I’m thankful for so many wonderful Thanksgiving memories. 

Here are a few of my favorites from last year – Thanksgiving 2014.  

It’s time for more fun with Rice Krispies!  I should be getting a commission for promoting their products… This gooey Rice Krispies and marshmallow mixture is the ideal sculpting media!    This was my first attempt at making a turkey, and I already have ideas for next year’s version.   I used the same ingredients that I used for the Rice Krispies Treat Witch.    It’s really simple to make.     Here are the basic instructions:   1. Use a plastic container for the base so you can use less Rice Krispies.   2. Place about 1 inch of the Rice Krispies Treat mixture over the base to form the turkey body. 3. Using a plastic fork, break off the tines, and the wrap it with Rice Krispies Treats to form the turkey head and neck.  Press hard so the Rice Krispies Treats don’t fall apart.  4. Place the fork into the turkey body; try to set it perpendicular to the table so it won’t fall over.  5. Place 2 round candies for eyes.  6. To create the turkey feathers, roll Rice Krispies Treats around a wooden chopstick. Make 8 feathers. 7. Place candies into the feather to give it color. 8. Cut fruit roll ups in thin ¼” strips to decorate the feathers.  9. Use toothpicks to hold the feathers together by inserting them through 2 consecutive feathers.  10. Use entire sheets of fruit roll ups behind the turkey feathers to hold them together.  Press the fruit roll ups firmly into the Rice Krispies Treats to create a bond.  11. Wrap the turkey in plastic wrap and refrigerate until Thanksgiving dinner!   Have fun decorating the feathers with sprinkles, hard candies and candy corn.     Post photos of your Rice Krispies Treat turkeys to share with us!

As seniors contemplate which colleges to apply to, naturally they talk to their friends, teachers, counselors, and family. 

Everyone has an opinion about why you should apply to their alma mater, and you can learn a lot about colleges from their alumni. 

During the application process, students often share their horror stories about writing essays, asking for letters of recommendation, and filling out online applications. After all, misery loves company, and this is certainly true at this stressful time.

While it’s important to reach out to others when searching for colleges, that’s where the sharing should end.  Thank your friends and family for their advice but DON’T TELL THEM WHICH COLLEGES YOU DECIDE TO APPLY TO! I know this sounds socially awkward, especially since you’ve all confided in one another through the exploration process but here’s why it’s not a good idea to tell everyone your college list.

Every time you get that little envelope or that email declining you admission, you will have to TELL ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT THE COLLEGE DENIED YOUR ADMISSION. Why? Because they will ask you, and then they’ll tell everyone they know.  See where I’m going with this?  It’s painful enough to be rejected from the college of your dreams or even colleges that you sort of wanted to go to.  Nobody likes being denied admission and every senior worries that they may not get into their top colleges on their lists. 

At some high schools, every student knows every SAT/ACT scores, GPA, and college admissions and denials of the whole class.  Imagine that?  One of my clients burst into tears when she told me that she didn’t get into her #1 college.  She didn’t want to go to school the next day because she didn’t want to face all of her friends and teachers waiting to hear whether or not she got in.  With social media today, news travels fast and the repercussions can be devastating.

So when you’re asked which colleges you applied to, tell them “I applied everywhere and my college advisor made me promise that I wouldn’t tell anyone where I applied!”  This way, you can come to terms with rejections and acceptances on your terms.  After all, it’s a very private decision.  When you receive the decisions from all of the colleges and choose where you will spend the next 4 years, make your announcement with pure joy and excitement – no regrets.  Remember, mum’s the word!

With 4 days off from school for the Thanksgiving holiday, you can turn a food frenzy, TV watching, lazy weekend into a catch-up and get ahead gift for your kids. 

Don’t get me wrong.  They can still gorge themselves on turkey and pumpkin pie, watch football, play video games, and take lots of naps, but with just a little planning ahead, they could also use this 4-day break to get ahead at school.

They’re usually so busy with homework, test preparation, and afterschool sports every weekend that they don’t have time to absorb concepts that they’re learning in class.  Oh, I know that they do memorize their vocab and cram for tests and squeak by with acceptable grades, but most kids don’t have the luxury of really getting to know the material like they should to confidently ace tests.

By spending just a few hours each day this Thanksgiving weekend, they could review concepts that they’ve learned since the start of the school year so they really understand them. This will give them a huge advantage when they have finals after the holidays. Seniors applying to colleges this fall can write all of their first drafts when they won’t be overwhelmed with homework and sports. 

Here are a few things students can do this Thanksgiving break to improve grades, build a stronger foundation, and get ahead:

1. Make flashcards for all vocab introduced in classes to prepare for finals
2. Reread chapters to get a better understanding of concepts
3. Check Wikipedia to get a different perspective on topics covered
4. Watch Khan Academy and do exercises to get more mileage in weak areas (math and science)
5. Watch historical fiction movies to enhance history lessons
6. Listen to foreign language radio stations or watch foreign language soap operas
7. Seniors: print out all college app essay prompts and write outlines/first drafts

The best way to incorporate a plan like this is to block off time each day for the family to get stuff done before heading to Grandma’s house or out for Black Friday shopping.  Wishing you a happy and productive Thanksgiving holiday!

