Edutopia - April/May 2008 - (Page 18)

HeadofClassJBagLunch Today’s Menu Oven-Fried Chicken • Orzo Salad • Power Bars Orzo Salad Orzo is a nice little pasta that is great in salads and side dishes. We love the fresh ﬂavors of the herbs and lemon juice. Try making it with different herbs and vegetables for new combinations. Pack this as a side dish with sandwiches or entrées. If you want to enhance the nutritional value of this salad, use wholewheat orzo. BagLunch Eight servings By Ann Cooper Fried chicken is an American institution. Tasty, to be sure, but not exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to fat content. Chefs at the Ross School, in the northern California town of Ross, however, wanted to serve the perennial favorite, but they had to ﬁnd a more healthful version before they could. This recipe is what they came up with—and I think it’s better than some of the deep-fried versions. The best part? No oily mess in the kitchen afterward. Plan ahead, though: The chicken should be marinated overnight to allow the buttermilk enough time to tenderize the meat. You can make it for dinner and bring it another day for lunch. 1 lb. orzo pasta 5 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano 5 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves 6 tbsp. olive oil 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp. salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1. Cook the orzo in boiling water until tender, drain, and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the oregano and mint and toss to combine. 2. In a small bowl, combine the oil and lemon juice and add to the orzo mixture, mixing well. 3. Season with salt and pepper. Oven-fried chicken Eight servings 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 3 pounds chicken cut into 8 pieces 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs 3/4 cup ﬂour 3/4 cup cornmeal 3/4 tsp. chili powder 1/4 tsp. paprika 18 EDUTOPIA APRIL/MAY 2008 The night before: 1. Combine buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Marinate chicken in the buttermilk mixture overnight in the refrigerator. The next day: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Combine the bread crumbs, ﬂour, cornmeal, chili powder, and paprika and the remaining salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. 3. Remove the chicken from the marinade, wiping off any excess, and roll in the bread crumb mixture. Discard the marinade. 4. Transfer the chicken to a large casserole or ovenproof skillet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. GETTY IMAGES Ann Cooper, as director of nutrition services for the Berkeley Uniﬁed School District, in Berkeley, California, works to transform cafeterias into culinary classrooms for students. Her latest book, cowritten with Lisa M. Holmes, is Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children. Visit her Web site, Lunch Lessons, at www.lunchlessons.org. http://www.lunchlessons.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Edutopia - April 2008

Edutopia - April 2008 Contents Up Front Feedback Dispatches Sage Advice Ask Ellen Head of the Class Cool Schools Design Reinventing the Big test The Daring Dozen Heart & Soul Pop Quiz: Jack Prelutsky

Edutopia - April 2008

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