Georgia's Spelt Waffles
by Daniel
2 1/4 cups spelt flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup soda water
2 eggs
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
brown sugar to taste
Mix dry ingredients together, then add liquid ingredients. Beat well cook in waffle grill.
Guide to Pesticides in Produce
The Dirty Dozen
buy these organic
Starting with the worst:
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens
The Clean Fifteen
lowest in pesticides
Starting with the best:
1. Onions
2. Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potato
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms
buy these organic
Starting with the worst:
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens
The Clean Fifteen
lowest in pesticides
Starting with the best:
1. Onions
2. Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potato
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms
Hien's & Kris's veggie fried rice
You can really play around with this to suit your tastes - vary the ratio of brown to white rice, add or decrease eggs, use black beans instead of tofu, use whatever veggies are in season, etc. Just keep everything bite size or smaller when preparing, and use strongly textured (mushrooms, water chestnuts) and especially strong tasting (leeks, garlic, ginger) ingredients sparingly.
Ingredients
5-6 large eggs
3-4 cups uncooked rice (1:1 white jasmine or basmati to brown basmati or long grain)
1/8-1/4 cup wild rice
~2 tbsp. grapeseed or olive oil
1 tsp. crushed chili flakes
1-2 carrots, sliced thinly or diced
1-2 stalks of broccoli, diced (peeled) stalks and florets
1 small zucchini, diced (skin on!)
1 small red, orange or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup frozen edamame (shelled) or sweet peas
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (or cut from 1-2 cobs, if fresh)
1-2 green onions, chopped
A small block (200 g) sprouted firm tofu, cubed (about 1 cm)
1/2 can of pineapple slices, chopped (or use chopped rather than slices, if it makes your life easier)
...
other seasonal veggies
...
2-6 tsp. light (not low-sodium) soy sauce or tamari, to taste
black pepper, to taste
2-3 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
Crushed peanuts, 1/4 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp. sesame seeds, etc. (optional extras)
A Note on Fish Sauce
Vietnamese fish sauce is usually made up of fermented anchovies - it stinks and is very salty, but just a splash adds depth and character to a meal, such as a fried rice. It is at least worth a try if you're not a strict vegetarian (in which case try beef or chicken in place of tofu in this recipe for a fuller transgression).
Directions
1. Cook the white and brown and wild rice together; for fried rice, the cooked rice should be on the dry side (not sticky). Don't begin any frying until the rice is done.
2. While waiting for the rice to cook, chop your veggies & separate them. Give the eggs a quick whisk in a bowl.
3. Heat the oil with the chili flakes in a wok or large pot.
4. If you have any hard veggies (carrots, broccoli stalks, sweet potato, even zucchini), soften them in the oil first - 2-4 minutes as necessary.
5. Pour in the scrambled eggs and cook completely. Add black pepper to taste. Don't worry about sticking, you can always scrape the bottom of the wok/pot, or add another tbsp. of oil (or both).
6. Add the tofu and/or edamame and cook just until warmed through. Add the sweet peppers now if you want them well cooked; otherwise, wait until the next step.
7. Add half the rice, pineapple, sweet peppers, etc. (all but the green onions) and mix thoroughly, slowly adding soy sauce and/or fish sauce to taste. (You may need more soy/tamari if you're not using fish sauce.) Stir well to mix the flavours.
8. Slowly add more rice, soy/tamari/fish sauce until you have a good balance of ingredients and flavours. (This is entirely subjective.)
9. Turn off the heat. Add the green onions, as well as any extras, mix well, and serve.
Ingredients
5-6 large eggs
3-4 cups uncooked rice (1:1 white jasmine or basmati to brown basmati or long grain)
1/8-1/4 cup wild rice
~2 tbsp. grapeseed or olive oil
1 tsp. crushed chili flakes
1-2 carrots, sliced thinly or diced
1-2 stalks of broccoli, diced (peeled) stalks and florets
1 small zucchini, diced (skin on!)
1 small red, orange or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup frozen edamame (shelled) or sweet peas
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (or cut from 1-2 cobs, if fresh)
1-2 green onions, chopped
A small block (200 g) sprouted firm tofu, cubed (about 1 cm)
1/2 can of pineapple slices, chopped (or use chopped rather than slices, if it makes your life easier)
...
other seasonal veggies
...
