Oliver has campaigned for more nutritious school dinners for some time now, using his fame (and a TV show) to influence the British government into making changes. He was met with some serious opposition, partly in the form of Julie Critchlow, who has a child in high school, and who says, “No matter how healthy it is, if kids don’t like it they’re not going to eat it.” She and another mother actually went to the school and sold junky fast food options to the kids through the fence so they wouldn’t be forced to eat anything that was actually good for them. Keep in mind, students at this school are also allowed to brown bag or go home for lunch. She was also angry that Oliver was teaching her kids to be more picky about their food.

Anyway, now that Oliver has won the healthy school lunch battle in Britain, he intends to send his message home, teaching people how “to cook simple but delicious food, from scratch.” He’s hoping that folks will realize it can be “quick, cheap, and easy — as well as rewarding,” and families will be ready to toss their take-out in the trash. Oliver realizes that folks are busy and they’re on tight budgets, but part of the problem is that not everyone has really learned to cook. He hopes that by showing people how to go back to basics, they’ll appreciate what they’re putting on the table and begin to live healthier lives.

Thanks, Jamie, for encouraging people all over the world to live healthier lives.

Photo courtesy of starpulse.com

Get more game ideas from PreschoolRock.com. Here is a fruit and vegetable color guide to get you started:

Red: Strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, tomato sauce, watermelon

Orange: Sweet potatoes, carrots, oranges, orange juice, mangoes, cantaloupe, peaches, pumpkin and other orange squash

Yellow:Pineapples, yellow peppers, lemons, yellow grapefruit

Green: Spinach and leafy greens, beans, peas, broccoli, asparagus, green peppers, avocado

Blue and Purple: Blueberries, blackberries, dark beans, purple grapes, eggplant

White: Don’t forget white! Think bananas, potatoes, onions, white beans, apples and cauliflower.

The kids won’t be the only ones having fun… this is an imaginative way for all of us to include more nutrients in our diet. The pigments that make fruits and vegetables so colorful are actually phytochemicals that contain vital nutrients, says  James A. Joseph in The Colour Code.

A recent review of his book summarizes the benefits of the colors: lycopene, the red in tomatoes, is linked to lower rates of cancer and heart disease; lutein, which gives spinach its dark-green tint, helps fight certain types of eye disease; anthocyanins, contained in blueberries and other dark-purple and red fruit, aids memory and improves other cognitive problems of ageing, and there are immune-boosters found in white root vegetables like in garlic and onions. (Of course, don’t tell the kids all that!)

Turn some of your favorites into “rainbow recipes”, like fish (colorful fish fillets), veggie stew (ratatouille), or dessert.

And last but not least, don’t miss the song, I Can Eat a Rainbow. It’s a kick! 

More Dr. Pat…

Underwood is taking part in the 8th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge, which will take place in Nashville, Tennessee on June 4th. The game will feature two celebrity-packed teams competing to raise funds for City of Hope, “an innovative biomedial, research, treatment, and education institute dedicated to prevention and cure of cancer and other life-threatening illness.”

So far, in addition to Underwood, country legend Vince Gill has made the team, and they’ll be joined by Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Danielle Peck, James Otto, and Jake Owen. If you’re interested in watching some celebrity softball for a good cause, head to Ticketmaster. Tickets start at just $18, so really, you can’t go wrong!

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

To go along with the period theme, Clooney and Zellweger opted to take a promotional whistle-stop train tour. Dressed in period clothing (and looking fabulous, of course), the actors got “all aboard” in Maysville, Kentucky (near Gorgeous George‘s hometown) and have plans to hit premieres in Salisbury, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina.

The pair also made a stop in Duluth, Minnesota, where the movie is set (but wasn’t filmed). They “arrived” by train, but something tells me they didn’t take the train all the way from Duluth to Maysville. I doubt they’ll actually be traveling by train to all their locations in the South, either.

Even though I know their real point is to be authentic to the period, I can’t help but love the fact that they’re arriving by a mass transportation system. Trains might not be the romantic traveler’s choice as it was in days gone by, but it’s still certainly functional, and in many cases a more eco-friendly alternative. Perhaps seeing Clooney and Zellweger will inspire some travelers this summer to hop aboard their local locomotive.

