New Canada Food Guide

PARIS -- Less fat, less sugar, less salt: Even the mostly svelte French are cracking down. Beginning Thursday, the government ordered food ads to carry cautions telling the French to stop snacking, exercise and eat more fruits and vegetables.

With processed snacks and fast food encroaching on France's tables and culinary traditions, health officials fear the nation's youth face a growing risk of obesity.

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The weekend in West Michigan

Grand Rapids Symphony Casual Classics, 7:30 tonight, St. Cecilia Music Society, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, $23-$31, 456-3333 or 454-9451, ticketmaster.com or grsymphony.org.

Exhibit Opening: Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE, ages 14-64 $12, age 65 and older $9, students with ID $9, ages 5-13 $6, ages 3-4 $4, free to age 2 and younger, 957-1580 or (888) 957-1580, meijergardens.org or sculpturesitesgr.org.

Cookbook and TV show aim to help parents with hectic mealtimes

Sandi Richard is driven to try to do what seems impossible: to find strategies to help parents feed their families. For 20 years, this 48-year-old Alberta wife and mother of seven has been devising meal-planning guides for todays hectic lifestyles. Along the way she has picked up on a lot of what is wrong with Canadian eating habits. Her latest book, The Dinner Fix: Cooking for the Rushed (Simon & Schuster Canada), is the companion to her television show, Fixing Dinner, which airs daily on Food Network Canada. The book is not only a cookbook but also a meal-planning guide. As well as providing 50 complete dinner ideas, it also shows how to deal with picky eaters and junk food and bring sanity back to the dinner table. For example, I absolutely think that we dont get it that soda pop is bad for us, she said in an interview, a fact that cant be ignored when she snoops in the kitchens of families who appear on her show.

North County Community News briefs: Coaches' fundraiser is tonight

FALLBROOK ---- Fallbrook High School football coaches will be behind the counter from 5:30 to 9:30 tonight at Cold Stone Creamery at 925 S. Main St. selling ice cream to raise money for the football program.People can eat their ice cream there or take it to go. Flyers are mandatory for teams to earn credit.

County issues baby-food warning

SAN DIEGO ---- County health officials urged residents Thursday not to use an organic baby food produced by Earth's Best, after the federal Food and Drug Administration issued a warning.Earth's Best's manufacturer, Hain Celestial Group, initiated a voluntary recall earlier this month of Earth's Best Organic 2 Apple Peach Barley Wholesome Breakfast baby food. No illnesses related to the product had been reported to Earth's Best or the FDA. But county officials said they still wanted to alert the public because botulism can be fatal.

Little croustades with scrambled eggs and truffle oil

To make the pastry, place flour, salt and parmesan in a food processor and process to combine. Add butter and process until it resembles breadcrumbs. With the motor running, gradually add 1/4 cup iced water until it comes together. (You may not need all the water.) Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 190°C, lightly grease two 12-hole mini-muffin pans. Roll the dough out and use a 6cm cutter to cut out 24 circles, used to line the pan. Line each pastry case with foil and blind-bake for 5 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes, or until light golden. Set aside to cool. (They will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.) Combine the eggs, cream and truffle oil together, then season well. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add the egg mixture and cook, stirring until just scrambled.