Grilled Potato Packets

Try this quick and easy recipe for your Labor Day cookout!

Ingredients
2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation
1.Heat grill to medium-high.
2.Meanwhile, place potatoes, shallots, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Place two 24-inch-long pieces of foil on the counter and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange potatoes and shallots in a single layer, slightly overlapping, on half of each piece of foil. Leave a 2-inch border on all sides. Fold foil over and pinch the edges together, making two packets.
3.Place packets on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. (When you open a packet to check doneness, be careful of steam.) Serve immediately.

NutritionPer serving: 172 calories; 3 g fat ( 0 g sat , 2 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 299 mg sodium; 1032 mg potassium.

Credit: Eating Well

Southwest Breakfast Wrap

It's Snack Sunday again! Start your child's morning off with a great and simple egg scramble -- made with salsa, beans, and cheese -- is wrapped in a corn tortilla and ready to take on the go.





















Hands-on Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 6

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup rinsed and drained black beans
4 lightly beaten eggs
1/4 cup each salsa and shredded Monterey jack
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
corn tortillas

Instructions
1.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup rinsed and drained black beans and sauté for one minute.

2.Add 4 lightly beaten eggs, 1/4 cup each salsa and shredded Monterey Jack, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a dash of pepper.

3.Use a heat-resistant spatula to stir the mixture until the eggs are set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Divide the scramble among 6 warm corn tortillas, then roll and wrap them in foil.

Nutritional Information:Per serving (1 wrap) Calories 118, Total Fat 5 g (8%), Saturated Fat 2 g (9%), Cholesterol 146 mg (49%), Sodium 251 mg (10%), Total Carbohydrate 11 g (4%), Fiber 2 g (7%), Sugars 0.7 g, Protein 7 g (14%)

Recipe and Photo Credit: Disney Family Fun

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

This is a quick and easy (not to mention, very tasty) dinner solution for a busy weekday!




Ingredients
1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 teaspoons light ranch dressing
1 small whole-wheat sandwich bun
1 leaf romaine lettuce

Preparation
1.Combine chicken, carrots and barbecue sauce in a bowl. Spread ranch dressing on the bun. Top with the chicken mixture and lettuce.

1 serving

Total Time: 10 minutes

Nutrition
Per serving: 323 calories; 8 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 62 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 4 g fiber; 729 mg sodium; 456 mg potassium.

Bon appétit!

Recipe and Photo Credit: Eating Well

Summer Berry Pie

For this week's Snack Sunday edition, we're featuring a delicious Summer Berry Pie and what better way to celebrate the last day of National Blueberry Month!


Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour, divided
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) blackberries
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) raspberries
2 cups (about 1/2 pound) blueberries
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon raw or turbinado sugar, divided
Zest of 1 large orange or lemon
1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Method Put 2 cups of the flour, granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. (Alternatively, cut butter in by hand with two table knives.) Add 1/4 cup ice-cold water and pulse, or mix by hand with a fork, just until dough begins to come together. Form dough into two 4-inch discs, cover and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, 1/2 cup of the raw sugar, remaining 1/2 cup flour, zest and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and mash together gently until well combined and juicy but still chunky; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough into a 10-inch circle and gently transfer to an 8-inch pie pan. Transfer berry mixture to pie pan; set aside.

Roll out remaining dough as you did the first piece and transfer to pie pan, gently draping it over the berry filling. Firmly press the edges together then trim away excess dough. Pinch or crimp edges as desired and cut 3 slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon raw sugar then bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 hour. Set aside to let cool completely then serve.

NutritionPer serving (1 piece/about 6oz/178g-wt.): 330 calories (130 from fat), 15g total fat, 9g saturated fat, 35mg cholesterol, 90mg sodium, 49g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 18g sugar), 5g protein

Check out more Blueberry recipes here.

Credits: Whole Foods Market

Everything A Girl Needs to Know About Bone Health & More!

