Video Preview: First Lady Michelle Obama On 'The Biggest Loser'

First Lady Michelle Obama appears for the first time tonight on a two-part episode of NBC's competition weight-loss show The Biggest Loser. Above, the video promo from the network. Click here to read all about the two episodes.

Michelle Obama Talks Let's Move! & African American Health: Russ Parr Radio Interview

First Lady spotlights Presidential Collard Greens...
First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about the challenges of obesity in the African American community, her Let's Move! campaign and the importance of her Kitchen Garden in an "exclusive" interview with Russ Parr, host of the Russ Parr Morning Show on Black Planet Radio. The 8-minute call-in was taped the day after the First Lady replanted her Kitchen Garden for Spring, and Mrs. Obama said the vegetable plot is the educational "platform" on which her child health efforts are built. She touted the positive response to her campaign, which marked its second anniversary in February.

"The conversation has really...changed since...we've come into office," Mrs. Obama said.

The First Lady emphasized that the black community must be aware of the risk of obesity, and noted that she got her own heads-up on her daughters' potential for becoming obese from her pediatrician. The Chicago-area doctor was not only African American himself, but also served clients who were 90% working-class African Americans, Mrs. Obama said, and thus he was aware of the issue.



Presidential Collard Greens...
On his website, Parr enticed listeners with this blurb: "Michelle Obama also talks about a soul food dish that President Barack Obama enjoys." During his interview, Parr asked the First Lady if the President actually eats things grown in her Kitchen Garden, and then said he'd heard that Collard Greens are being grown on the South Lawn.

"We eat from our garden almost daily. We have a very healthy diet and generally we've got something green on the plate that comes from the garden," Mrs. Obama said. "So yes he eats from the garden whether he knows it or not...he's got collards out there."

"We've got a whole mess of greens out there."

Collard Greens have been growing in the Kitchen Garden since Mrs. Obama first planted it in 2009. Potatoes are the newest vegetable to be grown; Mrs. Obama recently planted five varieties. The First Lady also discussed how black churches are participating in Let's Move! through the subcomponent, Let's Move Faith and Communities. Mrs. Obama gave the keynote address for the second anniversary of her campaign at Northland, a Church Distributed, in Longwood, Florida. She spoke to more than 3,000 people after a gospel concert.

*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. Audio from the Russ Parr show.

Kitchen Garden Autographs...

First Lady Michelle Obama autographed the t-shirts of the 31 kids who joined her on Monday for the fourth Spring planting of the Kitchen Garden, inscribing her name on the shoulder of each. Above, Mrs. Obama's signature is visible on one of her helpers as he watches her.

The kids, invited from four states and the District, helped Mrs. Obama plant cold-season crops that can withstand late frosts, including lettuces, root vegetables, and a special selection from President Thomas Jefferson's kitchen Garden at his restored plantation home, Monticello, in Albemarle County, VA.

The First Lady's helpers came from Mitchell Elementary School in Ames, Iowa; Stetser Elementary School in Chester, Pennsylvania; and Sumner Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina. Girl Scouts from Troop 60325 in Fairport, New York, and kids from DC's Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools also helped. (Above: Mrs. Obama autographing a helper's t-shirt)

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the event.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden Fashion

Spring 2012 planting: Superga low-tops, J. Crew top...
First Lady Michelle Obama was clad in a black cardigan, black slacks, a bright orange J. Crew t-shirt with a faded paisley design, and some extra spiffy sneakers on Monday afternoon as she replanted her Kitchen Garden for Spring. Mrs. Obama was joined by 31 young helpers from four states and DC. (At top: Mrs. Obama with helpers and assistant chef Sam Kass; in inset, giving Dill seed to a helper)

Mrs. Obama knelt among the boxed beds of vegetables wearing a pair of overdyed blue canvas Superga low-tops. They're a special edition, from the Cotu series, and retail from the Italian shoemaker for between $100 and $200, depending on where they're sold.

Supergas are popular among fashionistas, and sell at places such as Barney's New York, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. The First Lady has been credited with giving J. Crew a hefty boost in sales since 2008. Her J. Crew t-shirt retails for $49.99.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Waiting For The First Lady...

Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass (l) and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses look toward the White House, awaiting the arrival of First Lady Michelle Obama to begin Monday's Spring planting of the Kitchen Garden.

This well-armed fellow ducked into the bushes beside the garden moments before Mrs. Obama walked down to the South Lawn from the residence:

Transcript & Video: First Lady Michelle Obama's Remarks, 2012 Kitchen Garden Spring Planting

Let's Plant: First Lady joined by 31 kids from Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and DC...
First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed 31 kids from four states and DC to the South Lawn of the White House on Monday as she re-planted her Kitchen Garden for Spring. The kids came from Mitchell Elementary School in Ames, Iowa; Stetser Elementary School in Chester, Pennsylvania; and Sumner Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina. Girl Scouts from Troop 60325 in Fairport, New York, and kids from DC's Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools also joined Mrs. Obama for the planting. (Above: Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass chats with Mrs. Obama and her three Scout helpers)



It was a bright and sunny day, and a little windy. Mrs. Obama wore black pants, a black cardigan, an orange patterned t-shirt from J. Crew, and blue suede Superga tennis shoes as she worked.

