Worlds First Cookbook of Squeezable Recipes
Written by Malcolm Kushner   
March 05, 2007
(Santa Cruz, CA) March is nutrition month. And a cookbook of squeezable recipes has caught educators' attention as a new way to encourage healthy eating habits for children.

California Squisine: Healthy Food That's Fast, Fun and Squeezable For Kids includes 100 no-cook, pediatrician-approved recipes that can be squeezed over fruits and vegetables. The no-cook is key. "The recipes are easy to make in a classroom," explains author Malcolm Kushner. "All you need is a blender."

With simple ingredients and instructions, they're also easy enough for children to make themselves. "A second grade class in South Carolina made squisine," notes Kushner. "The kids had a great time and learned that good-tasting snacks don't have to be junk food. They loved making strawberry ice cream."

Well, duh. What kid wouldn't like strawberry ice cream? But here's the cool part -- the squisine recipe doesn't include any fat or refined sugar. (See recipe below.) And most important, it's squeezable.

"Squeezing the food is what kids like best," explains Kushner. "It's fun. And that's the whole point of the book. To motivate children to eat healthy food by having fun squeezing it -- preferably over fruits and vegetables."

Kushner, a co-creator of the humor exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, is best-known as a humor consultant to corporate America. His clients have included Aetna, HP, Motorola, Bank of America and the IRS. He says he wrote the book to harness the power of humor to solve a problem more important than helping executives get their message across.

"Childhood obesity has been called an epidemic," he notes. "Kids now think that a balanced diet means a cookie in each hand."

So he figured humor could motivate children to improve their eating habits. "Educators know that fun is one of the greatest motivators in the world," Kushner explains. "That's why there are so many educational programs like 'Making Math Fun' and 'Making Reading Fun.' Now kids can have fun learning to eat healthy food too."

He also notes that many studies indicate children are more willing to try foods that they've been involved in preparing. If they can make the recipes and then have fun squeezing them, so much the better he reasons. "Kids should play with their food," Kushner says, "if it makes them eat healthier."

Dr. Christine Griger, a pediatrician and chairman of a 130 doctor multi-specialty medical clinic affiliated with Sutter Health, agrees. "Parents are increasingly aware of the growing problem of childhood obesity," she says. "They frequently ask for help in teaching healthy eating habits to their children. The family-centered, kid-friendly nutritious recipes in California Squisine can be an important tool for helping children avoid the long term health consequences of obesity."

Kushner sums it up in a simple formula: Squeeze + cuisine = squisine. "Even Einstein would agree," he says.

California Squisine: Healthy Food That's Fast, Fun and Squeezable For Kids
(ISBN 1-931741-67-0; size: 6 x 9; soft cover) is published by Robert D. Reed Publishers, P.O. Box 1992, Bandon, Oregon 97411. Phone: (541) 347-9882 / Fax: (541) 347-9883. Website: www.rdrpublishers.com. The price per book is $11.95, plus $3.50 for shipping and handling. It is also available from all bookstores and online.

See more information at www.californiasquisine.com.

Recipe for Strawberry Ice Cream

What You Need
¼ cup instant non-fat dry milk
¼ cup ice water
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup frozen strawberries

What You Do
1. Put all ingredients into a blender
2. Blend thoroughly.

Recipe for Parmesan Yogurt Dip

What You Need
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup non-fat or low-fat yogurt

What You Do
1. Put ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend thoroughly.
3. Transfer mixture to squisine container.

Recipe for Pita Pocket Sandwich

What You Need
1 pita pocket bread
Sliced vegetables of your choice
Dip or dressing of your choice (Eg. -- Parmesan Yogurt Dip)

What You Do
1. Put sliced vegetables in the pita pocket.
2. Squeeze dip or dressing into the pita pocket.

PRESS CONTACT
Malcolm Kushner
831-425-4839
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ###
About the Press Release
March is nutrition month. And a cookbook of squeezable recipes has caught educators' attention as a new way to encourage healthy eating habits for children.


 
< Prev   Next >