It is never too early to start worrying about bone health. Your peak bone-making years are in your childhood and teen years. If you do not make enough bone as a kid, your risk for a bone disease called osteoporosis goes up. And, while not common, a young woman can get osteoporosis. Having good eating and exercise habits now will help you to have strong, healthy bones throughout your life. A poor diet and not enough physical activity as a teen can cause you to have weaker bones as an adult. This not only makes it easier to get osteoporosis, it can hurt the body's ability to heal right after an injury. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D and doing enough of the right type of physical activity (called "bone-strengthening activity") can help protect your bones. [Read more here]

Be sure to check out one of our community partners Best Bones Forever! a national bone health campaign aimed at helping girls build stronger bones for life. Visit them at www.bestbonesforever.gov

Photo Credit: Best Bones Forever!

Snack Sunday's Is Back!!

Maple Yogurt Fruit Dip



This delicious dip puts a spin on the fruit that your children regularly eat. Yum! This dip goes with everything from apples to strawberries, grapes to apricots and so much more.





Ingredients:
•1/2 cup organic plain yogurt
•2 tablespoons maple syrup
•1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

This is pretty simple. All you have to do is mix all three ingredients together and voila! you have Maple Yogurt Fruit Dip to add some pizzazz to your fruit.

Enjoy!

-Jane Marie

Read more: http://healthychild.org/live-healthy/recipe-comments/maple_yogurt_fruit_dip/#ixzz1T2jrqAPg

Credit: www.healthychildorg.com

New website up!

Hello!

Please check out our new foundation website at www.ladybugforgirlsfoundation.org!

-Jane Marie

Stay Fit & Have Fun! 5 Reasons Girls Should Play Sports

Why play sports? You might say "to get exercise" and you'd be right. To have fun? That's true, too. But there's more. In fact, there are at least 5 more reasons. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, girls who play sports get a lot more than just fit.

1.Girls who play sports do better in school. You might think that athletics will take up all your study time. But research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don't. Exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration, which can give active girls an advantage in the classroom.

2.Girls who play sports learn teamwork and goal-setting skills. Sports teaches valuable life skills. When you working with coaches, trainers, and teammates to win games and achieve goals, you're learning how to be successful. Those skills will serve you well at work and in family life.

3.Sports are good for a girl's health. In addition to being fit and maintaining a healthy weight, girls who play sports are also less likely to smoke. And later in life, girls who exercise are less likely to get breast cancer or osteoporosis.

4.Playing sports boosts self-confidence. Girls who play sports feel better about themselves. Why? It builds confidence when you know you can practice, improve, and achieve your goals. Sports are also a feel-good activity because they help girls get in shape, maintain a healthy weight, and make new friends.

5.Exercise cuts the pressure. Playing sports can lessen stress and help you feel a little happier. How? The brain chemicals released during exercise improve a person's mood. Friends are another mood-lifter. And being on a team creates tight bonds between friends. It's good to know your teammates will support you — both on and off the field!

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: May 2009

Source: www.kidshealth.org

Signing Out,
Jane Marie

Let's Dance Contest Ft. Savvy

Best Bones Forever! Presents the Let’s Dance Contest Featuring SavvyBest Bones Forever! is teaming up with teen pop recording group Savvy to make this the best summer EVER!

Girls ages 9-18 are invited to submit a dance video using one of five Savvy songs for a chance to win awesome prizes all summer long, including Nintendo Wiis and Just Dance 2 games and the chance to be in a music video with Savvy. Teams will be judged based on creativity and ability to have fun—no dance training required! Visit http://bbfletsdance.com today for contest rules and more information.

Enter today! The deadline for submission is August 10!

Happy 4th of July!!

We hope everyone is having a great 4th of July holiday!!

A fun game that the kids can play during this holiday weekend is Firefly.

In this nocturnal game of chase, a flashing light is the clue to catching an elusive quarry.

What You Need
3 or more players
A flashlight

Instructions

Once it's dark, give a chosen player (the firefly) a flashlight and have her head away from the group with the light off, silently counting to 60 as she goes.

When the firefly reaches 60, she must flash the light once.

The rest of the players then count to 100 before setting out in pursuit of the firefly, who tries to avoid capture by hiding and changing directions.

But here's the catch: she must continuously count to 60, flashing the light each time she reaches the end of her count.

The first person to tag the firefly takes her place for the next round.

Variations:
Have the firefly alternate flashing the light with chirping. To find her, the other players will have to listen as well as watch.

To see more fun, outdoor games click here.

Remember, stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water.

Have a fun and safe 4th of July!