Potatoes were the big news: Mrs. Obama, joined by three Girl Scouts, planted five different kinds, the first to be planted in the Kitchen Garden other than Sweet Potatoes. The First Family will soon be enjoying Sangre, Purple Peruvian Fingerlings, Mountain Rose, Red Thumb and and Canola Russet potatoes.  (Above: Mrs. Obama cutting potatoes to be planted)

Mrs. Obama also planted Dill seed and Mustard Greens with her helpers. The visiting children were all followed by TV news crews from their hometown markets. (Above: Mrs. Obama poses with her helpers after the planting, which took about 40 minutes for the 1,500 square-foot plot)

Mrs. Obama's remarks before the digging began:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
_________________________

For Immediate Release
March 26, 2012

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY
AT WHITE HOUSE KITCHEN GARDEN PLANTING

South Lawn

2:20 P.M. EDT


MRS. OBAMA: How are you guys doing?

AUDIENCE: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Welcome to the White House. What are these? Are they good?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Looks good. And you've got some apples. Yes. What's going on?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do you like living here?

MRS. OBAMA: Do I like living here? Yes, it's fun to live here. It's fun, especially on a day like this because you guys are going to help us plant the garden, right?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yay! It's so exciting! All right.

Well, we have a lot of special guests here. Because every year we do this -- and what year is this? This is our fourth planting. This is the fourth time we've planted the White House garden.

So we're here again. And we've got students from Tubman and Bancroft. Yes, where are our Tubman and Bancroft students who are here? But we also have special guests from all over the country. We've got some Girl Scouts who are here. (Applause.) Woo for the Girl Scouts! We've got students from Iowa. (Applause.) Woo! We've got students from New York.

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: That’s us.

MRS. OBAMA: You guys, the Girl Scouts from New York. We've got students from Pennsylvania. (Applause.) Woo! And North Carolina. (Applause.) Woo hoo! Very good.

Well, you guys, the students from around the country, you guys wrote some really nice letters telling us about stories of the work that you're doing in your schools, in your communities. And your letters were so wonderful, I thought, why not come and see me at the White House and help me plant my garden? And you made it! Welcome. It's good to have you. (Applause.)

Well, I don’t know if you know, one of the reasons why we plant the garden is that it's an important way to have a good conversation about your health. Because one of the things that I've been trying to do as First Lady is work on an initiative that I call Let’s Move. Have you guys heard about Let’s Move?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: And what’s it all about, Let’s Move? All right just yell it out -- exercise, good eating, getting healthy. That’s right, because we guys want you to grow up healthy. And the garden is a good way to start the conversation, because vegetables and fruits are a big part of a healthy diet.

And a lot of times when you grow your own vegetables and fruits, they taste really good. They taste better than a lot of stuff you’ll get in a grocery store -- trust me. My kids have done it. They’re not big fans of all vegetables, but if they help to work on it they’re much more excited about trying it out. And we found that with the students here.

Yes?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do you have Just Dance?

MRS. OBAMA: Do I have Just Dance? What is that?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: A video game.

MRS. OBAMA: I don’t have Just Dance. We might have it, but I don’t play it. Is it a good exercise game?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Does it make you dance? Is it like Dance, Dance Revolution? We have Dance, Dance Revolution. Do you guys know what that is?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: I don’t know about Just Dance, though. I can’t say I can vouch for that. But I’m sure the Just Dance people are happy that you brought it up. (Laughter.) Should give her some commission or something. (Laughter.)

But we get a chance to talk about your health. And you guys, I know you’re doing it at your schools and in the Girl Scouts. You’re talking about planting tomatoes and planting vegetables, incorporating that kind of food into your diet, and talking to your families about doing good, healthy food? Are you guys doing some of that at home?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: That’s excellent. So I’m very proud of you all and I’m happy to have you here. We get this done so fast because you all are here. It would take us forever to plant this garden if we didn’t have your help, so it’s really special to have you all here. So are you ready to do some work?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: All right, so I’m going to turn it over -- back over to Sam. Sam? All right, let’s plant!

END 2:23 P.M. EDT
##

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

First Lady Michelle Obama Seeds The Future: Watch Live Today

First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome more than thirty children from around the US to the White House today to re-plant the Kitchen Garden for Spring. There will be a livestream at 2:15 PM ET: Wh.gov/live. CLICK HERE to read about the First Lady's junior guests, who come from North Carolina, Iowa, Pennsylvania, New York and the District. Today marks the fourth time Mrs. Obama has planted her Kitchen Garden, the first vegetable garden dug into the grounds since the Roosevelt era.

A container vegetable garden was kept on the roof of the White House during the Clinton and Bush Administrations, for use by the chefs. Mrs. Obama's forthcoming book, American Grown, will give instructions for home container gardens as well as for other gardens.

New York Chef Invited To Cook For President Obama's 2012 Greek Independence Day Party

For all of 2011 and through this month, White House aides have not announced the names of any guest chefs who have been invited to cook for President Obama at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But one lucky cook has now spilled the beans: New York's Maria Loi (l), who owns the eponymous restaurant Loi on the Upper West Side. The native of Greece has revealed that she cooked Mediterranean delights for President Obama's early and completely-closed-to-press reception for Greek Independence Day, held last Thursday in the East Room. The White House didn't release a guest list, but the party was for several hundred people.

Loi shared the news of her presidential honor with the New York Post, and said that she cooked alongside Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses. She opened her NY restaurant last October, after becoming famous in her own country as a TV personality and chef.

"The White House chefs welcomed me as if I were in my own kitchen," Loi said. "I could stay here and cook with them forever.”

Comerford and Yosses gave Loi a tour of First Lady Obama's Kitchen Garden--due to be replanted for Spring today--as well as the beehive that sits nearby. She used White House honey to make her signature baklava for the President's party.

