl and toss to combine.

2. Pour the vinaigrette over the beans.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, to let the flavors meld. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

Chloe gives the salad a big stir to mix the dressing in.

Safety Tip

Get an

adult’s rmission pe

ll sharp knive s, ap with a elp plia h nce and s

the stove or oven, and sor), s hot e ingr roc edients. (blender and food p www.chopchopmag.org

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Garlicky Mustard Vinaigrette This is a good basic, tangy salad dressing that you can adjust to your own taste. Red wine vinegar will make it mellow, for example, while balsamic will make it a bit sweet.

Add different herbs, if you like. It makes plenty: enough for the Classic(ish) Three-Bean Salad (page 23) and then a couple of large green salads too. ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 5 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 1 CUP

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

KITCHEN GEAR Garlic press (if you have one) Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Measuring spoons Jar with a tight-fitting lid INGREDIENTS 6 tablespoons olive oil 6 tablespoons vinegar (any kind) 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons dried basil 3 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press ¾ teaspoon salt Black pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the ingredients in the jar, screw on the lid tightly, and shake until blended.

2. Use right away or cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Safety Tip 24

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Get an adult’s permission and help with all sharp knives, appliances (blender and food processor), the stove or oven, and hot ingredients.

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DIGDIG

Grow your own salad

You don’t need a garden to grow greens!

You can grow them in a sunny spot indoors—right in the container you bought your last salad greens in (or any other container).

WHAT YOU NEED 1 empty plastic clamshell container (the kind with a lid) Extra clamshell container lid Craft knife or box cutter (adult needed) Potting soil (look for something called “starter mix”) 1 package lettuce, arugula, or mixed greens seeds Spray bottle Scissors INSTRUCTIONS 1. Use the knife to cut 3 or 4 X-shaped drainage slits into the bottom of your container (This is a good job for an adult).

Turn the the extra lid upside down and place the container on top of it.

2. Fill the container halfway with soil, and smooth the top layer of soil without packing it down.

3. Scatter the seeds evenly across the surface of the soil, then sprinkle with more soil, just covering the seeds with a very thin layer.

4. Use the spray bottle to moisten the soil and seeds evenly.

Cover with the lid, which will create a kind of warm, moist greenhouse environment, and put the container with the extra lid beneath it in a sunny spot. (If you have a south-facing window, that windowsill is ideal.)

5. Fill the extra lid with water. The soil will pull up the moisture the plants need. Check the water level every day, and refill when it looks low.

6. The seeds will sprout in about a week, and the first greens will be ready to cut when they’re at least 3 inches high, in 3 to 4 weeks. Cut them with scissors, leaving about an inch of greens behind, and they will grow back to make one more salad harvest for you!

Photos by CATHERINE NEWMAN

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Fattoush

Stale bread is so good for sopping up juicy salad ingredients, no wonder it’s a favorite no-waste ingredient! There’s Italian panzanella, with its tomatoes and basil; there are crunchy, delicious croutons; and there’s fattoush (pronounced fuh-TOOSH), a Middle Eastern salad that uses stale pita and traditionally includes the green, slightly citrus-tasting herb purslane (which might grow wild in your garden, if you have one). We use lettuce and other herbs instead. ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 50 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR ❚ MAKES: 4–6 SERVINGS

KITCHEN GEAR Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Measuring cup Measuring spoons Jar with a tight-fitting lid Large bowl Rimmed baking sheet Spoon, for stirring

INGREDIENTS For the dressing: 1 garlic clove, minced 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ¼ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground sumac (if you have it) For the fattoush: 2 (6 ½-inch) whole-wheat pita breads, cut into 1-inch squares (stale is fine) 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Make the dressing: Put the ingredients in the jar, screw on the lid tightly, and shake until blended.

2. Turn the oven on and set it to 250 degrees.

3. Put the pita bread squares, olive oil, sumac (if you have it) or thyme, and salt in the large bowl and toss until the bread is coated on all sides.

4. Dump the pita bread squares on the baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

5. Put the tomatoes, romaine, cucumbers, radishes, parsley, mint, and scallions in the large bowl and toss well. Add the pita squares, drizzle in half the dressing and mix well. Taste the salad and, if it needs more dressing, add some.

6. Serve right away.

Valentina and Sloan dig in!

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WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

1 teaspoon ground sumac (if you have it) or ½ teaspoon dried thyme 3 large tomatoes, cored and diced ½ head romaine lettuce, cored and chopped 3 small Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, diced, or 1 regular cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced 6 radishes, thinly sliced ½ to 1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves 2 scallions, roots trimmed off, white and green parts thinly sliced

Did you know?

