Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region, the Junior League of Albany, a pediatrician and Sokol have teamed up to expose adolescent girls to healthy food. Chef Gail Sokol and her young helpers will mix almonds, oatmeal, wheat germ, honey and maple syrup for homemade granola.

Then, they’ll puree tofu for an Alfredo sauce and cube bread and veggies for panzanella, which is an Italian salad.

It’s not your typical children’s menu, but that is the point.

“We are really trying to show the kids that they don’t need fatty snacks,” Sokol said.

The “Kids in the Kitchen” program will be held Saturday at Girls Inc. on Western Avenue. In addition to preparing the meal with Sokol, the girls will listen to Dr. Michael Morin’s advice on healthy eating, and the Siena women’s volleyball and field hockey teams will organize an interactive game that revolves around vegetables.

The youngsters will go home with a shopping bag filled with pasta, recipes, eating tips and a cutting board.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly one-third of children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Childhood obesity is a focus of the Junior League. The group holds regular activities for families at the Capital City Rescue Mission and hosted a Kids in the Kitchen program last year.

“We’ve found that it is really a whole family issue,” said Felice Primeau Devine, the Junior League’s community council vice president. “It’s not easy to go to the gym if you don’t have a car. It’s not easy to get to the grocery store when you don’t have a car. We try to teach the women how to cook a healthy meal when they are only going to the grocery story once a month. We teach them how to stay active even if they can’t go to the gym.”

Morin, of Pediatrics Albany, will talk to the girls about building muscle and fueling their bodies. He’ll suggest that they avoid sugared drinks like Kool-Aid and sports drinks.

“It’s hard to change any habits, but I think kids are really smart about this stuff,” Morin said. “They know a lot, but they need help on how to implement it.”

Girls Inc. already teaches healthy eating habits. The staff avoids giving the girls sugary snacks, director Brenda Erazo said. Instead, the children get apple sauce, pudding and oatmeal cookies. Once a month, the girls can snack on anything they like, usually ice cream.

Sokol, who is author of “About Professional Baking,” will help the children make a low-fat granola mix stuffed with nuts, spices and sunflower seeds and lightly sweetened by honey, maple syrup and molasses. The panzanella will have a vinaigrette with basil, garlic and parsley, and sprinkled with chick peas.

“I try to sneak in fiber whenever I can,” Sokol said.

The entree is pasta Alfredo, but it’s an Alfredo that the children probably have never seen before.

Instead of heavy cream, the sauce will be a puree of silken tofu and skim milk.

“They get really turned off when they see tofu, but when you puree it and it’s not lumpy and bumpy, they don’t even know,” she said. “It almost tastes like real Alfredo sauce.”

While this program focuses on the children, the organizers realize that healthy eating is a family effort.

“The children don’t do the grocery shopping, they don’t do the food preparation. They are going to eat what’s in front of them,” Morin said. “It takes a lot of planning and a lot of hard work.”

But just like any change children encounter, they adapt.

Crowley can be reached at 454-5348, or by e-mail at ccrowley@timesunion.com.

Pasta Alfredo

Makes 4-6 servings

1 (12-12.3 ounce) box shelf stable silken tofu

1/2 cup skim milk

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup chopped fresh chives

Zest from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Grated Parmesan cheese

Place tofu and milk in a food processor with a steel blade or a blender and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides and blend again.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic. Saute until thegarlic is soft (not browned) about 1-2 minutes. Do not allow the garlic to burn. Add the garlic and the oil to the pureed tofu in the food processor or blender.

Add the salt and the ground black pepper. Blend the tofu mixture again. Set aside.

Mix the herbs and spices in a small bowl. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add 1 pound of your favorite pasta, and cook until done as the package directions state.

Drain the pasta well (do not run under water). Place the pasta back into the same pot and pour the tofu mixture over the pasta. Add herbs and spices. Mix well.

Serve on plates (4-6 people). Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.