“It was the most wonderful honey I ever tasted--and we have great honey in Greece!” Loi said.

Other guests chefs have also cooked for the President's Greek Independence Day parties. In 2010, Iron Chef America star and cookbook author Cat Cora, a Greek American, cooked for the party. New York chef and cookbook author Michael Psilakis was the President's guest chef for his very first Greek Independence Day reception in 2009. Psilakis was also the first guest chef who had his name announced by aides. The White House did not announce the name of any guest chef for the 2011 Greek Independence Day Reception, and no chef spilled the beans about an invite.

Last Thursday's event was the 26th time the White House has marked Greece's national holiday, which falls on March 25th. President Obama's previous parties were not entirely closed to press; these were covered by his pool reporters and transcripts and videos of his remarks were released. Not so this year.

The New York Post story noted that Big Apple chefs are now "enjoying star status" in the District.

*Photo courtesy of Maria Loi.

Let's Move!: Michelle Obama To Appear On NBC's "The Biggest Loser"

The weightloss show films for the second time at the White House: "The Biggest Makeover Episode Yet"...
First Lady Michelle Obama was happy to beat celebs Jimmy Fallon and Ellen DeGeneres in fitness challenges on national TV, but will she be so gleeful about trumping the regular (but supersized) folks who compete on The Biggest Loser? America will find out on April 3rd and April 10th, when Mrs. Obama brings the Let's Move! campaign to the airwaves with a star turn on not one but TWO episodes of NBC's weightloss competition show. The cast, including hosts Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince, visited the White House to film on Feb. 16th. In the photo above, they perform a workout with Mrs. Obama in the East Room. (Dolcett is in red at left; Harper stands in the background) Update: This photo has now been scrubbed by the WH; see note at bottom of post

The two-parter is billed as "The Biggest Makeover Episode Yet." Mrs. Obama first appears onscreen in a special video and invites the six contestants to the White House. They then get makeovers from celeb fashionista Jeannie Mai, who helps "find stylish new clothes to flatter their slimmer selves," while celeb hairstylist Ken Paves "crafts stylish new looks."

In part two, the Losers have "heartwarming, emotional reunions" with their own families before meeting the First Lady in person at the White House. "The First Lady talks to the contestants about how adult behavior impacts kid behavior, congratulates the contestants on being good examples of health and fitness, and visits with each player and their family members," according to NBC. Then they hit the East Room for what the show bills as the "first ever White House workout."

Mrs. Obama also challenges the contestants with a competition to get more Americans healthy and active. There's more workout action, minus Mrs. Obama, in the Nation's Capitol before a contestant is kicked off the show.

The Biggest Loser seems a peculiar choice for a First Lady who has spent a lot of time promoting "balance and moderation" and encouraging Americans to make "small changes," because the show advocates extreme weightloss over a short period of time and the kind of workouts that would flatten an Olympian. But it's the second time the White House has welcomed the show to film at the mansion. Just days before the February visit, host Harper joined Mrs. Obama in Des Moines, Iowa to kick off the second anniversary celebration for Let's Move!.

The first White House visit...
Waaaay back in November of 2009, before Mrs. Obama launched Let's Move!, Loser cast members, including Harper, co-hosts Allison Sweeney and co-host Jillian Michaels (now departed), visited the White House and plucked vegetables from the Kitchen Garden. The First Lady did not appear onscreen; instead, the contestants "cooked" The Biggest Loser Salad in the kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Assistant Chef Sam Kass. (Above: Kass is center; Harper kneels beside Michaels, and Sweeney is in yellow)

Since moving into the White House, Mrs. Obama has joined Jay Leno, Rachael Ray, Oprah Winfrey, Cory Condry, and David Letterman on their shows, and appeared on iCarly, Extrwme Makeover: Home Edition, The Nate Berkus Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, multiple Barbara Walters specials, HGTV Christmas specials, BET Honors, The Kennedy Center Honors, the PBS series In Performance At The White House, to name just some of her TV outings. She's also done plenty of network and cable newscasts and feature segments.

The show airs on Tuesdays at 8:00/7:00 Central. Check your local listings.

*Top photo by Sonya N. Hebert/White House; second courtesy of NBC.

UPDATE note on photo: When this blogpost was written, neither the White House nor NBC had yet announced Mrs. Obama's appearance on the show. The photo at top of Mrs. Obama and the cast appeared on the White House Flickr as part of a set for February, posted on March 21, and then was removed by March 23. Mrs. Obama's Director of Communications did not respond to a query about why.

March 26th: First Lady Michelle Obama Will Replant White House Kitchen Garden For Spring

Children from four states invited to the White House... 
UPDATE: CLICK HERE for the post about the event
Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden, so many children have written to the Gardener in Chief about their own projects that last year the White House created a special memento to send out, a portrait of the First Lady seated in the lush crops rows with First Dog Bo (above). This Monday, March 26th, some of those junior gardeners will visit the White House. The East Wing has announced that children from Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as students from the District of Columbia have been invited to join the First Lady as she replants the garden for Spring.

"All wrote to her about their own gardening experiences," the East Wing said about Mrs. Obama's out-of-state guests, noting that the kids included descriptions about their healthy eating and food access projects.

Mrs. Obama has been assisted by young helpers for each of her harvest and planting events, but never by so many different groups at one time. About 34 kids will join the First Lady for the digging party, which comes ahead of the publication in late May of American Grown, Mrs. Obama's book about her signature project.

