New Videos: Michelle Obama Answers Questions About The Let's Move! Campaign

First Lady takes to social media to boost participation in her childhood obesity initiative...
UPDATE, Oct. 17: More videos, below
Following yesterday's 15-second video greeting for Twitter followers from First Lady Obama, the White House today released a video in which Mrs. Obama explains how to get involved with the Let's Move! campaign. It's the first in a series.

"First Lady Michelle Obama sat down to answer questions from the Let's Move! online audience," notes the description that accompanies the video. It's the third video in a series created to utilize Twitter and Facebook to get the message out about the childhood obesity initiative.

Onscreen, Mrs. Obama talks about her Kitchen Garden, Let's Move Faith and Communities, the PALA Challenge, and other initiatives that citizens can participate in. Take action locally, Mrs. Obama says. Plant a garden--even if it's a container garden, or a rooftop garden.

"I encourage you to think about what's happening locally in your community," Mrs. Obama says. "Because one size doesn't fit all."



On Oct. 4, the White House announced that Twitter and Facebook followers could query Mrs. Obama about the Let's Move! campaign, using the hashtag #AskMichelle. Mrs. Obama welcomed 17 @LetsMove Twitter followers o the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, which took place on Oct. 5, during the 2011 Fall Harvest of her Kitchen Garden. The White House released a 24-second video featuring Mrs. Obama giving her fans a shout-out at the start of the Harvest event.

UPDATE, Oct. 17: White House releases  More Let's Move! videos:

In the first new video, Mrs. Obama discusses her workout routine and the music she listens to to get moving: Beyonce is a favorite, she says. Beyonce has offered huge support to the Let's Move! campaign.



"You may not be as fanatical about working out as me and the President, but you can work out a few days a week," Mrs. Obama says.

In another new video, Mrs. Obama discusses how to stay active in cold climates.

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Video: Chef Comerford Previews The State Dinner

A spotlight on locally sourced vegetables in a menu "conceived by" First Lady & Top Toque...
In a video filmed today in the very busy White House kitchen, Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford talks about tonight's menu for the State Dinner in honor of President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea. The menu was "conceived by" First Lady Michelle Obama and Comerford, according to the White House. Click here for a full post about the menu. (Above: Comerford holds green and red lettuces from the Kitchen Garden, used in the second-course salad).

Comerford discusses local and regional sourcing for the ingredients--produce from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden, Wagyu rib-eye steaks from an unnamed Texas cattle ranch--and gives a behind-the-scenes look at how she pulls together a lavish diplomatic event for more than 200 guests.


Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses is also in the video, and he talks about his decadent dessert, "Chocolate Malt Devils Food Layers." Click here for a post about the place settings and East Room decor. The full guest list is here and a video of guest arrivals is here.

State Dinner Menu

In Honor Of
President Lee Myung-bak

First Course

Butternut Squash Bisque,

Honey Poached Cranberries, Virginia Cured Ham

Pumpkin Seed Praline, Crème Fraiche

Second Course

Early Fall Harvest Salad on Daikon Sheets

Masago Rice Pearl Crispies

Rice Wine Vinaigrette

Main Course

Texas Wagyu Beef, Orange-Ginger Fondue

Sauteed Kale, Roasted Kabocha Squash

Dessert

Chocolate Malt Devils Food Layers

With Pear and Almond Brittle

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First Lady Obama Makes Second Twitter Video

Critics are utilizing the #AskMichelle hashtag...
The White House has released a 15-second video that features First Lady Obama saying "hello" to followers of the @Letsmove Twitter account, and thanking them for their tweets. A similar video was also released for Facebook fans. On Oct. 4, the White House announced that Twitter and Facebook followers could query Mrs. Obama about the Let's Move! campaign, using the hashtag #AskMichelle. Mrs. Obama has not yet responded to any questions, but the new video sets the record for shortest video released by the White House, beating the 24-second video the White House released on Oct. 6.

That video featured the First Lady greeting the 17 Twitter followers invited to the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, which took place on Oct. 5, during the 2011 Fall Harvest of Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. #AskMichelle is actually getting negative response on Twitter, being tweet-mobbed by Mrs. Obama's critics. Some examples:

"#AskMichelle Moochie, what burns more calories? Doin' the Dougie or butting in to the nation's refrigerators? #Ask Michelle"
"
"#AskMichelle Is there anything that you consider to be wretched excess and/or sanctimonious hypocrisy?"