Last Thanksgiving, I asked Nicole to make a new salad following Shoshanah Orzech’s (my nutritionist) recipe. 

Thanksgiving at the D’Arcys always includes our very best dishes as we try to out-do ourselves every year (a little healthy competition never hurt anyone…aside from the Unfortunate Habanero Twinkie Incident of ’03, that is). 

So when Nicole questioned me about grating raw brussels sprouts and chopping kale into tiny slivers, she was worried that she would be negatively associated with this awful salad. I have to admit that I stopped to re-read the recipe myself because it didn’t sound right, because who eats RAW brussels sprouts?

When Nicole sneakily inserted her kale and brussel sprout salad amongst the huge array of dishes, she hoped that nobody would notice.  When all the guests were served, I grabbed my plate, and to my astonishment, I found that the kale and brussels sprout salad bowl was completely empty. 

Then I started to hear the buzz around the dinner tables about that delicious salad.  When one of our guests asked who made the salad, Nicole quipped, “I just followed the recipe; I’m not responsible!”. 

It’s the first time we actually ran out of something on Thanksgiving and who would have guessed it would be that salad?

Try it out yourself! Here’s the recipe:

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 pounds total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced
• 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

I loved directing and producing “It’s Gotta Be Rock ‘n Roll Music: 1955-1965” back in 1997. 

The Merit Academy students researched the history of rock and roll, and learned that it was founded in rhythm and blues.  Chuck Berry opened the door for the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys (among others). 

Our students performed the #1 hit from every year from 1955-1965 and gave the audience a history lesson in the roots of rock ‘n roll and what was happening in the world that created the perfect segue to arguably the best musical period post WWII. 

The students started Merit ‘50’s Entertainment as a small Business in 7^th grade. 

Thanks to Jeni Sudbrink, choreographer; Susanne Hobbs, voice trainer and coach; and Iain Crabb , midi music producer for this amazing production!

If you’re college-bound and you’re watching your 12^th grade friends stress out about receiving those college rejection letters, you’re not alone.  You hear about the kid with a 4.6 GPA and perfect SAT scores who just got rejected from Harvard, and you wonder whether or not you’ll even get into a top college. Even college advisors don’t really know what goes on behind closed doors in college admissions offices.  So what’s the secret? 

How can you get into your dream college?

You need to stand out among your peers.  Colleges are simply a big business, and they’re looking for the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.  If they believe that you’ll add value to their college by bringing recognition to your alma mater, you’ll get their attention.  That doesn’t mean joining a dozen clubs or playing 3 sports.  That doesn’t mean going to expensive summer programs on their college campuses.  That doesn’t mean volunteering for every marathon or community building project.  What they’re looking for is the student who organizes innovative programs or follows their passion to create change.  They recruit students who demonstrate that they’re curious, motivated and doers.

So how do you show them that you’ve got the RIGHT STUFF?

DO A PROJECT! Take your curiosity or passion and move it to the next level.  You can start a business, design new software, engineer a life-saving device, write a book, produce a film – the options are limitless.  By brainstorming and implementing your ideas, you are demonstrating your zest for life and unstoppable drive.  These are the traits that colleges are seeking and by doing a project, you give them the undeniable message that you will become a great legacy for their institution.  Remember, they’re a business and you’re a commodity (sorry – I know this sounds cold).  So market yourself by showing them what you’ve got. 

A project is NOT a class assignment or a requirement for a club or organization.  It is an original idea – your idea – that you are pursuing because you’re an amazing young teen.  Whenever something is accomplished because a teacher assigns it or a supervisor requires it, the whole idea loses steam.  Colleges want students who are naturally curious leaders.  They want to offer admission to the person who starts the organization, not the one who volunteers for it.

It’s best to start your project in 8^th or 9^th grade to give you plenty of time to explore your options and to make mistakes, launch your idea, and complete it by the start of 12^th grade. That way, you’ll have plenty of fascinating stories for your personal statements about the obstacles you overcame and the success you’ve achieved.  Check out projects that other students have done.  If you’d like guidance in doing your project, check out Online College Advisory. 

You’ll find that doing a project will improve your self esteem and change the way you look at the world.  It’s never too late to start a project, so get started now! 

With all of the buzz about whether or not cell phone radiation causes cancer or brain tumors, here are some easy things you can do to minimize your risk.

 1) Use speakerphone or headset instead of holding the phone against your head.

 2) Keep phone on “Airplane” or “Flight” mode when not in use.

3) Switch sides every 10 seconds when holding phone against your head.

4) Keep phone key pad facing your body while carrying your cell phone.

