Memories of Food and Fun on the Fourth
July 1st, 2008Ah, the Fourth of July! There’s something special about this holiday. Maybe it’s because of the summertime, and we’re all in a vacation mood. It could be the food–the barbecues complete with burgers and brats and all the sides (potato salad, of course!) Most likely, it’s the magic that appears, when night has fallen and kids of all ages watch in awe as colors explode into the sky…and all the memories of the 4ths gone by.
I grew up in Missouri. Each Fourth of July weekend, my parents would pack the car full and we’d head down to the Lake of the Ozarks. It never failed that we arrived at my grandparent’s cabin, which was nestled in a heavily wooded cove along the water, just in time for dinner.
There was one trip when in order to make the fireworks show at Bagnell Dam, Nanny packed us plates of fried chicken, potato salad and strawberry jello to take with us. By the time we found a clearing where we could sit and watch the show, we were so hungry. It didn’t matter how much Jello had melted into the chicken and potato salad–we were there and loving every minute it. Funny, I can still hear the Katydids chirping in the background.
It’s memories like that one that inspire present day traditions. I’ll be going to my friend’s house where our kids will run in the sprinkler and whoosh down the slip-n-slide…not quite as picturesque as the Lake, but great potential for fun memories… I’ll be bringing the potato salad and jello (in separate dishes).
So, what are you doing for the Fourth? What kind of food traditions have you and your family created for this summertime holiday?
Here’s the festive Red, White and Blue Potato Salad I’ll be preparing:
Red, White and Blue Potato Salad
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 pound small white potatoes (“Creamer” Fingerling or Yukon Gold)
1 pound small red potatoes
12 ounces Purple Peruvian potatoes
3 tablespoons walnut oil, or olive oil, divided
2 ounces chopped ham
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons sherry or white balsamic vinegar
1 cup finely chopped red or orange bell pepper
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch pieces (do not peel). Steam for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Heat 1 tablespoon walnut oil in a medium skillet. Add ham, walnuts, and garlic. Sauté 10 minutes. Add sherry vinegar, stir well. In a large bowl, toss ham mixture with potatoes, additional 2 tablespoons walnut oil, red pepper, green onions, salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold with grilled steak, burgers, chicken or fish.
Calories: 250; Carbohydrates: 33g;Fat: 10g; Fiber: 4g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Protein: 6g; Sodium: 260mg; Potassium: 720mg; Vitamin C : 40mg
For more great potato salad recipes, please visit http://www.potatogoodness.com/recipeSearch.php?Category=Salads&Ingredient=All+Ingredients&Time=All+Times&search.x=23&search.y=15
$2500 School Wellness Grants Awarded
June 10th, 2008
You may have read earlier this year about the USPB School Wellness Grant Program that we (the United States Potato Board) developed with the School Nutrition Association (SNA). 
It challenged schools to come up with their most innovative and sustainable programs that would help bring healthier and more nutritious diets to school children—including healthfully prepared potatoes.
I was honored to be one of seven of judges evaluating the 333 applications that we received (btw—the MOST grant entries ever received for an SNA grant!!!). We locked ourselves in a conference room where we debated the merits of our semi-finalist applications for a day. Beyond the sheer numbers of applications, what made the judging process so challenging was that there were so many incredible plans worthy of high marks. But finally, we agreed upon the list of our top ten finalists, and I’m exited to announce the ten schools awarded the $2500 USPB School Wellness Grant:
- Treasure Coast Elementary (Sebastian, Florida)
- Thompson Elementary (Walton, Indiana)
- Cascade Brook School (Farmington, Maine)
- Bessie Buker Elementary School (Wenham, Massachusetts)
- Greenlee Elementary School (McCool, Mississippi)
- Anselmo-Merna Elementary Schools (Nebraska)
- Taylor-Richardton Elementary (Taylor, North Dakota)
- Vergennes Union Elementary School(Vergennes, Vermont)
- Robert Gray Elementary School(Longview, Washington)
- Waupaca Learning Center(Waupaca, Wisconsin)
These schools plan to integrate potatoes beyond their cafeterias—into their history, science, health, reading and PE classes. Many of them are adding more healthfully prepared potatoes to their monthly menus. A common theme among the winning grant applications was their dedication to finding interesting ways to bring health and wellness alive in their schools. Some of our favorite ideas were:
- A celebration of 2008 as the International Year of the Potato, weaving it from the cafeteria into classroom curriculum
- Cooking clubs and contests that emphasize the importance of healthy preparation
- Daily school-wide exercise programs, outside of PE
- Utilizing in-school radio and television broadcast to reach students with potato nutrition information in a light and fun way
- Tasting demo days, so students can try different preparations and varieties of potatoes—beyond baked, mashed and fried.