-Jane Marie

Keep up with Ladybug for Girls!

Be sure to stay up to date with Ladybug for Girls!

Like us on Facebook at here

and don't forget to Follow us on Twitter here

Thanks for all of you support!!!

Be sure to keep an eye out for the Ladybug for Girls store coming soon!!

Keep up with Ladybug for Girls!

Are you following us on twitter? Tweet us at @Ladybugforgirls

And you can keep up with us on our facebook page.

Also, be sure to check our website out at www.ladybugforgirls.com!

Memorial Day Parfait

Looks yummy right?

Ingredients:

•1 eight ounce carton of vanilla yogurt
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•4 ounces (1/2 of an eight ounce container) of frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
•3 cups fresh cut up strawberries and / or raspberries
•3 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions:

•In a large bowl, stir together yogurt and vanilla
•Fold in whipped topping
•In 6 twelve ounce glasses or dessert glasses alternate layers of the berries with layers of the yogurt mixture
Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 1 hour

Enjoy and have a wonderfuly Memorial Day Weekend!!

Perfect Pineapple Pops

Prep time: about 1-2 hours

Ingredients:

•2 c. plain yogurt
•½ c. canned crushed pineapple (packed in its own juice instead of packed in syrup)
•1 can frozen pineapple or orange-pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
Utensils:

•medium-sized bowl
•mixing spoon
•small paper cups
•plastic wrap
•wooden popsicle sticks (available at craft stores)
•measuring cups
Directions:

1.Drain the can of crushed pineapple so all the juice runs out.
2.Put all the ingredients in the bowl and mix together.
3.Spoon the mixture into the paper cups. Fill them almost to the top.
4.Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup.
5.Using the popsicle stick, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup.
6.Put the cups in the freezer until the mixture is frozen solid.
7.Remove the plastic wrap and peel away the paper cup. You'll have pineapple pops to eat and share!
Serves: 6

Serving size: 1 pop

Nutritional analysis (per serving):
169 calories
4 g protein
1 g fat
36 g carbohydrate
0 g fiber
5 mg cholesterol
62 mg sodium
136 mg calcium
0.1 mg iron

Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.

Variations and suggestions:
If you like, you can make this recipe using plastic popsicle molds instead of the paper cups and popsicle sticks.

Reviewed by: Allison Brinkley, RD, LD/N
Date reviewed: March 2009

www.kidshealth.org

"Move Your Body"

Beyonce and First Lady Michelle Obama both have been encouraging children to get up and move.

Michelle Obama stopped by a D.C. school to watch students do a Let's Move! Flash Workout. She even showed off a few dance moves herself.



Check out the new dance in Beyonce's "Move Your Body" video.



Happy Monday everyone!
-Jane Marie

Ladybug for Girls' First School Program

Ladybug for Girls began their first school program this past October. We went to Wynbrooke Elementary School and worked with 84 girls (grades 3-5) about Nutrition, Fitness, and Gardening.

Nutrition:

During the Nutrition segment, the girls learned a lot about how to eat healthy, the 5 food groups, and much more! The 3rd grade girls did a simulation of a grocery store and there they picked picked out foods from all 5 food groups to make a healthy and nutritious meal. The 4th and 5th grade girls did a taste test with pomegranate, carrots with non-fat ranch dressing, and yogurt. The girls learned a lot of interesting information about eating nutritious while having a ton of fun!

Fitness:

The Atlanta Dream and their team mascot, Star came to Wynbrooke and helped Ladybug for Girls teach the girls about fitness and staying active. The girls learned basic basketball skills and drills. They played competitive games such as relay races and "Coach Says" (a variation of Simon Says) against each other and had a blast!

Gardening:

The girls learned about why gardening is important. They each planted their own radish! Each girl learned how to plant and take care of their new plants. Not only do they have their own radish growing, but most of the girls said that they help their parents or other family members grow fruits and vegetables from tomatoes to watermelons.

Ladybug for Girls finished up the program this past March for this school year. We are excited to start again next school year and expanding the program in the future!

See more photos on our Facebook page. Please show your support by spreading the word and clicking "Like" on our Facebook page.

5 Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

Help set a great example for your kids by following these simple 5 steps!

