Chicken Squares Great For Active Child

You won’t find many 10-year-old girls working out at a gym four hours a day. But then again, most 10-year-olds aren’t champion gymnasts in a sport that requires strength, flexibility and, above all, commitment.

Amy Brandle, a compact bundle of energy, is a student during the day at Chester Elementary School in the Spokane Valley. Come 3:30 p.m., however, you’ll find this 4-foot-2, 63-pound dynamo at Spokane Elite Gymnastics, where she works out under the watchful eyes of coaches Nancy and Bob Ito.

At a recent regional competition in Bellevue, Wash., which featured the top gymnasts from six states, Brandle placed first in her age group in the floor routine and second on beam. Brandle, by the way, had the flu the whole time.

“She has the ability to really stay focused,” says Nancy Ito. “She works really hard.”

Twenty hours of gymnastics a week means a lot of calories are burned off. But Brandle’s not into eating junk. She chooses 1 percent milk with her Rice Krispies or Chex at breakfast and often has a banana or apple, too.

She makes her own lunch, preferring a hot thermos of vegetable soup. During breaks between events at Spokane Elite she has a snack: trail mix, a granola bar or fruit juice.

But come 8 p.m., Brandle is ready to chow down.

“Dinner is where I eat a lot. I’m always really hungry by then,” she says with a laugh. “I’m the last one at the table.”

Brandle credits her mom, Betty, with cooking nutritious meals, and she doesn’t mind having warmedover food for her late dinner. Once in a while she’ll eat out and likes Subway sandwiches.

Here’s one of Brandle’s favorite meals, courtesy of her very proud mother. And here’s to the hard efforts of all area gymnasts.

Take-Along Chicken Squares

From Betty Brandle.

3 ounces nonfat cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon margarine, melted

1-1/2 cups deli chicken or turkey

2 tablespoons nonfat milk

Dash salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped chives

2 (8-ounce) packages reduced-fat crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend cream cheese and melted margarine. Add chicken or turkey, milk, salt, pepper and chives.

Separate each package of rolls into 4 rectangles and seal perforations. Spoon chicken mixture onto center of rectangle; pull up corners and seal. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 8 sandwiches, or 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 197 calories, 8 grams fat (36.5 percent fat calories), 4 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams protein, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 153 milligrams sodium, no fiber.