- Family Nights that bring together students’ families and serve up healthy meals (usually utilizing newly purchased baked potato bars)
- Student cookbook and recipe exchanges
Be sure to check back this fall when we follow up with these schools to find out what amazing things they are doing with their grant awards.
So, parents and teachers…
What special things are your schools doing to bring healthier eating to the cafeteria?
And are the kids eating it up?
What kind of ideas can you add to the list of ways to bring healthy eating to your schools?
I look forward to hearing your responses!
Grilled Potato Planks
June 4th, 2008 
Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds (about 3 large) unpeeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices.
Preheat grill. Combine oil, rosemary and salt in dish. Add potato slices and turn until well coated. Grill potatoes for 8 minutes or until soft. Turn and continue grilling 10 minutes longer or until cooked through. Remove from grill and serve with your favorite grilled meals.
Spudware
May 14th, 2008 
Image courtesy of Oprah.com, April 2008
Just in case you missed it, Oprah’s Earth Day episode last month was packed with practical ideas to reduce your carbon foot print. One of our favorites, of course, was Sandra Bullock’s recommendation for biodegradable silverware made from potato starch. Rather than plastic utensils, Bullock only sends guests home with these potato starch spoons, knives and forks when they visit her restaurant, Bess Bistro in Austin, TX.
Click here to learn more about the “spudware” that Bullock and others are raving about.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Potato Nachos
May 5th, 2008 
Nachos are popular among kids and teens alike; however, the fat and calories found in typical recipes are enough to make parents scream. But, nutrition concerns don’t have to put a damper on nacho noshing festivities. Introduce potatoes into the equation and you’ll provide your family with a healthy dose of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber.
1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning blend
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
¼ cup rinsed and drained canned black beans
¼ cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup sliced green onions
3 tablespoons canned diced green chiles
Salsa, guacamole and sour cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges. Place potatoes into a medium size bowl with the oil, garlic salt and Mexican seasoning. Stir well to coat potatoes with oil and seasonings. Transfer to a large baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring several times, until crisp and golden brown. Top with cheese, beans, tomatoes, olives, onions and chiles. Bake for 5 minutes more to melt cheese. Serve with salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 308 calories, 13 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 16 g total fat, 32 mg cholesterol, 659 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 37 mg Vitamin C, 913 mg potassium.
Marlena Spieler: For the Love of Potatoes
April 28th, 2008In the April 9, 2008 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, renowned foodie and accomplished author Marlena Spieler just couldn’t stop raving about her undying affection for potatoes.
“Writing a book about potatoes has been a voyage of discovery and progression,” Spieler said about her most recent cookbook, “Yummy Potatoes” (Chronicle Books, 2007). “Though I started the project thinking that anything a person does with potatoes is delicious, after I finished writing the book, I loved them even more.”
Click here to see the full article and for two of Spieler’s potato recipes – Turkish Potato Salad and Blue Potatoes with Romaine Lettuce & Sesame Dressing.