Safety Tip

Ground sumac is a popular Middle Eastern seasoning made from the dried red berries of the sumac tree. It’s tart and colorful, and it’s an important ingredient in the spice blend za’atar, which also includes thyme and sesame seeds. If you can’t find it, the salad will still be delicious!

Just add more lemon, if it needs more of a tangy kick.

Get an

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the stove or oven, and sor), s hot e ingr roc edients. (blender and food p www.chopchopmag.org

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WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

Taste Test: Salad Smarts

A salad is like an edible collage: all the ingredients come together to make something that includes all of their individual flavors, but also has a different flavor of its own. To see how this works, assemble the ingredients for one of the salad recipes in this issue (or for a salad of your own design) and measure or make the dressing you’ll use.

Chloe, Alexis, and Nyles turn their taste test into a fun snacking session.

1. Taste each individual ingredient, one at a time: each green, vegetable, fruit, and add-in. What do you notice about them?

Which ones do you like best plain? Write down a word to describe each ingredient.

2. Combine the ingredients in your salad bowl, and use a fork to pick up a little piece of each ingredient. Put this forkful of all the ingredients together into your mouth. Chew it and taste it carefully. Can you taste all of the flavors you tasted before?

Are there new flavors? Write down three words to describe the mix of flavors.

3. Now toss the salad with the dressing, then repeat step 2. This is the final salad. How does it compare with the individual ingredients you tasted in step 1? How about the undressed salad in step 2? What words would you use to describe it now?

What was your favorite step of the tasting?

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Safety Tip

Get an adult’s permission and help with all sharp knives, appliances (blender and food processor), the stove or oven, and hot ingredients.

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HEALTHY HERO

Urban Gleaners Urban Gleaners is an organization in Portland, Oregon with a mission to help reduce hunger by collecting edible surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away. They redistribute it to agencies that feed the hungry. As they put it, “The concept of picking up and redistributing food is a simple weapon in the fight against hunger. Hunger is less a problem of scarce resources than inefficient distribution.” We got a chance to interview the organization’s founder and executive director, Tracy Oseran.

CC: Can you tell us how you started Urban Gleaners?

Tracy: I heard a story about a woman who collected good, edible food that would have been thrown away and took it to people who were hungry. I was mesmerized by the story and wanted to do the same thing. I looked around Portland to see who was doing this kind of work so I could join them. It turned out that no one was—so my two then-teenage kids and I started Urban Gleaners. Today, ten years later, Urban Gleaners collects 50,000 pounds of food monthly.

CC: How does it work?

Tracy: With the help of many volunteers and a small paid staff, we collect food from restaurants, grocery stores, event sites, farmers’ markets, and farms. The food is brought to our warehouse where it is sorted and then distributed to agencies that feed the hungry and to kids and their families through our Food to Schools program.

CC: What’s the most exciting donation you’ve ever gotten?

Tracy: A fish market once gave us a whole eel!

CC: What’s your favorite thing about the program?

Tracy: We are getting food to people who are hungry and keeping it out of landfills (where it decomposes and creates harmful greenhouse gas).

CC: Do you have any advice for people (or kids!) who want to do similar work where they live?

Tracy: My advice is: I did it, so anyone can do it. Start looking around in your community. Ask local restaurants and grocery stores what they do with their excess food.

Be aware of all the good food around you that is going to waste.

Learn more

For more information about Urban Gleaners, check out their website at www.urbangleaners.org

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Photo courtesy of URBAN GLEANERS

Scrumptious Word Search

D J F L E T T U C E H P S C A

N W A T E R M E L O N A A A T

WORDS HIDDEN ABOVE Solution on page 38

Did you know?

A V O C A D O P N S L B Z N O

C P F O D A A E S T G B Q T M

avocado tomato cucumber kiwi

H T Y U B R Y J A R I L W A A

E K C O S D D G C A I U T L T

R H I L E G Q Z U W C E R O O

cantaloupe honeydew strawberry raspberry

If you ever see a seed package (or a bag of greens) labeled “mesclun,” the term refers to a delicious mix that might include lettuces, arugula, mustard, and other sweet, spicy, or bitter salad greens.

R Y E W Y A I U C B P B A U R

Y Y F E I R E Y U E W E S P A

I K O M P B N B M R U R P E N

blueberry peach cherry watermelon

P B C I T A D A B R P R B X G

E T M H U N I S E Y A Y E U E

A G I G P Z V I R G F T R E D

orange parsley lettuce arugula

C N K T Q O E L N I E A R R Y

H M A R U G U L A O K L Y Y W

endive basil garbanzo

GREAT MANNERS

Of course it’s polite to wash your hands before coming to the table.

