The easiest How To Be Creative exam your With Brown-Bag Lunches kids will take A all year. EILEEN GOLTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS e e It's that time again! The new school year will be here before you know it. To help get your children off to a healthy start, Sinai's Family Medical Centers in Oak Park and Detroit are offering Back-to-School Physicals for only $15. Whether you are preparing a child for the first day of kindergarten or college, or your child needs a physical to participate in sports, a Sinai Family Medical Center is right in your neighborhood. 44fEttiMitfuthitig SINAI FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER Oak Park Parkwoods Plaza 13361 West Ten Mile Rd. On the southeast corner of Ten (1-696 Service Drive) & Coolidge Phone (810) 547-0700 Detroit Sinai Blumberg Health Center 14800 West McNichols Suite 414 Between Greenfield & Hubbell Phone (313) 493-6510 Physicals Include: • Vision and Hearing Test, Sports Participation Assessment, Preventive Health Assessment, Immunization Record Evaluation, Scoliosis Exam, Urinalysis. Blood Pressure Check We have convenient hours to meet your needs. Be sure to bring the appropriate school health forms for the doctor to sign. Please call for an appointment. This special (Or good through September 30, 1995. Ti t mai A Perfect Family Gift... A Subscription to The Jewish News. 810-354-6620 f16 nyone else hearing bells? School bells, that is. We received our two-page list of "school supplies" and I've finally finished buying all those really strange- looking folders and multicolor markers that glow in the dark. Now all I have to do is pack their lunches and throw them out the door (kicking and screaming) as that lovely yellow school bus goes by. I have been informed by my 11-year-old that he would go "bal- listic" if he had to eat plain peanut butter and jelly this year. According to my 8-year-old, reg- ular tuna salad just isn't "cool" and that if I must pack his lunch, couldn't I please come up with something that was a little more creative and less "tuna-like"? So I said, "OK," you don't like the lunches I plan; plan them yourselves. Much to my surprise, they did. A few creative recipes from me and a few "No, chocolate- covered raisins and bananas are not part of the fruit group," and we were on our way. The only rule was that the meal must con- tain something with protein, at least one fruit or vegetable and a bread, cracker or muffin Desserts were optional and left to their dis- cretion. We have enough menus to get us through the first two weeks of school without repeat- ing anything. The following suggestions and recipes should get you going. The recipes and suggestions are all "kid friendly" and most things can be put together the night before. So, pack 'em up and of and en- joy the quiet because before you know it, winter break will be here. QUICKIE LUNCH SUG- GESTIONS 1. Make mini-kabobs using toothpicks or pretzels as skewers. Combine lunch meats and veg- etables or cheese and fruit. 2. Wrap sliced cooked meats or cheese around asparagus spears, celery sticks or melon wedges and secure with a pretzel stick. 3. Veggies and dip for lunch with a bagel or muffin make a great break from sandwiches. Throw in a few chips and the kids think it's a party. 4. If you're sending a pasta sal- ad or any salad that has mayon- naise or yogurt in it, freeze a juice box the night before and throw it in the lunch just before they leave. Not only does it defrost to a nice slush-like consistency, it keeps the salad cold and helps prevent problems with the dress- ing in the heat. 5. Every once in a while my kids like breakfast for lunch, so we pack cereal, fruit and a muf- fin or cookies. They buy the milk at school and they snap, crackle and pop their way through the af- ternoon. If your kids are big fruit fans, cut up a big fruit salad and send it with a hard-cooked egg, some muffins or crackers and yo- gurt. 7. Don't forget the rice cake. I spread it with a variety of cream cheeses and top it with vegeta- bles. APPLE SMILES 1 red apple 2 tablespoons peanut butter 14 kosher marshmallows, miniature Wash and dry apple. Cut the apple into quarters. Slice out the seeds. Spread the peanut butter on one side of each quarter. Place seven miniature marshmallows on two of the quarters and place the remaining quarters, peanut butter side down, on top of the miniature marshmallows. Wrap in plastic wrap. Makes 2 servings. BANANA SPLIT SALAD 1 individual serving carton vanilla, lemon or pineapple yogurt 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained 1 banana, sliced 2 or 3 sliced strawberries 2 tablespoons Grape Nuts cereal 2 lettuce leaves, optional Mix together the pineapple and banana. Place in a contain- er that has a tight lid. To serve: If using the lettuce leaves, place them on the bottom of the bowl or plate. Put the pineapple and banana mixture on top of the let- tuce. Scoop the yogurt on top of the banana-pineapple mixture. Sprinkle the Grape Nuts over the yogurt and top with strawberries. Note: I usually pack the fruit in zip-lock containers and send a plastic bowl and spoon. Serves 1. This can be doubled or tripled. CUCUMBER CHICKEN SANDWICHES 1 cup shredded or chopped cooked chicken 1/4 cup chopped apple 1/4 cup chopped cucumber 1/2 cup chopped peanuts 3 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon sugar dash of onion powder salt and pepper to taste 4 slices whole or cracked wheat bread mayonnaise lettuce leaves, optional In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, apple, cucumber, and (