2-6 tsp. light (not low-sodium) soy sauce or tamari, to taste
black pepper, to taste
2-3 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
Crushed peanuts, 1/4 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp. sesame seeds, etc. (optional extras)
A Note on Fish Sauce
Vietnamese fish sauce is usually made up of fermented anchovies - it stinks and is very salty, but just a splash adds depth and character to a meal, such as a fried rice. It is at least worth a try if you're not a strict vegetarian (in which case try beef or chicken in place of tofu in this recipe for a fuller transgression).
Directions
1. Cook the white and brown and wild rice together; for fried rice, the cooked rice should be on the dry side (not sticky). Don't begin any frying until the rice is done.
2. While waiting for the rice to cook, chop your veggies & separate them. Give the eggs a quick whisk in a bowl.
3. Heat the oil with the chili flakes in a wok or large pot.
4. If you have any hard veggies (carrots, broccoli stalks, sweet potato, even zucchini), soften them in the oil first - 2-4 minutes as necessary.
5. Pour in the scrambled eggs and cook completely. Add black pepper to taste. Don't worry about sticking, you can always scrape the bottom of the wok/pot, or add another tbsp. of oil (or both).
6. Add the tofu and/or edamame and cook just until warmed through. Add the sweet peppers now if you want them well cooked; otherwise, wait until the next step.
7. Add half the rice, pineapple, sweet peppers, etc. (all but the green onions) and mix thoroughly, slowly adding soy sauce and/or fish sauce to taste. (You may need more soy/tamari if you're not using fish sauce.) Stir well to mix the flavours.
8. Slowly add more rice, soy/tamari/fish sauce until you have a good balance of ingredients and flavours. (This is entirely subjective.)
9. Turn off the heat. Add the green onions, as well as any extras, mix well, and serve.
Lentil loaf / mock meatloaf
i'm always skeptical about faux meat and animal products (veggie dogs, tofutti, etc.), but this is from scratch, and really makes no comparison with beefy old meatloaf. it's got it's own thing going on.
ingredients
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils
(soaked if you like; try 1/2 cup of some other lentil/legume if adventurous, and let me know how it turns out!) - 2 or 2 1/2 cups cooked rice (again, mix it up with brown if you like)
- 3-4 cups broth
(i used two veggie bouillon cubes and water; a miso or kombu broth might be nice; so might a broth from veggie scraps) - 1-2 onions, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 cup ketchup/catsup or BBQ sauce, plus more to top
(the smokiness of a hickory BBQ sauce is nice) - 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. sage
- other seasonings, spices, etc.
(to taste; i added a bit of cayenne and black pepper - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp each)
directions (about 1 hour, 40 mins. total cooking time)
- simmer lentils in broth, 25-30 minutes or until cooked. drain excess liquid and mash as needed
- preheat oven to 350° & oil up a loaf pan
- soften onion and garlic in oil on med-low, about 5 min or until transparent
- mix all ingredients and slather into the loaf pan
- top with as little or as much BBQ sauce or ketchup/catsup as you like
- bake at 350 for 1 hour
- let set at least 10 minutes before serving (and anyway, that first slice might be mush)
Banana Spelt Muffins
by Nancy
Here is an easy recipe to do with the kids. Georgia and I make them all the time. The kids love the muffins and we usually serve them with some fresh fruit in the morning. Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients:
2 C spelt flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C finely ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 C skim milk
1/2 C plain (or vanilla) nonfat Greek yogurt
Optional add ins: 1/2 C each of: walnuts, raisins, blueberries, dark chocolate chips, etc.!
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 (spelt bakes more quickly than regular flour!).
2. In two large bowls, separately mix dry (flour, sugar, flax, cinnamon, baking powder/soda, salt) and wet (bananas, milk, yogurt, add-ins) ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring until mixed.
4. Spoon into a cooking-sprayed or nonstick muffin pan. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of raw oats so they look pretty
5. Pop them in the oven! At this point, your power will randomly go out. Awesome. Leave muffins in oven way longer hoping that the heat will last long enough to cook them – and voila!
Success! If anyone makes these, please let me know how long they actually need in the oven I’m guessing anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes! Obviously the power came back on like 5 minutes after they were done. Bust.
