Help celebrate healthy eating Oct. 24 on national Food Day

Around the country, schools are offering special Food Day menus, governors in several states are issuing proclamations about Food Day, a progressive dinner and bike tour are being held in Tucson, Ariz., and a regional festival in Savannah, Ga., expects 15,000 attendees.

The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest is offering a free Food Day recipe booklet featuring recipes from Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Ellie Krieger, Nina Simonds and other top chefs and cooking authorities.

Teachers are invited to observe Food Day with healthy lessons. The Food Day curriculum offers five lessons designed to teach children the importance of eating real, healthy fresh food; cutting back on processed foods; and advocating for a healthy community.

To get more information about Food Day, download the recipe booklet and the school guide, go to foodday.org.

Here is a recipe from the booklet. It is adapted from “Molto Gusto” by Mario Batali.

Green Beans with Charred Onions

1 pound green beans

2 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the beans and blanch until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water; drain well.

2. Halve the onions lengthwise and trim off the ends. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide slices. Heat a dry 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the onions and saute until charred in spots but still crunchy, 4 to 6 minutes. During the last minute or so, add the beans, stirring and tossing to warm them through.

3. Transfer the beans and onions to a large bowl. Whisk the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, and oil together in a small bowl. Pour over the beans and onions, tossing to coat. Let stand for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour, before serving. Sprinkle the beans with salt and serve.

Makes 6 servings, each with 80 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 0 cholesterol, 90 mg sodium.

Gearing up for Halloween? Next week, you’ll find oodles of recipes for tricks and treats, but today, I’m offering a cake ball recipe with a cute twist. Cake ball recipes have become a big hit across the country and while simple to make, they do require a little attention when it comes to dipping them in frosting. While the recipe calls for a white cake mix, I think a spice or carrot cake mix would be spectacular with the decorations and theme.

Jack-O-Cake-Balls

1 box white cake mix (or make your own sheet cake)

1 can cream cheese frosting (or make your own with 8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla)

2 bags orange candy melts

50 green jelly beans

Black writing icing/pen

Bake the cake according to the directions and allow to cool completely.

Crumble the cake into a large bowl and scoop the frosting on top. Mix with a fork or your hands until all incorporated.

Shape into golf ball-sized balls and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Melt the candy melts in the microwave or a double boiler and dip each ball into the candy. Place on wax paper. Push a jelly bean vertically into the top of each ball while sticky. Allow to harden, 1-2 hours. Decorate as desired. Makes about 50 cake balls.

– A girl, a dog an oven blog, redecorated from Bakerella.com

Here’s how to reach me: Phone, 239-2664; e-mail, sboyle@bnd.com; or write, Suzanne Boyle, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, 120 S. Illinois St., Belleville, IL 62222-0427.

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Healthy Lifestyle – with Bill & Sheila