1. Keep fresh fruit in a bowl within your child's reach to grab as a quick snack.
2. Take a walk with your family after dinner.
3. Plan a menu for the week and get your kids involved with planning and cooking.
4. Turn off the tv during meals and have family time.
5. Talk to the principal about organizing a school health team.

Easy right?

For more tips, visit www.letsmove.gov.

Until next time,
Jane Marie

Credit: www.letsmove.gov

Fun Fruit Kabobs Recipe

Mmm mmm! This recipe is so fun to make and tastes great!

Fun Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1 banana
• 1/3 cup red seedless grapes
• 1/3 cup green seedless grapes
• 2/3 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 cup dried cocunut, shredded

Utensils:

• knife (you will need help from an adult)
• 2 wooden skewer sticks
• large plate

Directions:

1. Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes, washing the apples and cutting them into small squares, peeling the bananas and cutting them into chunks, and cutting the pineapple into chunks, if it's fresh. Put the fruit onto a large plate.

2. Spread coconut onto another large plate.

3. Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and design your own kabob by putting as much or as little fruit you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end

4. Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in the yogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll it in the coconut.

Serves: 4

P.S. You don't have to use coconut. Try your favorite granola, nuts, or raisins.

Reviewed by: Allison Brinkley, RD, LD/N

Credit: www.kidshealth.org

Decisions, decisions...

Help your child learn how to make healthy choices in fun way by playing Dining Decisions, an online game from Bam! Body and Mind helps children to learn how their food choices affect their bodies.


If you missed our Mother & Daughter Fitness Day, be sure to check out photos on our Facebook page!

Celebrate Read Across America Day with Ladybug for Girls!

Join Ladybug for Girls and the NEA's Read Across America Day in celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2, 2011. First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined NEA President Dennis Van Roekel to share their love of reading with hundreds of local schoolchildren at the Library of Congress last year. See the video here www.schooltube.com/user/NEAreadacrossamerica

Ladybug for Girls encourages parents to take this special day to bond and read with children.

Radio Disney!!

This Sunday, January 30th please tune in to Radio Disney AM590! CEO of Girls Inc., Vikki Morrow will be speaking about the Ladybug for Girls Mother & Daughter Fitness Day Event as well as the collaboration between Ladybug for Girls and Girls Inc. Also, Dr. Kimberly Champney from Northside Hospital will be talking about heart health for mothers and daughters. Hope you tune in to learn more abput Ladybug for Girls and your little Ladybugs' health!

Mother & Daughter Fitness Day Coming Up!!

Time has surely flown by! It's almost February which means it's almost time for the Ladybug for Girls "Mother & Daughter Fitness Day" event!

There will be tons of fun activities for mothers, grandmothers, and daughters (and families) to participate in!

This event features simple ways that a family fitness plan can be created using fun games, physical activities and nutritious eating tips which encourages a partnership and commitment towards healthy living. Families can plan to explore in a fusion of fun, fitness and education with activities such as:

•Inter-generational Fitness Demonstrations
•Complimentary Health Screenings
•Develop a Family Fitness Plan
•Prepare Healthy Snacks
•Rock Climbing
•Toddler Activity Zone

Plus, don't forget to check out the Ladybug Couture fashion show where our little Ladybugs will be ripping the runway! This will be a show that you do NOT want to miss!

Not only will this event be a bunch of fun, but it's for a great cause! Our 2011 beneficiary will be Girl's Inc.

And I'm sure you're wondering, who else is going to be there. We have fabulous people that will be in attendance such as:
- Vikki Morrow - CEO of Girls Inc.
- Lori Lite - Founder of Stress Free Kids
- the Dream Supremes
- and so many more! Please visit www.ladybugforgirls.org for more info.

Not to mention, Atlanta's # 1 girl group, Rockandi will be performing!

So, don't miss out on this! Get your tickets today!

Happy New Year!!

With the 2011 here, kids are getting ready to go back to school. Eating a healthy breakfast is the most imporatant meal of the day. It also helps kids to focus and do better in school.

Fun Pancake Smiley Faces

Just choose your favorite batter and cook round pancakes. Then, decorate the pancakes with their favorite fruit such as bananas, strawberries, or blueberries and whip cream.


www.sheknows.com

Enjoy!
-Jane Marie