Here is an easy recipe to do with the kids. Georgia and I make them all the time. The kids love the muffins and we usually serve them with some fresh fruit in the morning. Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients:
2 C spelt flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C finely ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 C skim milk
1/2 C plain (or vanilla) nonfat Greek yogurt
Optional add ins: 1/2 C each of: walnuts, raisins, blueberries, dark chocolate chips, etc.!
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 (spelt bakes more quickly than regular flour!).
2. In two large bowls, separately mix dry (flour, sugar, flax, cinnamon, baking powder/soda, salt) and wet (bananas, milk, yogurt, add-ins) ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring until mixed.
4. Spoon into a cooking-sprayed or nonstick muffin pan. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of raw oats so they look pretty
5. Pop them in the oven! At this point, your power will randomly go out. Awesome. Leave muffins in oven way longer hoping that the heat will last long enough to cook them – and voila!
Success! If anyone makes these, please let me know how long they actually need in the oven I’m guessing anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes! Obviously the power came back on like 5 minutes after they were done. Bust.
Protein-rich Foods
It's been discussed at a September 2011 duty parent meeting that we need to include more protein in the meals at Dandelion, preferably every lunch and snack or at least as often as possible. Here is a list of great foods we can use in our preparations...
BEANS
Black beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.6g
Chickpeas: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.3g
Kidney beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.6g
Lentils: 1/2 cup cooked has 8.9g
Lima beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.3g
Navy beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.9g
Soybeans (edamame): 1/2 cup cooked has 11.1g
Tofu: 1/2 cup fresh has 10.0g
NUTS & SEEDS
Hemp seeds: 2 Tbsp has 5.0 g
Hemp protein powder: 2 Tbsp has 6.0g
Almonds: 4 almonds have 1.0g
Brazil nuts: 6 nuts have 4.6g
Flaxseeds: 1 Tbsp has 1.9g
Sesame seeds: 1 Tbsp has 1.6g (and lots of calcium!)
Almond butter: 1 Tbsp has 2g
Tahini: 1 Tbsp has 3g
Peanut butter: 1 Tbsp has 4g
DAIRY
Cheddar cheese: 1 ounce (1 slice or 2 cubes) has 7.1g
Cottage cheese: 1/2 cup has 14.0g
Cottage cheese, lowfat: 1/2 cup has 16.0g
Egg: 1 large has 6.3g
Milk, lowfat: 1 cup has 8.1g
Milk, skim: 1 cup has 8.4g
Muenster cheese: 1 ounce has 6.7g
Swiss cheese: 1 ounce has 8.1g
Yogurt, lowfat: 1 cup has 11.9g
Yogurt, nonfat: 1 cup has 13.0g
GRAINS
Oatmeal, cooked: 1 small bowl has 4.0g
Pancake, buckwheat: 1 small has 1.8g
Pancake, whole wheat: 1 small has 3.4g
Popcorn, dry: 1 cup has 1.8g
Quinoa, cooked: 1/2 cup has 4.3g
Brown rice, cooked: 1/2 cup has 2.4g
Rye bread: 1 slice has 2.1g
Whole wheat bread: 1 slice has 2.4g
Food Prep Ideas
~ add cooked lentils, beans or chickpeas to sauces before puréeing
~ serve edamame beans on the side
~ serve cottage cheese with fruit or cherry tomatoes
~ blend tahini into soups, stews or sauces
~ sprinkle hemp seeds on foods
~ use protein powder in baked goods (replace up to a quarter of the flour)
~ use whole wheat flour in baked goods
Search nutritional value of all foods on:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
BEANS
Black beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.6g
Chickpeas: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.3g
Kidney beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.6g
Lentils: 1/2 cup cooked has 8.9g
Lima beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.3g
Navy beans: 1/2 cup cooked has 7.9g
Soybeans (edamame): 1/2 cup cooked has 11.1g
Tofu: 1/2 cup fresh has 10.0g
NUTS & SEEDS
Hemp seeds: 2 Tbsp has 5.0 g
Hemp protein powder: 2 Tbsp has 6.0g
Almonds: 4 almonds have 1.0g
Brazil nuts: 6 nuts have 4.6g
Flaxseeds: 1 Tbsp has 1.9g
Sesame seeds: 1 Tbsp has 1.6g (and lots of calcium!)