Mrs. Obama has invited second graders from Mitchell Elementary School in Ames, Iowa; the school offers each grade "their own raised bed plot" in a vegetable garden, which is also open to community members, according to the East Wing. The students invited from Stetser Elementary School in Chester, Pennsylvania include two former students who wrote to the First Lady about their experiences with their school garden and three current fourth graders. Students invited from Sumner Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina are hoping to start a garden. Third graders wrote to Mrs. Obama for advice, the East Wing said. (Above: Mrs. Obama and a helper at last summer's Three Sisters planting, which spotlighted Native Americans)

All three of these states happen to be battlegrounds for President Obama's re-election effort, and have gotten plenty of the First Lady's attention recently. Last week she was in New York to fundraise, and she visited North Carolina, home to the upcoming 2012 Democratic National Convention, earlier this month. She traveled to Iowa in February for a stadium-sized event to kickoff her national tour for the second anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign. With its focus on community revitalization and job creation through food access projects, Mrs. Obama's childhood obesity initiative is a swell calling card for the President's re-election effort.

Members of Girl Scouts of Western New York Troop 60325 from Fairport, New York have also been invited to Monday's planting; they told Mrs. Obama about the 100 tomato plants they'd grown to give to members of their community. Mrs. Obama is National Honorary President of the Girl Scouts. Kids from DC's Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools, longtime partners in the project, will also be on hand.

Bancroft students--who have their own school garden that Mrs. Obama has visited--have worked in the Kitchen Garden since it was first planted in 2009. The Tubman kids have also been at a number of garden events; White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses have adopted the school through the Chefs Move to Schools program, which marries professional chefs to public schools.

The planting...and Thomas Jefferson...and no, the garden is not organic
On Monday, Mrs. Obama and her junior helpers will plant a wide variety of crops, including seeds and seedlings sourced from President Thomas Jefferson's historic restored kitchen garden at his plantation home Monticello, in Albemarle County, VA. It is overseen by master horticulturalist Peter Hatch, who has served as an advisor for the White House project, and donated seeds and starts each year. The Kitchen Garden is now 1,500 square feet, expanded in 2010 from its original size of 1,100 square feet at the First Lady's behest. With boxed beds, it grows through all four seasons with the use of protective hoop houses. The plastic covering were removed last weekend thanks to very warm weather. (Above: The Kitchen Garden earlier this week, with the uncovered hoops still in place)

Though not certified organic, no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used in the Kitchen Garden. Fresh vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, micro cabbage sprouts, kale and winter lettuces were used last week when the President and Mrs. Obama hosted the State Dinner honoring British Prime Minister David Cameron, for more than 320 guests. (Above: Chefs harvesting greens for the State Dinner, with the hoop houses visible in the background)

The Kitchen Garden is visible daily to the thousands of tourists who gather outside the South Lawn fence line to view the White House, and is meticulously cared for by the White House chefs, employees of the National Park Service who maintain the historic grounds, and volunteers. During the annual Garden and Grounds tours at the White House, visitors wait in long lines to get a first-hand look at the project.

As exclusively reported here today, on May 29, Crown Publishing Group will release Mrs. Obama's book about the Kitchen Garden, American Grown. The date is the second delay for the book, Mrs. Obama's first effort as an author. Subtitled "The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America," the book is a combination memoir and how-to guide, richly photographed. It includes details for how to plant all kinds of gardens, as well as recipes. The 256-page hardcover edition will sell for $30 in the US market. (Above, the book jacket)

*Check the sidebar of the blog for a complete listing of White House recipes inspired by the Kitchen Garden.

Related: The White House Beehive is ready for Spring, too.

*Top photo by Lawrence Jackson/White House; hoop house photo by Chuck Kennedy/White House; book cover photo by Crown Publishing Group; other photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Publication Delayed Again for First Lady's White House Kitchen Garden Book, "American Grown"

First Lady Michelle Obama's forthcoming book America Grown, about her signature project, the White House Kitchen Garden, has been delayed for a second time, a spokesman for the publisher told Obama Foodorama. The book will now be released on May 29th, rather than the previously announced date of May 1.

Originally scheduled to be released on April 10th, 2012, in January of this year Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, changed the publication date for the first time, citing production delays, and announced a change for the book's subtitle, too.

"We want to make sure it is as beautiful as possible," said Crown spokesman Tammy Blake about the new publication date. She again cited production delays as the reason.

The 256-page hardcover edition will sell for $30 in the US market, and Blake said an enhanced e-book edition will also be released on May 29. Archival photos of the First Lady and visitors to the Kitchen Garden being used for the book were still being gathered by the book's art director in mid-February, though photos taken exclusively for the project by lensman Quentin Bacon were shot throughout Kitchen garden harvest and planting events in 2011. Bacon photographed Mrs. Obama for the book jacket last May.

The book's subtitle is now "The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America," changed from the original "How the White House Kitchen Garden Inspires Families, Schools and Communities." In her first outing as an author, Mrs. Obama will describe how daughters Malia, now 13, and Sasha, now 10, "were the catalysts for change for their family's eating behavior which inspired her national initiative to address childhood obesity and resulted in the idea to plant a vegetable garden on the South Lawn," according to Crown.

"This book is going to be beautiful and amazing," Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass said recently. "Full of recipes, and how-to tips about how to plant a garden, how to plant a children's garden, how to do it on your windowsill, how to do it on your back porch...in your a backyard...in a school."

"It's going to be a great tool but also a great visual and a great story."

First Lady will donate proceeds to unnamed charities...
Mrs. Obama "accepted no advance for the book and will donate all net or after-tax author proceeds to a charity or charities to be named later," Crown said when first announcing the project in March of 2011. "Random House, Inc. will also make a donation to an appropriate charity to be named later."