"#AskMichelle Give us a fucking break. Would ya? Btw, can't wait til ur XL ass is evicted."

"#AskMichelle Has a New Goal In Life To Break Guinness World Record For Number Of Ppl Doing Jumping Jacks. How much is that gonna cost Us?"

"#AskMichelle @letsmove You may be doing jumping jacks now, but I'll be doing cartwheels when you're gone from the Whitehouse. #obama2012"

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Michelle Obama Greets Twitter Followers

The White House today released a 23-second clip of First Lady Obama welcoming the seventeen guests invited to participate in the Let's Move! Tweetup held during Wednesday's 2011 Fall Harvest of the Kitchen Garden.

"We've got some “Let's Move” Twitter fans that are here," Mrs. Obama said. "Twitter fans in the house. Woo! You guys ready? Got your thumbs ready?"

The event was a first for the Let's Move! campaign, which had 13,875 Twitter followers on Wednesday.

The guests--12 women and 5 men--were selected from "hundreds of applicants" who follow @LetsMove, the East Wing told Obama Foodorama. The First Lady's "thumbs ready" comment didn't quite become a trending topic, but just about everyone in the Twitter Greek Chorus tweeted it, including @Letsmove.

Mrs. Obama, the White House promised on Tuesday, will soon be answering questions on Twitter, with the hashtag #AskMichelle. Unlike @BarackObama, who has more than ten million followers, the First Lady does not have her "own" Twitter account. @LetsMove "is managed by" the White House Office of Digital Strategy, according to the East Wing.

The Twitter Greek Chorus live-tweeted their meetings with members of Mrs. Obama's team, including Charlie Brandts by the beehive, Executive Chef Cris Comerford in the kitchen, Let's Move! chief Dr. Judy Palfrey's gardenside briefing, and a garden tour with Kass before watching Mrs. Obama and student helpers harvest the Kitchen Garden. (Above: The group; the White House released the photo without id's)

The White House has been hosting Tweetups since President Obama first had a Twitter Town Hall in July.

*Photo tweeted by @LetsMove

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2011 Kitchen Garden Fall Harvest Recipe: White House Grilled Garden Pizza

Garden-side picnic: From dirt to dining in under an hour...
This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama, clad in black slacks and an argyle top the color of autmn leaves, plucked jalapeno peppers and sweet potatoes in her 1,500 square-foot Kitchen Garden for the third annual Fall Harvest. She was joined under a cloudless Washington sky by excited 3rd grader Mia Mejia and fifth grader Sterling Zapapta. There were a couple of breaks to reassure the worried kids that both ants and worms are just part of life. (Above: Mrs. Obama in the jalapeno plants with the kids)

"We're going to wash all of this before we eat it," Mrs. Obama said. "That's why it doesn't matter if there are ants on them."

The rest of the garden was a beehive of activity as the kids and the White House chefs paired off to harvest the other vegetable beds, spending about half an hour in the crop rows. Then it was time for a late lunch. Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and the other White House chefs created the healthy garden-to-table treats at a prep table set up at the bottom of the South Lawn, which had a hot grill in action. On offer: White House Grilled Garden Pizza and freshly plucked salad.

Mrs. Obama sat at a picnic table covered in a red and white checked tablecloth to eat with five excited kids. (Above: Mrs. Obama demos the proper way to eat pizza)

"This young man is killing it," Mrs. Obama commented, chuckling, as she watched one of her young dining companions wolf down pizza.

Another child told Mrs. Obama that she usually dislikes tomatoes--then devoured her tomato-covered pizza.

All the vegetables used for the pizza were harvested from the garden today, including the eggplant, sweet potato, red pepper, and basil. The recipe will appear in Mrs. Obama's forthcoming book about the Kitchen Garden, which will be published in April of 2012. The rest of the bounty from today's harvest will be used at next week's State Dinner in honor of President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea, and donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a DC social services agency.

White House Grilled Garden Pizza

Ingredients
1 12-inch pizza dough; it's okay to use frozen dough

2 tbsp olive oil

1 eggplant, cut into coins, ½ inch thick

1 red pepper, sliced, ¼ inch thick

6 oz. tomato sauce, your favorite brand

6 oz. shredded mozzarella, lowfat

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Method
1. Toss the vegetables in olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill until softened but still a bit crunchy. Set aside.