Almond butter: 1 Tbsp has 2g
Tahini: 1 Tbsp has 3g
Peanut butter: 1 Tbsp has 4g
DAIRY
Cheddar cheese: 1 ounce (1 slice or 2 cubes) has 7.1g
Cottage cheese: 1/2 cup has 14.0g
Cottage cheese, lowfat: 1/2 cup has 16.0g
Egg: 1 large has 6.3g
Milk, lowfat: 1 cup has 8.1g
Milk, skim: 1 cup has 8.4g
Muenster cheese: 1 ounce has 6.7g
Swiss cheese: 1 ounce has 8.1g
Yogurt, lowfat: 1 cup has 11.9g
Yogurt, nonfat: 1 cup has 13.0g
GRAINS
Oatmeal, cooked: 1 small bowl has 4.0g
Pancake, buckwheat: 1 small has 1.8g
Pancake, whole wheat: 1 small has 3.4g
Popcorn, dry: 1 cup has 1.8g
Quinoa, cooked: 1/2 cup has 4.3g
Brown rice, cooked: 1/2 cup has 2.4g
Rye bread: 1 slice has 2.1g
Whole wheat bread: 1 slice has 2.4g
Food Prep Ideas
~ add cooked lentils, beans or chickpeas to sauces before puréeing
~ serve edamame beans on the side
~ serve cottage cheese with fruit or cherry tomatoes
~ blend tahini into soups, stews or sauces
~ sprinkle hemp seeds on foods
~ use protein powder in baked goods (replace up to a quarter of the flour)
~ use whole wheat flour in baked goods
Search nutritional value of all foods on:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
Book Review: Healing with Whole Foods
 |
| Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods |
This reality makes the Amazon.ca reviews for Paul Pitchford's Healing with Whole Foods all that more meaningful. A virtual almanac of nutritional information, varieties of diets, types of food, and recipes, Pitchford's premise is that whole foods - from whatever cultures they derive and in whatever form they take - are important to the bodily and psychic/spiritual well-being of human cultures and individuals.
The subtitle, Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, gives a flavour of his approach. He doesn't favour one type of diet over another, but seeks to employ the strengths of a number of dietary traditions to address the weaknesses of each.
He spends a great deal of time, for example, highlighting the value of traditional Chinese medicine's terminology in understanding the various ailments that affect us: the lungs and the intestines are both organs affected by wind (insert fart joke here); as such, something like cayenne pepper can have a beneficial effect on certain respiratory and digestive conditions. At the same time, he values the kind of nutritional identification that comes from the modern Western tradition: at times it's important to know how much folic acid or zinc is in a food.
He spends a great deal of time, for example, highlighting the value of traditional Chinese medicine's terminology in understanding the various ailments that affect us: the lungs and the intestines are both organs affected by wind (insert fart joke here); as such, something like cayenne pepper can have a beneficial effect on certain respiratory and digestive conditions. At the same time, he values the kind of nutritional identification that comes from the modern Western tradition: at times it's important to know how much folic acid or zinc is in a food.
While Pitchford is convinced that modern Western diets are overly dependent on meats and other animal products, and that a good number of our health conditions can be located in these excesses, he is not wholly against their consumption. Thus while he tends to emphasize the value of a variety of vegetal foods, he emphasizes the nutritional value of broken-bone soups, fermented milk products (yogurts and cheeses - and fermentation in general), and the like, for certain conditions and particularly when they are made at home, "from scratch."
Some other highlights include:
- a focus on a traditional Japanese diet with its emphasis on fermented soy (natto, miso, and even non-Japanese products like tempeh), sea vegetables, and rice;
- the nutritional value of soaking and sprouting grains, beans, lentils and nuts before cooking (and simple techniques for doing it at home);
- sage advice about the strengths and limitations of raw and vegan diets;
- a compendium of foods, herbs and spices detailing their characteristics (are they "hot," "warm," "neutral," "cool" or "cold?" Best for "windy," "damp," etc., ailments? And so on.);
- a primer on principles of Chinese medicine;
- a number of useful recipes focussing on "building-block" recipes (prepared, not processed, ingredients for more complex dishes);
- and much more.