The names of the First Lady's "charity or charities" have not yet been announced, and Mrs. Obama's Press Secretary, Hannah August, told Obama Foodorama that there is not yet a date when this information will be revealed. She also said she could not specify details about whether or not Mrs. Obama will go on an author tour to promote the book this summer.

Crown is the publisher of President Obama’s two national bestselling memoirs, Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope. Bob Barnett, a Washington, DC powerbroker who is a partner at Williams & Connolly, is the high-powered attorney who represents President Obama for his book deals, and he made the American Grown deal for Mrs. Obama, too.

Exclusive details on the project and the previously planned marketing campaign are here. These were originally pegged to a release in advance of Mother's Day 2012.

UPDATE: The First Lady will replant the Kitchen Garden for Spring on Monday, March 26th, joined by students from four states and DC.

*Book jacket photo courtesy of Crown Publishing Group. Photo of Mrs. Obama in the Kitchen Garden by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama.

A New Healthy White House Recipe: Executive Chef Cris Comerford's Garden Vegetable Pizza

Cook with your kids, the White House advises...
Known for his love of cheeseburgers earlier in his Administration, President Obama has now switched his comfort food affection to pizza. Last December, the Eater in Chief visited Del Ray Pizzeria and left with three large sausage and pepperoni pies from the locally beloved Virginia joint. In January, during a Las Vegas fundraising junket, the President ordered a dozen cheese, sausage and pepperoni pizzas from the world-famous Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Bar. A few weeks ago during another West Coast fundraising jaunt, Seattle's Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria delivered forty pies to Air Force One as it sat on the tarmac at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Yes, those are the pizza chefs chillin' on the steps of the President's ride. (At top: The President with his Del Ray pizzas)

With all the Presidential focus on pizza, is it any wonder that the White House now has two vegetable pizza recipes for First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign? Executive Chef Cris Comerford created both, and they're inspired, of course, by Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. The first, Grilled Garden Pizza, was unveiled during the 2011 Fall Harvest. Today's recipe, Garden Vegetable Pizza, is what Mrs. Obama served to Jay Leno during her debut as First Lady on the Tonight Show in January, according to the East Wing. The family-size recipe includes instructions for home-made whole wheat dough. The pies are savory, low fat, and healthy, with about 310 calories per slice.

Before her visit to the Tonight Show, Mrs. Obama challenged Leno on Twitter to break his decades-old personal embargo on eating fresh produce. Operating under the idea that vegetable pizza is the gateway drug to healthy eating, Mrs. Obama plied the veggie-hating comic with slices topped with eggplant, green peppers and zucchini. (Above: Mrs. Obama watches Leno with his pizza)

"This a good way for people of your ilk, who don't like vegetables, to incorporate them," Mrs. Obama told Leno.

Leno's tastes are more Presidential: "It would be better with sausage and pepperoni," he quipped, after taking a bite.

The First Lady is encouraging parents to cook with their kids, in order to boost their nutrition education, and Chef Comerford said the pizzas are a good project. The recipe is a large one, enough for three pies.

"Making dough is fun for kids, and creates great quality time with your family," Comerford said when she demo'd the new recipe on ABC chat show The Chew. “This could be a fun weekend project--make three pizzas and freeze the other two for the rest of the week."

A blender or food processor is called for to puree the sauce. The vegetables listed in the recipe below are mostly advisory, and can be swapped.

"You can use whatever is seasonal or your kids’ favorites," Comerford said. "Try taking your kids grocery shopping and letting them pick out any three veggies they want—they’ll be even more invested in the experience and may be open to trying new things.”

For those interested in making just one pizza for immediate eating, cut the vegetable portion to 1/3rd. There's a time-lag mid-cooking: The dough must rise for an hour. More tips are below.
Kids can now eat like the President! Or...like the President would eat if he didn't love his meat toppings so much.

White House Garden Vegetable Pizza

Dough Ingredients
1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup semolina flour

1 2/3–2 cups whole wheat white flour

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sauce Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 sprig thyme

1 can (28 oz) peeled whole tomatoes in puree

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 bay leaf

Vegetable Toppings
3/4 cup thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 small or 5 oz)

3/4 cup thinly sliced yellow squash (1 small or 5 oz)

1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (1 small or 6 oz)

1 cup thinly sliced fennel (1/2 small bulb)

1 cup thinly sliced eggplant (about 6 oz)

½ cup thinly sliced small mushrooms (about 6)

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 packages, 8 oz each, shredded part-skim mozzarella (4 cups)

1 cup sliced mixed cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12)

6 Tbsp shredded Parmesan

Method
1. Prepare dough: Mix yeast and sugar into 1 cup lukewarm water in small bowl. Let bloom for a few minutes.

2. Whisk together whole wheat flour, semolina flour, 1 2/3 cup of the whole wheat white flour, and 1 tsp sea salt. Put onto clean work surface and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture and oil into well. Using a fork or your fingers, gradually bring in the flour around the sides to the center well. Once it starts to combine, work the dough with your hands (using some of remaining 1/3 cup whole wheat white flour if dough becomes too sticky) and knead until it becomes smooth and springy, about 5 minutes.

3. Put dough in oiled bowl and cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap. Leave in a warmer area of your kitchen and let rise until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Punch dough in bowl to push some air out. Transfer dough to flour-dusted work surface. Divide into 3 balls. Roll out each ball into a crust about 1/8 to ¼”-thick (13″ diameter) and place between flour-dusted sheets of parchment on a tray until ready to use.