2. Flatten the pizza dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side.

4. Top with the tomato sauce, mozzarella and grilled vegetables.

5. Garnish with basil. Serve immediately.

*Serves four

The twenty kids on hand for today's harvest were from Washington, DC's Bancroft Elementary School and Harriet Tubman Elementary School, which have both previously participated in Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden events. The White House chefs have adopted Tubman as their own under Mrs. Obama's Chefs Move to Schools initiative. Also on hand today were about 18 adults invited to participate in the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup. (Above: Mrs. Obama and her lunch companions being photographed by the media on hand to record the outing)

Above: Mrs. Obama poses with the chefs, kids, and baskets of harvest veggies after the plucking.

*Photos and additional reporting by Helena Bottemiller for Obama Foodorama

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Chef Comerford At The Let's Move! Tweetup

Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford gave the 17 folks invited to today's first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup some lessons in easy, healthy cooking this afternoon.

In the White House kitchen, the Top Toque demonstrated how to make healthy veggie wraps, using the MyPlate icon as guidance.

Comerford loaded vegetables into whole grain pita pockets as the group watched. During First Lady Obama's Kitchen Garden harvest, Comerford and the other White House chefs also "cooked" beside the garden, making Grilled Garden Pizzas, topped with eggplant, sweet potatoes, red pepper, and squash. Mrs. Obama sat with five kids at a picnic table and enjoyed the feast, which included a newly-plucked salad. Check the sidebar of the blog for White House recipes, including special MyPlate recipes.

The Tweetup guests--five men and 12 women--were selected "from hundreds of applicants" who follow the @Letsmove account, according to Hannah August, the First Lady's Press Secretary. They also met with Beekeeper Charlie Brandts, with Sam Kass, with Let's Move! Executive Director Dr. Judith Palfrey, and Policy Advisor Jocelyn Frye. The Let's Move! account has 13,875 followers as of this writing, and is written by staff. (Above: The group; the White House released the photo without id's)

Mrs. Obama will answer questions about her childhood obesity efforts on Twitter "in the coming days," the White House promised on Tuesday, with the hashtag #AskMichelle.

*Photos tweeted by @LetsMove

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First Lady's Kitchen Garden Harvest: White House Livestream At 3:00 PM ET

When First Lady Obama harvests her Kitchen Garden for Fall this afternoon, it will be livestreamed at wh.gov/live starting at 3:00 PM ET. The event will also include the first-ever Let's Move! White House Tweetup.

Eighteen people are participating, an East Wing aide informs Obama Foodorama (up from Tuesday's announcement of 15 people). The group has just arrived at the White House, and are touring the Kitchen Garden with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass. (Above: Kass leading the group on the tour)

The group will also be preparing "a healthy meal" in the White House kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford, and visiting the beehive with Beekeeper-in-Chief Charlie Brandts. The group will also have a conversation with Let’s Move Executive Director Dr. Judith Palfrey and Jocelyn Frye, Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady.

The group of Twitter users who have already started tweeting include: @rshreeves @patchesmagarro @katekatebear @Prevent_Obesity @ificmedia @phillyfoodforthought @susaw @dcdiners @goGIRLglobal @Kaboom

Follow @letsmove, @ObamaFoodorama and use the hashtage #WHTweetup. Have a question for Mrs. Obama about her campaign? She'll be answering some Qs on Twitter and Facebook in the coming days. Use #AskMichelle and send to @Letsmove.

*Photo by @dcdiners

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Michelle Obama's Fall Kitchen Garden Harvest: 15 People Selected For Let's Move! Tweet-Up

#WHTweetup guests will cook with Comerford; tour Kitchen Garden with Kass; meet with Let's Move! team; watch First Lady & her helpers pluck produce...
Update, Oct. 5th: Actually, 17 people are expected to join the Tweetfest, East Wing tells Obama Foodorama
Tomorrow, on Wednesday, October 5th, when First Lady Michelle Obama hosts the third annual Fall Harvest of her Kitchen Garden, she'll be joined by about fifteen people selected to participate in the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, Hannah August, Mrs. Obama's Press Secretary, told Obama Foodorama.