I hope this review has been useful. Perhaps we can collectively decide to drop the ~$30 or so and leave a copy at Dandelion for people to peruse, take notes from, and generally preview (before adding to their own home libraries). What do people think?
Granola
by Claudia
I will never again buy store-bought granola! This granola is soft, tasty, fresh and healthy. Serve sprinkled over yogurt with berries. For a little more coconut flavour use coconut oil instead of sunflower oil.
3 cups large flake organic oatmeal
1/2 cup flax meal
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped prunes
1/4 cup sunflower oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, flax, coconut, almonds and cinnamon. In a measuring cup, stir together the oil, maple syrup, and salt. Blend this mixture into the oatmeal mixture and combine really well using two spoons.
Spread mixture out on a large baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir it up. Place back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer. Watch out that it doesn't burn!
Remove from oven and incorporate the prunes and raisins or cranberries. Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Yum!
I will never again buy store-bought granola! This granola is soft, tasty, fresh and healthy. Serve sprinkled over yogurt with berries. For a little more coconut flavour use coconut oil instead of sunflower oil.
3 cups large flake organic oatmeal
1/2 cup flax meal
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped prunes
1/4 cup sunflower oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, flax, coconut, almonds and cinnamon. In a measuring cup, stir together the oil, maple syrup, and salt. Blend this mixture into the oatmeal mixture and combine really well using two spoons.
Spread mixture out on a large baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir it up. Place back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer. Watch out that it doesn't burn!
Remove from oven and incorporate the prunes and raisins or cranberries. Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Yum!
Red Lentil/Brown Rice Soup with Veggies
by Michelle and Jay
We have been making this soup for the past several months and the kids love it. (Tzipi has been known to eat seven bowls!) The recipe is just for the soup and then we make one cup of brown rice (which yields about 4 cups cooked) and add it to the soup. One recipe with the rice is enough for one lunch at the co-op (6 kids and 3 adults). It freezes very well.
The recipe is from The Stop cookbook called "Good Food For All".
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
cayenne to taste
3/4 lb (375 g) red lentils, picked over (about 1 2/3 cup)
7 cups vegetable stock
5 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly crosswise
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallion, greens only
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Saute onion until translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and stir to combine. Add lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 15 minutes, occasionally skimming froth off the top if necessary, until lentils are just less than tender.
2. Stir in carrots and red pepper and simmer another 10 minutes, until carrots are tender.
3. Stir in cilantro, scallion greens, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Use hand mixer to blend a little, (so that veggies are more hidden from kids).
5. Add cooked rice.
We have been making this soup for the past several months and the kids love it. (Tzipi has been known to eat seven bowls!) The recipe is just for the soup and then we make one cup of brown rice (which yields about 4 cups cooked) and add it to the soup. One recipe with the rice is enough for one lunch at the co-op (6 kids and 3 adults). It freezes very well.
The recipe is from The Stop cookbook called "Good Food For All".
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
cayenne to taste
3/4 lb (375 g) red lentils, picked over (about 1 2/3 cup)
7 cups vegetable stock
5 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly crosswise
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallion, greens only
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Saute onion until translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and stir to combine. Add lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 15 minutes, occasionally skimming froth off the top if necessary, until lentils are just less than tender.
2. Stir in carrots and red pepper and simmer another 10 minutes, until carrots are tender.
3. Stir in cilantro, scallion greens, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Use hand mixer to blend a little, (so that veggies are more hidden from kids).
5. Add cooked rice.
Antibacterial Spray with Essential Oils
by Mother Nature
For cleaning and disinfecting bathroom and kitchen surfaces.
A 500mL spray bottle
1/4 cup white vinegar (or rubbing isopropyl alcohol)
10 drops tea tree oil
10 drops lavender oil
10 drops peppermint oil or lemon oil (whatever you prefer)
2 cups water
Place the vinegar in the spray bottle. Add the essential oils, close the bottle and shake well. Top up with water.
For cleaning and disinfecting bathroom and kitchen surfaces.
A 500mL spray bottle
1/4 cup white vinegar (or rubbing isopropyl alcohol)
10 drops tea tree oil
10 drops lavender oil
10 drops peppermint oil or lemon oil (whatever you prefer)
2 cups water
Place the vinegar in the spray bottle. Add the essential oils, close the bottle and shake well. Top up with water.