5. Make sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion, and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant and onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (with puree), tomato paste, and bay leaf. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

6. Discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Transfer sauce to blender and carefully puree until smooth. Set aside. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

7. Pre-heat oven to 450ºF.

8. Prepare toppings: Toss together vegetables (except cherry tomatoes), oil, lemon zest, garlic, and thyme in bowl. Season with sea salt and pepper.

9. Turn a heavy-duty half-sheet pan or a large baking sheet upside down and coat lightly coat with olive oil spray. Transfer pizza crust carefully to pan and roll up edges slightly.

10. Spread about 3/4 cup of the sauce onto one crust and sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Arrange one-third (about 2 cups) of the vegetables evenly on top of the cheese. Top with 1/3 cup each of the cherry tomatoes and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of the Parmesan.

11. Bake on bottom rack until crust is golden brown and crisp and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. If making all 3 pizzas, repeat process with remaining dough, sauce, cheese, and vegetables.

Nutrition information per serving: 310 cal, 16 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 529 mg sodium

Recipe tips...
*If baking a single pizza, prep only 1/3 of the toppings and wrap remaining 2 crusts separately in plastic wrap. Keep chilled in the refrigerator for one day. Or wrap tightly in foil (over plastic wrap) and freeze up to one month.

*Use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice the vegetables as thinly as possible.

*Be careful when blending the hot tomato sauce. Puree in batches, filling the blender no more than half full.

*If you have a pizza stone, use it for a crispier crust. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.

*Reheat any leftover slices on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven until hot, about 10 minutes

Check the sidebar of the blog for more White House recipes.

*Top photo by AP; Air Force One photo courtesy Nation's Restaurant News; Leno photo courtesy NBC; pizza photo courtesy Evette Rios/The Chew. /Updated.

President Obama, First Lady Host 2012 Governors' Dinner: The Details, The Guests, The Menu...

President praises Governors for hard work, and advises that a White House whiskey barrel is ready to calm down "rowdy" behavior...
President Obama on Sunday night announced that he was looking for "some fun" at the annual black-tie Governors' Dinner, telling a story about wild times at the White House and barrels of whiskey as he toasted his guests. The dinner was the fourth and final affair for America's state leaders that the President and First Lady Obama will host in this term, and their first formal affair of 2012. They were seated at tables on opposite sides of the fireplace in the flower and candle-filled State Dining Room. As was the case for previous Governors' Dinners, the menu starred traditional American favorites, regionally sourced, including Rib Eye Steak and Maryland Crab Macaroni and Cheese. (Above: The toast)

Promising the Governors that they have "a strong partner" in the White House, President Obama also promised a good time.

"Tonight it’s about having some fun," the President said. "I want everybody to have a great time tonight."

The Governors are visiting Washington for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. Mrs. Obama wore a one-shouldered tulle and silk bisque-colored gown covered in beadwork, her hair in an up-do, with large bejewelled earrings. Dinner started with a salad made from greens plucked from her Kitchen Garden, and the centerpiece Rib Eye Steak is an Obama tradition: Beef has been the entree of choice for all high-profile dinners. Vocalist Dianne Reeves performed after the Pear Tart with Ice Cream dessert was served.

After lauding the Governors for their "hard work"--and their looks ("you all look fabulous...you clean up very well")--the President told a story about President Andrew Jackson's inauguration, when crowds flooded into the historic rooms, threatening to "crush" the new Commander in Chief.

"As things started getting out of hand, the staff decided to pass barrels of ice cream and whiskey out the window to get people out on the lawn, so they wouldn’t cause damage and break the chandeliers and the furniture," President Obama said, to laughter.

"So I just want you to know, in case things get rowdy, we also have a barrel standing by."

Previous Governors' Dinners have included the President leading Conga lines through the East Room. The President's possibly rowdy guests included Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, NGA chairman Dave Heineman, Republican of Nebraska; co-chair Jack Markell of Delaware; Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, a National Co-chair for the President's re-election campaign; California's Jerry Brown; New Jersey's Chris Christie (seated at Biden's table); Hawaii's Neil Abercrombie; South Carolina's Nikki Haley; Louisiana's Bobby Jindal; Maryland's Martin O'Malley, and Virginia's Bob McDonnell, chair of the Republican Governors Association.

One notable absentee: Arizona's Jan Brewer, now famous for a tarmac tete-a-tete with the President. Brewer announced Sunday morning on NBC's Meet the Press that she would not attend the dinner due to "other commitments."

The President sat beside Maryland's First Lady Catherine Curran O'Malley at his table, while Mrs. Obama was seated beside McDonnell at her table. He announced on Sunday morning that the Governor's Mansion in Virginia now has a Kitchen Garden, inspired by his host's. The Governors will be at the White House on Monday, to talk policy in separate meetings with the President and the First Lady.

Tablecloths for the round tables for ten were gold brocade, and the floral centerpieces varied from table to table. Some were low, with green blooms with white roses, ranunculus, and ivy; others were purple, pink and mauve roses. Magenta votive candles dotted each table, beneath larger white candles in tall blue glass holders. Larger floral arrangements, in purple, pink and and mauve hues, lined the mantle of the fireplace and windowsills. The George W. Bush State China Service was used. (Above: The Vice President, left, toasts with Christie)

"I've always said that governors have one of the best but also one of the toughest jobs around," the President said. "On the one hand you guys are in charge, which means that folks know where you live and they know how to find you if something doesn't work." (Above: Mrs. Obama toasts with McDonnell)

"But you're also in a position to make real and lasting change every single day. You're where the rubber hits the road."