The afternoon of events will be a busy one: In addition to watching Mrs. Obama harvest the garden, the group will cook in the White House kitchen, have a private tour of the garden, and engage in a conversation with leaders from Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! team.

The harvest bounty--think loads of Sweet Potatoes--will be used for next week's State Dinner in honor of President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea, and some will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a DC social services agency. Mrs. Obama last hosted a planting and harvest event on June 3rd.

The Twitter users come from "New York to California," and include "parents, gardeners, and people that are passionate about the solving the problem of childhood obesity," said August. Applicants had to be over 18 years old to be invited.

The group will tour the Kitchen Garden with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass, prepare "a healthy meal" in the White House kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford, and visit the beehive with Beekeepe-in-Chief Charlie Brandts.
The select group will also have a conversation with Let’s Move Executive Director Dr. Judith Palfrey and Jocelyn Frye, Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady. (Above: The First Lady and Kass at the the 2011 Spring planting)

The group will watch Mrs. Obama harvest the Kitchen Garden; she'll be joined by students from Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools in Washington, DC. Attendees will use the hashtags #LetsMove and #WHTweetup to discuss their experience on Twitter.

In the coming days, Mrs. Obama will also be answering questions about the Let's Move! campaign on Twitter, the White House announced today. Use the hashtag #AskMichelle to participate.

Hundreds of applicants...
Hundreds of people applied for the Let's Move! Tweetup in the short application window of 24 hours, according to August. The @LetsMove account has 13,855 followers.

"Tweetup attendees are active users of social media, expressed particular interest in the campaign to end childhood obesity, and many showed interest in the intersection of government and technology," August said.

The small Let's Move! Tweetup group is in contrast to the very large Tweetup that will take place on Oct. 13 for the Arrival Ceremony for the State Visit of President Lee; the White House and State Department are trying to make that event the largest Tweetup yet.

*Top photo by White House; others by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. On Twitter: @ObamaFoodorama

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First Lady Michelle Obama Hosts First Let's Move! Tweetup During Fall Harvest Of Kitchen Garden

Historic event in October includes meeting the White House chefs & a tour of the Kitchen Garden...
Update, Oct. 4: All the Tweetup details are here
First Lady Michelle Obama will host the Fall Harvest of her globally famous Kitchen Garden on Wednesday, October 5th. As is standard for all plucking and planting events in the 1,500 square-foot plot, Mrs. Obama will be joined by young helpers--as well as by many, many journalists. But this time, other guests will have the opportunity to watch, too, live from the sidelines of the South Lawn: The White House invited all those who follow the @LetsMove Twitter account to apply for the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup. (Above: Mrs. Obama and helpers in a lettuce bed during the 2011 Spring Harvest)

The lucky group selected for the Tweetup will actually tour through the Kitchen Garden, as well as watch Mrs. Obama in action, according to the White House. They'll meet some of the chefs, including Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass, who oversees the garden. Participants will also "engage in a conversation on the First Lady’s initiative to end childhood obesity." It's Mrs. Obama's own first Twitter event, in addition to being the first Tweetup for her campaign. (Above: The First Lady and Kass at the the 2011 Spring planting)

White House Tweetups and @LetsMove...
The Tweetup was announced Thursday on @LetsMove. White House Tweetups began last July when President Obama hosted his first Twitter Town Hall. Unlike her husband, Mrs. Obama does not have a personal Twitter account. And while there are numerous West Wing Twitter accounts, including personal ones for staff, there are just two accounts associated with the East Wing. Both are dedicated to the First Lady's campaigns. (Above: Six of the White House chefs at the 2011 Planting, including Kass, in black, and Executive Chef Cris Comerford, kneeling in front with a helper)

The Let's Move account launched last February, to mark the one-year anniversary of the official start of the initiative. It currently has 13,149 followers. The other account is @JoiningForces, for Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's campaign to support military families. It launched in April and has 4,122 followers. Staffers do the tweeting for both accounts, according to an East Wing aide. All tweets to and from the White House are subject to the Presidential Records Act.

Check WhiteHouse.gov/Tweetup and follow @WhiteHouse for information on upcoming Tweetups at the White House. More on Let's Move at Letsmove.gov...and here on this blog.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

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