Carob Nut Balls
by Claudia
They're not truffles but kinda, and they're not cookies but kinda. What they are is cute, healthy and delicious treats! You can see a photo on my food blog.
3/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup carob powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup raw honey, brown rice syrup or agave nectar (up to 1/2 cup if you like them sweeter)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup puffed or flake cereal
1/2 cup chopped nuts
COATING OPTIONS
unsweetened coconut
cocoa or carob powder combined with a dash of cinnamon
finely ground walnuts
graham cracker crumbs
First prepare the coating "station". Put the coating (coconut or whatever you choose) in a small bowl or ziplock bag. Have ready.
Thoroughly combine the almond butter, carob powder, cinnamon, honey and vanilla. The dough will be quite stiff. Knead in the nuts and cereal. With wet hands, form into walnut-sized balls. Make sure the surface is glisteningly damp. Plop the balls into the bowl or ziplock bag and shake or roll until the coating is all over the balls. Place onto a plate and repeat until all the dough is used up. That's all, no baking!
Refrigerate til firm, or freeze in an air-tight container to store for a week or more.
They're not truffles but kinda, and they're not cookies but kinda. What they are is cute, healthy and delicious treats! You can see a photo on my food blog.
3/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup carob powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup raw honey, brown rice syrup or agave nectar (up to 1/2 cup if you like them sweeter)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup puffed or flake cereal
1/2 cup chopped nuts
COATING OPTIONS
unsweetened coconut
cocoa or carob powder combined with a dash of cinnamon
finely ground walnuts
graham cracker crumbs
First prepare the coating "station". Put the coating (coconut or whatever you choose) in a small bowl or ziplock bag. Have ready.
Thoroughly combine the almond butter, carob powder, cinnamon, honey and vanilla. The dough will be quite stiff. Knead in the nuts and cereal. With wet hands, form into walnut-sized balls. Make sure the surface is glisteningly damp. Plop the balls into the bowl or ziplock bag and shake or roll until the coating is all over the balls. Place onto a plate and repeat until all the dough is used up. That's all, no baking!
Refrigerate til firm, or freeze in an air-tight container to store for a week or more.
Tortellini with Sneaky Sauce
by Claudia
After 6 months I finally found a lunch the kids like! And they don't even know it's full of vegetables. Here is a recipe that makes enough for 6 kids plus 3 adults.
1 kg package cheese tortellini (whole wheat or tricolour)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can bruschetta style diced tomatoes
pinch each salt, pepper and brown sugar
grated parmesan
Boil pasta in lightly salted water until cooked, around 8 minutes. Drain, toss with a bit of olive oil, and store in a tupperware container for duty day.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium and add onion, carrot, sweet potato and zucchini. Stir occasionally and cook until veggies are mostly softened. Add garlic, tomatoes and seasonings, and simmer covered for half an hour or more.
When done, let cool a bit then blend until smoothly pureed (sometimes I add a splash of almond milk to make it a little more creamy). Store in a container for duty day. To serve, just reheat tortellini with a one-minute dunk in boiling water, then drain and stir in cold sauce and sprinkle bowls of pasta with parmesan. I offer with an appetizer of cucumber chunks and steamed green beans.
After 6 months I finally found a lunch the kids like! And they don't even know it's full of vegetables. Here is a recipe that makes enough for 6 kids plus 3 adults.
1 kg package cheese tortellini (whole wheat or tricolour)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can bruschetta style diced tomatoes
pinch each salt, pepper and brown sugar
grated parmesan
Boil pasta in lightly salted water until cooked, around 8 minutes. Drain, toss with a bit of olive oil, and store in a tupperware container for duty day.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium and add onion, carrot, sweet potato and zucchini. Stir occasionally and cook until veggies are mostly softened. Add garlic, tomatoes and seasonings, and simmer covered for half an hour or more.
When done, let cool a bit then blend until smoothly pureed (sometimes I add a splash of almond milk to make it a little more creamy). Store in a container for duty day. To serve, just reheat tortellini with a one-minute dunk in boiling water, then drain and stir in cold sauce and sprinkle bowls of pasta with parmesan. I offer with an appetizer of cucumber chunks and steamed green beans.