The President has used that particular descriptive phrase in each of his previous toasts at the Governors Dinners.

"Cheers, everybody...I hope you guys have a wonderful time. Let’s serve it up," the President said as he ended his toast.

Heineman in his response toast thanked the President and Mrs. Obama for their service to the nation and for their hospitality, and he defended the Governors' honor. (Above: The President, at right, watches Heineman toasting)

"I want you to know this is not a rowdy group. They’re on their best behavior tonight," Heineman said.

The Nebraska native hailed the dinner, too.

"I can say personally, as a young man growing up in Wahoo, Nebraska, I never dreamed that I'd be here in the White House tonight," Heineman said.

The White House did not release the names of the wines that accompanied the dinner, but in keeping with tradition, these were American. Keeping secret the names of wines poured at important dinners has gone on for months, and has included not naming the wines poured at the A Nation's Gratitude Dinner, the last two State Dinners, and the Return State Dinner in London, England.  The White House has given no reason for excluding the names of wines.  White wine was on the tables during the President's toast, though he raised a glass of water.  

Executive Chef Cris Comerford prepared the dinner; her recipe for No-Cream Creamed Spinach, served with the entree, is here.

The 2012 Governors' Dinner Menu

First
South Lawn Kitchen Garden Salad

Entree
Rib Eye Steak
Creamed Spinach
Maryland Crab Macaroni & Cheese

Dessert
Pear tart
with Ice Cream

The toasts:



*The transcript of the President's toast remarks

Related: These posts about the three previous Governors Dinners include menus: The 2011 Governors' Dinner; the 2010 Governors' Dinner; and the 2009 Governors' Dinner.

*Pool photos by AP/Getty

At Fundraiser, President Obama Touts White House Homebrewed Beer

President woos a beertrack voter; gets an offer of hops...
President Obama is such a beer lover that his Campaign operation is now selling special O'Bama Pint Glasses to raise money. And during a fundraiser in Corona Del Mar, CA, last week, the President chatted with a donor about the White House Beehive and his chefs' beer brewing adventures, which have been going on since early 2011. R. Worthington, who paid at least $2,500 to attend the campaign event, had some face time with the President, and used it to discuss craft beer and local sourcing. The President responded enthusiastically. (Above: The President at the event, held at a private residence)

"Local? I got your local,” President Obama said, according to Worthington's recap on Indie Hops.

"We’ve got honey beer in the White House. Honey from bees in boxes right there near the rose garden."

Perhaps Worthington misheard the President, because the beehive is actually located a couple of acres away from the Rose Garden at the bottom of the vast South Lawn, beside the Kitchen Garden. The President then told Worthington that his chefs--especially Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass--do the homebrewing, right in the White House kitchen.

"Turns out the White House chef, Sam Kass, and his friends have been dabbling in honey beers for some time," Worthington wrote.

To date, the chefs, the first homebrewers in White House history, have made White House Honey Ale, White House Honey Blonde Ale, and White House Honey Porter. The photo at left is the only White House image that's ever been released of the homebrew, from the first batch, Honey Ale, made with about a pound of honey for the President's big 2011 Super Bowl party.  The White House has never released a recipe for any of the homebrews, which would be a brilliant way to woo supporters. During the 2008 Campaign, a group called "Homebrewers for Obama" actually existed. During this year's Super Bowl, the Campaign released the President's Family Chili Recipe, and asked for donations.

Worthington now has a mission: The President's new beer friend wants to send Oregon hops to the President for White House brewing.

"When I mentioned the divine properties of Oregon grown hops, Our President didn't skip a beat," Worthington wrote. "'I’d like to try some of that.'''

"We will not rest until Our President is cooking up home brews in the White House using hops from the Willamette Valley. Or better, we’ll send him a few rhizomes, and he can plant a few Oregon hop emeralds in his backyard right next to those honey bee boxes."

Unfortunately, the White House has a firm policy of not accepting such gifts due to security concerns. Kass told Obama Foodorama last year that he hoped hops might one day be grown in the Kitchen Garden, but they've never been planted.

The beer-happy fundraiser in Corona Del Mar was held on Feb. 16 at the home of Jeff and Nancy Stack. It was one of eight fundraisers during the President's swing through the West Coast last week.

*Photo at top by R. Worthington. Beer bottle photo by Pete Souza/White House

Let's Move! Success: Michelle Obama Gets Jay Leno To Eat Veggies On "Tonight Show"

First Lady talks about her new book, her childhood obesity campaign, and gifts Leno with a jar of White House honey...Video
On Tuesday, First Lady Michelle Obama achieved her goal of getting Jay Leno to eat some vegetables during an appearance on The Tonight Show to promote her Let's Move! campaign--and to talk Campaign 2012. During the taping of the NBC show in Burbank, Leno's desk was turned into a buffet, complete with slices of veggie-topped pizza, a cone-shaped basket of baked sweet potato fries, and apples. The First Lady had run a mini campaign on Twitter to encourage Leno to try some veggies, and she sweetened the deal by bringing along a big jar of White House Honey, from the beehive that sits beside her Kitchen Garden. (Above: Mrs. Obama with Leno and his buffet)

Leno told Parade magazine in a 2006 interview that he hadn't eaten a vegetable since 1969.

"I admit my diet is not good," Leno said during his monologue. "My idea of fruit salad is a bowl of Skittles. The only fiber I get is when I eat a slice of pizza and the cardboard from the box gets stuck in the cheese."