However much fun you had playing or coloring, nobody wants to see all that dirt and marker all over your fingers! But it’s more than just polite: washing your hands helps stop the spread of illness by cleaning off germs that could make you or other people sick. That’s why it’s important to wash your hands before eating, and extra-important to wash them before preparing food for your family and friends. www.chopchopmag.org

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SWEET TREAT

Frozen Watermelon 'Popsicles'

Okay, these aren’t really popsicles. They’re watermelon wedges frozen on sticks. But isn’t this a nice, cold way to eat your fruit? Leave the rind on, if you want the slices to look classic—or cut it off, if you want to make it easier to put the sticks in. ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 15 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 8 OR MORE POPS

KITCHEN GEAR Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Popsicle sticks Baking sheet INGREDIENTS ¼ small seedless watermelon

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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Cut across the watermelon to make wedges about 1-inch thick.

2. Carefully cut a slit into the rind of each wedge and put a popsicle stick into each slit.

3. Arrange the wedges on the baking sheet so they’re not touching.

4. Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

Alexis takes a cool bite!

Let the pops soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Get an adult’s permission and help with all sharp knives, appliances (blender and food processor), the stove or oven, and hot ingredients.

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KITCHEN SCIENCE

The Phases of Melon

By Vayu Maini Rekdal

Look at the Watermelon “Popsicles” recipe (page 32). Do you think the watermelon will stay the same as the fruit you are used to eating? What might be different about it?

Aside from being much colder, the popsicles are also solid and brittle. The transition from mushy fruit to frozen popsicles not only makes a delicious treat, but also illustrates an important scientific concept.

Watermelon, as you can guess from the name, contains a large amount of water. This means that it behaves a lot like water does at different temperatures.

At room temperature, water is a liquid; water molecules are moving around freely in the fruit, producing a juicy and soft texture. When you put the melon in the freezer, the water molecules slow down a lot, eventually forming solid ice crystals that give the fruit a popsicle-like consistency.

The change from liquid to solid is known as a phase transition. These transitions are important in the kitchen, and appear in everything from cooking eggs to making ice cream. Can you think of other examples?

Understanding how and why things happen in the kitchen can make you both a better chef and a better scientist—at the same time!

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QUENCH

Cucumber Agua Fresca

WASH your hands with soap and water and dry them.

CLEAN the countertop.

GATHER all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on the counter.

SCRUB all the fruits and vegetables and lay them out on a clean dish towel to dry.

PREPARE your ingredients, which means you may have to do something before you get started with the instructions.

KITCHEN GEAR Vegetable peeler Sharp knife (adult needed) Cutting board Citrus juicer Measuring cup Measuring spoons Blender

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One way to keep as cool as a cucumber this summer is to blend fresh, crunchy cucumbers into this popular Mexican drink, which means “fresh water” in Spanish. It’s almost like a crisp cucumber salad in liquid form. If you really like mint you can use a little extra, up to about 1/3 cup of chopped leaves, for a stronger flavor.

BY ADAM RIED ❚ ADULT: YES ❚ HANDS-ON TIME: 10 MINUTES ❚ TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES ❚ MAKES: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS 6 small Persian cucumbers or 2 English cucumbers, diced, or 2 regular cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 4 cups) 2 cups cold water 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves 1 ½ tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup Pinch of salt

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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the cucumbers, water, lemon juice, mint, honey or maple syrup, and salt in the blender.

2. Put the top on tightly and turn the blender to medium to start chopping the cucumber.

Adjust the blender to high speed and blend until the mixture is liquid-y and really smooth, about 1 minute.

3. Serve right away (with ice cubes, if you like), or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Stir well before serving.

Jeremiah, Sloan, and Valentina make a great team.

Safety Tip

ith all sharp knives, a the stove or oven, and lp w ppl sor), e s hot h e ianc c Get ingr pro and es (b an a edients. lender and food dult’s permission www.chopchopmag.org

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QUICK BITES

Cantaloupe wedge

Frozen blueberries

Fruit salad

Romaine leaf with dressing for dipping 36

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Ride a bike

GET MOVING!

Want the lowdown on how to ride and care for your bike (and how to get one in the first place!)? We got some awesome tips from Jimmy Hallyburton of the Boise Bicycle Project, a nonprofit dedicated to getting people out on two wheels.

Why should you ride a bike?

I can still remember when I was four years old leaving my driveway on a bicycle for the first time. It was like my world expanded!

Opportunities for freedom and adventure seemed limitless. Now I’m 33, and I’ve never lost that feeling!

Why should you go to school on your bike?

