Review and Giveaway - The Cleaner Plate Club - Closed

The Cleaner Plate Club, written by two moms (Beth Bade and Ali Benjamin), one a professional chef, the other on a personal mission to reclaim her children's diet from modern Western influences, is rich with humor. Besides Nigella Lawson's “How to Be a Domestic Goddess,” I can't think of another cookbook that causes me to laugh out loud.

From page one, I felt like I was sitting at my table with old friends.

This isn't just a cookbook: it's an educational arsenal to wield your way with grace and dexterity through the carnival that is the modern American food system. Whether you've never taken your child to a fast food restaurant or are interested in swearing them off in the interest of your health and theirs, this book will provide you with insight gleaned from hours of research and neatly packed into bite-sized morsels of guidance and encouragement.

The layout of The Cleaner Plate Club is clean, colorful and enticing. And, most importantly, the recipes are delicious. Without increasing my weekly budget, I increased our vegetable consumption at our evening meals by two vegetable dishes a night. It was no longer a battle of “eat your veggies,” but a question of “which vegetable would you like to eat tonight?”

Recipe Review
The first, second, third and fourth recipe I tried from The Cleaner Plate Club was the Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips. I couldn't get enough of them. On the fourth night serving them (“Research shows it can take as many as fifteen tries before a child accepts a new food.” p. 13), my oldest daughter tasted one and scooped the bowl into her arms, refusing to share them with her younger brother and sister. Fighting over vegetables: an acceptable form of sibling rivalry?

Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips
1 bunch kale, 6 to 8 stems, or 12 ounces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Wash the kale, dry thoroughly in a salad spinner, and tear into bite-size pieces. Toss in a large bowl with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, if desired. Rub the leaves to make sure each gets a coating of oil so they crisp up well. Oil a baking sheet.
3. Place the kale in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.

Bake for about 6 minutes, then stir and turn the kale and bake for 6 to 9 minutes longer. Remove crisp pieces as they get done to prevent burning and to allow the remaining kale chips to get even heat.

Serves 4

Review By Diana Schmitt McCall - Diana manages the Black Mountain Community Garden, and teaches cooking and yoga classes in her community. Her full-time job is parenting her three young children.

Recommended Price: $16.95 Buy the book at a bookstore near you or from Amazon or Barnes and Noble

To win a copy of The Cleaner Plate Club leave 1 comment below telling us your tip for encouraging healthy eating. US mailing addresses only. Winner will be drawn randomly from comments on May 20 2011. Winner will be notified by email. The winner of The Cleaner Plate Club is Jenina Bass. Congratulations!