CBS Morning Show Touts Goodness of Potatoes
April 18th, 2008 
If you happened to catch yesterday morning’s edition of The Early Show on CBS, then you can practically consider yourself a potato expert. Yesterday’s segment featured Bon Appetit magazine Contributing Editor Dede Wilson, who defended potatoes, pointing out that one medium sized potato has 110 calories, is fat-, cholesterol- and sodium-free, and that potatoes rank highest in potassium among the top 20 most frequently consumed raw vegetables and the 20 top most frequently consumed raw fruits.
Read the full article and get some great Bon Appetit potato recipes here.
International Year of the Potato
April 10th, 2008 
By Walter Scheib (White House Executive Chef, 1994 – 2005)
Some of you may not know that the United Nations declared 2008 as the International Year of the Potato. Personally, I have to admit I was a little surprised until I found out why. Apparently the intent of the declaration was to raise awareness of the potato as a means to fight existing poverty and hunger throughout the world. It makes sense when you consider that the humble spud ranks as the fourth major food crop in the world after corn, wheat, and rice. Here in the U.S. we are very fortunate to have an abundance of the beloved potato.
Recently, I spoke at the U.S. Potato Board’s annual meeting where I met plenty of potato farmers and self professing potato lovers who are simply passionate about the tuber. It was inspiring to be around these folks. It caused me to think about several dinners where potatoes took a starring role when I was at the White House. For example, at the first Bush State Dinner that honored Mexican President Vicente Fox, I created a menu which included ingredients that were mutual to both the U.S. and Mexico. We served pepita-crusted bison with poblano mashed potatoes and fava-chanterelle ragout. The potatoes gave this dish a perfect comfort food profile.
In a house like the White House comfort food was always a welcome guest, especially with the first families. One of Chelsea Clinton’s favorite meals was a dish called the potato roesti (originally from Switzerland). For all intents and purposes I would describe it as a 3/4 inch high pancake size tater tot. The potato roesti is easy to make and great anytime of the day or night. Basically, you grate a pound of potatoes (yukon golds are beautiful in this dish) and season it with salt and pepper. Allow the juices to drain and then fry it up pancake style in hot cast iron pan with butter or olive oil until it is golden brown. You can serve your own roesti with poached eggs, a sprinkle of cheese, and fresh herbs.
If you would like to try the recipe I created for the Vicente Fox dinner, you can find it in my book, White House Chef.
PHOTOGRAPH BY KIYOMI
School Wellness Grant Application Deadline Approaching
March 31st, 2008
April 15, 2008 is the entry deadline for all interested in applying to win one of ten grants being offered by the United States Potato Board (USPB).
The USPB has supported nutrition education in schools for decades. In this educational initiative, the USPB has teamed up with the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) to present ten public elementary schools in the U.S. with grants of $2,500.00 each for equipment and/or educational programs that will help move children toward healthier diets and improve their overall wellness.
Apply for a grant before it’s too late by visiting the School Nutrition Association Web site or the USPB’s Web site.
Winners will be announced at the 2008 School Nutrition Association Annual Conference.
Another Reason to Eat Your Veggies
March 25th, 2008 
By Katherine Beals, PhD, RD
In an article soon to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrition, researchers from the Galician Public Foundation for Health Emergencies in Spain found that consuming just one serving of green leafy vegetables per day was associated with a significant reduction in lung cancer risk. Similar protection was also observed for an increased intake of potatoes, cabbage, turnip tops, and lettuce. The researchers speculate the protective effect of vegetables stems from their unique nutrient content, specifically the antioxidant nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E.
To see the abstract of the article, click here.
Contributors
- Larry Alsum
Wisconsin potato grower
- Bart Connors
Washington potato grower
- Cheryl Koompin
Idaho potato grower
- Tim O'Connor
USPB staff
- Linda McCashion
USPB staff
- Meredith Myers
USPB staff
- David Fairbourn
USPB staff
- Amy Kull
PR consultant
- Kris Caputo Hurley
PR consultant
- Brittany Mohr
PR Consultant
- Katherine Beals, Ph.D., R.D., F.A.S.C.M.
Nutrition consultant
- Tim Straus
Innovation consultant