Bike commuting can seem a little scary at first, so start easy. If it’s pouring rain, wait for the next sunny day to get started. If it seems too far away, start a little closer, or only bike one way (to or from). The more you ride, the easier it’s going to get. Oh, and always check your tires the night before. You don’t want to wake up to a low or flat tire.

Why should you wear a helmet?

Helmets are important, but remember, they only help you if you fall off your bike, or if you get hit. The goal is to not fall off and not get hit in the first place. So make sure you wear your helmet, but also make sure you learn the rules of the road. Together you’ve got a winning combination for a safe bicycle commute.

A lot of schools have a Safe Routes to School program that can help with bicycle safety classes. Or ask your P.E. teacher or principal if your school or local police department holds a Bicycle Rodeo to teach bicycle safety.

How should you care for your bike?

The better your bicycle is running, the more you’re going to enjoy riding it. Start off your ride with an ABC quick check.

A. Check the Air in your tires. They should be hard like a basketball.

B. Make sure both of your Brakes work.

Ride around the block quickly and make sure you can stop.

C. Check to see if your Chain is rusty, or if it’s falling off or sagging. If it is, get someone to help you fix or replace it, or take your bike to a bike shop.

D. Double check your nuts, bolts, and quick-release levers. Everything should be tight.

All of this takes about 2 minutes once you get used to it and insures that you discover any problems while you’re still close to home.

Befriend a Bike.

When it comes to kids’ bikes, used is really just as good as new. There are a lot of bike cooperatives across the country where you can buy a used bike for not a lot of money. Google “your city” + bike coop, or find one on Craigslist and fix it up. Remember to do your ABC quick check, and if you notice any problems, take your bike to a bike shop or cooperative to have a mechanic look at it. And ask if they can teach you how to fix whatever they’re fixing!

With the right tools and a little bit of help, you can learn to do most of these repairs on your own.

Photos courtesy of Boise Bicycle Project

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SOLUTIONS FROM PAGE 20

Numbers show changes in the picture.

Changed items are listed below.

1. Dried pineapple swapped 2. Spoon moved 3. Blueberries added 4. Missing strawberry 5. Kiwi cut 6. Fruit swapped 7. Leaf missing 8. Cherry pit added 9. Peach sliced FROM PAGE 31 D J F L E T T U C E H P S C A

N W A T E R M E L O N A A A T

A V O C A D O P N S L B Z N O

C P F O D A A E S T G B Q T M

H T Y U B R Y J A R I L W A A

E K C O S D D G C A I U T L T

R H I L E G Q Z U W C E R O O

R Y E W Y A I U C B P B A U R

Y Y F E I R E Y U E W E S P A

I K O M P B N B M R U R P E N

P B C I T A D A B R P R B X G

E T M H U N I S E Y A Y E U E

A G I G P Z V I R G F T R E D

C N K T Q O E L N I E A R R Y

H M A R U G U L A O K L Y Y W

EDIBLE VOCABULARY

By BIRDY NEWMAN

Can you match these six kinds of salad with their descriptions?

1. Cobb Salad 2. Chef Salad

A. A salad typically made of lettuce, apples, celery, walnuts, and a creamy dressing B.

A hearty salad containing assorted slivered meats and cheeses, along with tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs, on a bed of leafy greens

3. Greek Salad

C. A main ­dish salad featuring lettuce topped with bacon, chicken, hard-cooked eggs, tomato, avocado, and blue cheese

4. Waldorf Salad

D. A salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, olives, feta cheese, and olive oil, which is typically seasoned with oregano

5. Caesar Salad

E.

A restaurant’s specialty green salad, often containing tomatoes and cucumbers and the chef’s favorite dressing

6. House Salad

F.

A salad of romaine lettuce, with croutons, Parmesan cheese, anchovies, and a lemony dressing Answers: 1 C; 2 B; 3 D; 4 A; 5 F; 6 E

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James Beard Foundation 2013 Publication of the Year

2014 Parents’ Choice Gold Award

The James Beard Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire.

Programs include educational initiatives, food industry awards, an annual national food conference, Leadership Awards program, culinary scholarships, and publications.

Parents’ Choice Foundation is the nation’s oldest nonprofit guide to quality children’s media and toys.

Best known for the Parents’ Choice Awards® program, the Parents’ Choice Award Seals are the Foundation’s internationally recognized and respected icons of quality.

ChopChop would like to thank our sponsors and partners

ChopChop also thanks …

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JOIN THE CLUB! Here’s how it works: Every month, we’ll send out a basic recipe we think every kid should master, and we’ll include step-by-step instructions, shopping tips, food facts, and more. What do you do? Get cooking! Then earn badges and prizes for completing each recipe. Are you up for the challenge?

Sign up at www.chopchopcookingclub.org and join the ChopChop Cooking Club for free.