5) Text instead of placing calls

6) Choose device with lowest SAR (measures magnetic field absorbed by body) levels

7) Place calls when you have the maximum number of bars

8) Move your cell phone out of your bedroom when you sleep.

[Source]

Back in the day, parents laid down rules, and whether or not we agreed with them, we obeyed.  TV hours were limited, curfews set, and homework was done before going outside to play.  Period.  After all, our parents knew best, right?

Tweens and teens neither have the maturity nor the foresight to make important decisions. But with today’s immediate-gratification mode of living, parents have lost control over their children.

Technology has consumed every aspect of our very existence.  We no longer leave voice messages and wait for responses; we text questions or statements and the recipient gets it within seconds. 

We no longer look forward to watching our favorite TV show with the family on Sunday night; we watch the whole season on our phones – by ourselves. 

We no longer play board games for family entertainment; we play video games with people we don’t know or see.  And all of this takes place on our handy phones that we carry with us 24/7.

That said, when our kids tell us that they’re “doing their homework,” what that really means is that they are going through the motions of doing their homework but barely learning anything.  Ever wonder why your child has “potential” but doesn’t quite make the mark?  Here’s why.  To really learn a concept, they need to read about it, ponder its meaning, do the exercises or write their reflections, and sit with it so it can get into their long-term memory.  It really takes this deep-thinking process to fully understand the concept so they can apply it to the real world or answer difficult questions on a test or final exam. 

But if your child is like most, they NEVER really have the opportunity to absorb information and to learn. Their thought processes are interrupted about every 20 seconds by checking their phones for messages or sending texts themselves.  With every interruption, they need to restart the thinking process again, and that in itself takes another 5 seconds.  See where I’m going with this?

Our kids, like ourselves, are addicted to social media.  They NEED to know what their friends are doing and who is having fun without them.  Their self esteem is probably wrapped around how many “likes” they got on Facebook or Instagram, and what people are saying about them.  That’s why THEY CANNOT MULTITASK WHILE DOING HOMEWORK!  Just because they tell you they’re doing their homework or studying for a test doesn’t mean that they are doing it well or efficiently.  No kid will admit to their parents that their social media is disrupting their grades and possible future because they are addicted to it.

So parents, put on your big boy or girl pants and be the parent.  Give them social media curfews and set down rules about when they have access to their phones or computers. Bring down the social media hammer. You can collect all cell phones until the homework and studying for tests is done each day, or when grades are where they need to be.  If they need to use the computer to do research or to download homework assignments, have them use a family computer.  Check the history tab on your child’s computer to make sure they aren’t using social media when they aren’t supposed to.

What they’ll soon discover is that they can actually get their homework done in half the time when they don’t have distractions and they’ll get better scores on tests and ultimately better grades.  As their parent, flex your power by giving them the guidance they need to succeed. 

Remember, their brains aren’t fully developed until they’re 25 years old, so don’t let them tell you how to do your job as the parent.  Call a family meeting and set up new rules that they’ll thank you for someday.  But don’t hold your breath – just know that you’re in charge and you’re giving them important life skills. 

This delicious dessert contains ZERO grains, ZERO dairy and ZERO sugar!
And it’s A – M – A – Z – I – N – G!

If you’re anything like me, you probably ate all of the trick or treat candy before Halloween (and had to restock before the big night) AND you managed to eat all of the left-over candy (you know – the reserve that you didn’t give to the little darlings). 

By about now, you’re coming down off the sugar rollercoaster and ready to start “dieting” again. 

But if you still have that sweet tooth, but want to start eating “healthy,” try this dessert that is so scrumptious and good for you that you’ll need to double check the list of ingredients to make sure that it’s for real. 

It’s my Orange and Blueberry CheeZecake recipe, and it’s vegan and raw!  It’s healthy for you and tastes like you’re cheating!

Raw Orange and Blueberry Cheezecake (Vegan)

Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups raw nuts

1 cup dates or raisins

Pinch Himalayan salts

Orange Cheezecake

3 cups cashew pieces

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup honey/agave/maple syrup or stevia

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

Juice of one lemon

Zest of all of the oranges you juiced

Pinch Himalayan salts

Blueberry Layer

2 cups organic blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup orange cheezecake mixture

Directions:

Crust

1. Process the nuts and dates in the food processor until the nuts become crumbly and the mixture sticks together when pressed.
2. Press the mixture at the bottom of a spring-form pan and put in the fridge.

Orange Cheezecake

3. Blend all ingredients (except orange zest) in a high-speed blender until very smooth. Then add zest with a spoon. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture for the blueberry topping.  Pour the rest of the mixture onto the crust and put in the freezer.

Blueberry Layer

4. Blend the blueberries and 1/4 cup of cheezecake mixture in the food processor or blender until creamy but with texture from the blueberry pieces. Spread this over the cheezecake and keep in the freezer or fridge overnight.
5. Best if eaten after 2 days. Thaw to serve. Top with slices of oranges and tossed blueberries.