Mrs. Obama was all smiles as she encouraged Leno to try the healthy feast: "You are such a role model for millions, it would be wonderful," she said. He started with the veggie pizza, which was topped with eggplant, green peppers and zucchini, and made with a whole-wheat crust.

"This a good way for people of your ilk, who don't like vegetables, to incorporate them," Mrs. Obama said.

"That does smell very good. I assume this is sausage-pepperoni,” Leno joked, and added "it's not bad," after taking a few bites. "It would be better with sausage and pepperoni."

He hailed the sweet potato fries as "quite good."

"I heard you haven't had an apple in a decade," Mrs. Obama said, as she offered a plate of apples to Leno. "And with some of our White House honey, if you dip it, it will help it go down just a little easier."

“’White House honey.’ That sounds bad," Leno quipped. "You know, with a different president that could mean a whole different thing, ‘a little White House honey.’”

Leno dipped his apple in the honey, and took a bite. He got a big round of applause.

Mrs. Obama also discussed her forthcoming book, American Grown, which will be published in May. The book cover was flashed onscreen.

"It's about the Kitchen Garden," she said. Asked if the White House will ever have a cattle herd to go along with the beehive and the garden, Mrs. Obama said no, and credited First Dog Bo.

Asked by Leno if she has any veggies she doesn't like, Mrs. Obama said beets.

"I am not a beet lover," Mrs. Obama said. "I believe there is a beet gene, and I don't have it." It's a theory the First Lady first posited during a Ladies' Home Journal cover story in 2010.

Leno had a surprise for Mrs. Obama: He took out a plate of beets, and offered her some.

"Tricky, tricky," Mrs. Obama said.

"All I ask is that you try ," Leno said.

The First Lady took a bite, wrinkling her nose, and got cheers. Mrs. Obama may not like beets, but they were in the salad she served during her luncheon for the APEC Leaders Spouses last November in Hawaii.

"She ate every bite," Chef Ed Kenney, who cooked the meal, told Obama Foodorama.

Mrs. Obama also discussed President Obama's new career as a singer--thanks to Al Green--daughters Malia and Sasha, and the re-election campaign.

Leno eats an apple and White House honey in this clip:



Leno's White House gift...
The First Lady's beehive is the first to ever be on White House grounds, and was installed when she first planted her Kitchen Garden in 2009. Overseen by beekeeper Charlie Brandts, it produced 243 pounds of honey in 2011. The honey is used for everything from First Family meals to State Dinners, and jars of it have been included in Mrs. Obama's diplomatic gifts, including a garden-centric gift for His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, during President Obama's State Visit to the UK in 2011. White House honey is also used to make White House homebrewed beer. (Above: A jar of White House honey; the lid reads "from the South Lawn")

Mrs. Obama, on a two-day swing through Los Angeles, spoke at a DNC reception on Tuesday evening, and will tape The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday. She'll also attend a Let's Move! event on Wednesday morning, before heading to a DNC luncheon.

The President last appeared on The Tonight Show in October of 2011, and after joking to Leno that the White House was in danger of getting egged on Halloween thanks to his wife's insistence on including dried fruit in treat bags handed out to costumed school kids, more candy was actually added to the treat bags.

*NBC photo & video; honey photo by Obama Foodorama

Publication Pushed To May For First Lady Michelle Obama's New Book "American Grown"

Publisher cites production issues and a different cover: Mrs. Obama's book about gardening and healthy eating has a new subtitle, too...
First Lady Michelle Obama's inspiring book about the White House Kitchen Garden, American Grown, will be published on May 1 rather than its previously announced date of April 10, according to a spokesman from Crown Publishing Group. The lavishly photographed book, which includes personal stories and recipes, also has a new subtitle: "The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America." Above, the new book jacket, with the new subtitle.

The original subtitle was "How the White House Kitchen Garden inspires families, schools and communities." Crown spokesman Tammy Blake said "the new subtitle reflects a collaboration between the author and the publisher." The book was first announced in March of 2011, at the time allowing just 13 months to the project's debut. Pushing the publication date by three weeks is due to production issues, according to Blake.

"The production process for this beautifully illustrated four-color book took a little longer than anticipated," Blake said.

The photographic efforts to document Mrs. Obama working in her garden for American Grown began the day the book was announced, and included Mrs. Obama's most recent Fall Harvest event in 2011. Acclaimed food/lifestyle lensman Quentin Bacon got the assignment, which included battling 100 degree heat during the May 30 cover shoot with Mrs. Obama. Bacon's work has appeared in celebrity chefs' bestsellers, including books by Mario Batali and Ina Garten. (Above: Bacon with Mrs. Obama during a photo session for the book)

"We are very pleased to be able to publish it in advance of Mother's Day," Blake said of American Grown.

Crown has pegged part of its major promotional sales push for the First Lady's first outing as an author to Mother's Day, touting it as "the perfect gift" to book sellers. The publisher has promised author appearances to promote the book, but neither the White House nor Crown will confirm where or if these will occur. Promotional efforts will include social media, TV, print ads, and author interviews. The 256-page hardcover will sell for $30 in the US market.

Mrs. Obama took no advance for the book, and will donate her proceeds to an unnamed charity, according to Crown. (Above: The now collectible cover art released by Crown in October of 2011, with the old subtitle)

Mrs. Obama will appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Tuesday, Jan. 31, and NBC announced that she will be talking about the book. It is one of three TV appearances for Mrs. Obama this week, ahead of the two-year anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign.

*Cover art courtesy of Crown Publishing; Bacon photo from Quentin Bacon