Photo courtesy of USA Today/Jim Mone, AP

Britney recently guest starred on the show How I Met Your Mother — a move that garnered a lot of attention (not that Britney does anything these days that doesn’t cause a media frenzy). The world was ready to see the erstwhile pop star take a positive step in her life. Not only did she play her part on the show and receive glowing praise from her co-stars, who said she was “professional” and “funny,” but she put six pieces of clothing she wore on the set up for auction following Monday night’s airing.

Proceeds from the sale of the items will go to the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group based out of New York City. If your interested in placing a bid (or just curious to see what’s there), you can check out the auction here, but hurry — the auction ends March 31!

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

Earth Hour will occur on March 29 from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m., during which time you’re asked to turn off your lights. The first Earth Hour occurred last year in Sydney, Australia, and this year it’s going worldwide. The World Wildlife Fund is behind this global movement, encouraging businesses, restaurants, and individuals to turn their lights off for one hour and to use that hour to replace standard light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones.

Currently, cities including Denver, Honolulu, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Francisco, Toronto, Montreal, Copenhagen, Dublin, Tel Aviv, Brisbane, and Sydney have all pledged to participate. Chicago is the U.S. flagship city this year, and Toronto the flagship city for Canada.

Speaking of Toronto, there’s some star power there joining Piven in his support of Earth Hour — Nellie Furtado will perform a free, acoustic concert there during Earth Hour. If you’re in the area, check it out! Just make sure to turn all your lights off before you leave.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

Yes, it is good to eat fish! Fish is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, making it one of the healthiest foods around.

Kids can eat fish up to once a week, as long as you choose fish that has the lowest risk of contamination. The best choices also consider the health of the fish population, so don’t miss Seafood Watch by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Here is recipe for healthy fish that strikes gold on several counts. It is easy, assembles quickly and adapts to the fresh vegetables you have on hand. It is also fast, only 10 to 12 minutes in the microwave. It will be another family favorite…even those who are “so-so” about fish will appreciate the delicate flavor of the whitefish.

Colorful Fish Fillets

(Substitute any combination of veggies: sliced mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, yellow or red peppers, leeks)

Arrange the fish fillets in a single layer in a greased microwave-safe dish. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, sprinkle with onion, green pepper, and tomato. Dot with butter. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap, venting one corner to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high 6 to 8 minutes, then check the fish for doneness. Thicker fillets will require more time, but check every 2 minutes to avoid overcooking. The fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Let stand covered 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Serves 3.

I like to start the rice before preparing the fish, so while the fish cooks I’ll have just enough time to make a quick salad. Dinner is served in less than 30 minutes…move over, Rachael Ray!

Here is more by Dr. Pat…

33.  You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
34.  You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she is pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
35.  There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.
36.  The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above average drivers.
37.  A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
38.  Your friends love you anyway.
39.  Thought for the day: Never be afraid to try something new.
40.  Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic

Have a wonderful weekend!

It’s not only the Oscar-winning actress getting on board the eco train — remember Punky Brewster? Well, Soleil Moon Frye, who played the pint-sized fashion icon, recently gave birth to her second daughter, Jagger Joseph Blue Goldberg. Big sister, Poet Sienna Rose, has been talking to the belly and getting excited about her little sister, and it’s no wonder she’s excited about babies — Frye opened an organic baby boutique a few months ago.

Her store, The Little Seed, has a little bit of everything from clothing and toys to laundry and feeding items. And it’s not the only resource for celebrity moms looking to go the green route. Lots of parents, like Trista and Ryan Sutter (from The Bachelor) and E!‘s Chelsea Handler have sought the help of GreenNest.com, which insists that everyone, regardless of budget, can make simple changes for a healthier home.

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

25.  It ain’t the jeans that make your butt look fat.
26.  If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved — and never will achieve — its full potential, that word would be “meetings.”
27.  There is a very fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.”
28.  People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
29.  You should not confuse your career with your life.
30.  Nobody cares if you can not dance well. Just get up and dance.
31.  Never lick a steak knife.
32.  The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

Tomorrow:  Facts of Life 33 – 40!