John's Lentil Soup
by John
Lentils are a good source of vitamins and minerals and are often used as a meat subsitute. Here they're combined with brown rice and vegetables for a highly nutritious, easy-to-make soup! Multiply quantities by 1 1/2 or 2 for the co-op.
1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
3 cups broth or stock
4 cups water
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
fresh black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, cut into small cubes
1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, pureed with spinach
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Put the lentils in a large soup pot. Add all remaining ingredients except the tomato/spinach puree and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
Add the tomato/spinach puree plus vinegar and simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes longer.
Lentils are a good source of vitamins and minerals and are often used as a meat subsitute. Here they're combined with brown rice and vegetables for a highly nutritious, easy-to-make soup! Multiply quantities by 1 1/2 or 2 for the co-op.
1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
3 cups broth or stock
4 cups water
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
fresh black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, cut into small cubes
1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, pureed with spinach
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Put the lentils in a large soup pot. Add all remaining ingredients except the tomato/spinach puree and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
Add the tomato/spinach puree plus vinegar and simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes longer.
Cashew Surprise
by Claudia
This should be called "Macaroni with Zucchini, Mushrooms & Cashews" but after the kids played at trying to differentiate the cashews from the macaroni noodles, we all thought "Cashew Surprise" was more fitting. You can't tell when you'll get a soft-yet-crunchy little cashew in your mouth!
2 zucchinis, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of sea salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp each hemp seeds and grated parmesan
2 cups mushrooms (cremini, or your choice), cut into 8ths
handful of whole raw cashews
pinch of sea salt
olive oil
plenty of cooked whole wheat macaroni (or small noodles of your choice)
In a large skillet, heat some olive oil and saute zucchini with garlic until soft and cooked through, adding salt and pepper halfway through. When done, spoon out zucchini and set aside.
In the same now-empty skillet heat a little more oil and saute mushrooms for 5 minutes, then add the pinch of sea salt plus whole cashews. Continue cooking til mushrooms are nicely browned and softened and cashews are juicy and toasted.
Puree cooked zucchini with hemp seeds and parmesan, adding a bit of water to thin out if necessary. Stir into cooked noodles along with mushrooms and cashews. Serve warm.
Some kids didn't even touch the mushrooms, so you can decide whether or not to make and include mushrooms or replace with something else (cubes of cheese?) or leave out entirely. Everyone loved the noodles and cashews, though :-)
This should be called "Macaroni with Zucchini, Mushrooms & Cashews" but after the kids played at trying to differentiate the cashews from the macaroni noodles, we all thought "Cashew Surprise" was more fitting. You can't tell when you'll get a soft-yet-crunchy little cashew in your mouth!
2 zucchinis, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of sea salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp each hemp seeds and grated parmesan
2 cups mushrooms (cremini, or your choice), cut into 8ths
handful of whole raw cashews
pinch of sea salt
olive oil
plenty of cooked whole wheat macaroni (or small noodles of your choice)
In a large skillet, heat some olive oil and saute zucchini with garlic until soft and cooked through, adding salt and pepper halfway through. When done, spoon out zucchini and set aside.
In the same now-empty skillet heat a little more oil and saute mushrooms for 5 minutes, then add the pinch of sea salt plus whole cashews. Continue cooking til mushrooms are nicely browned and softened and cashews are juicy and toasted.
Puree cooked zucchini with hemp seeds and parmesan, adding a bit of water to thin out if necessary. Stir into cooked noodles along with mushrooms and cashews. Serve warm.
Some kids didn't even touch the mushrooms, so you can decide whether or not to make and include mushrooms or replace with something else (cubes of cheese?) or leave out entirely. Everyone loved the noodles and cashews, though :-)
Yummy, Easy Spelt Bread
by Hilary
I used to make this with the kids when they first arrived. Instead of loaf of bread, we would make buns so each kid could make their own. We had it for snack with butter, nut butter and fruit.
4.5 cups whole grain flour, divided
2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk 4 1/4 cup flour with the baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and honey then combine with dry ingredients. Stir until the dough comes together; it should be soft and floppy.
Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of flour on a work surface roll the dough into a ball. Working with floured hands makes it easier. At this point, you could also make individual buns. Place the ball or the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment and gently flatten with the back of your palm. Sprinkle with any remaining flour.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Might be less for buns.
I used to make this with the kids when they first arrived. Instead of loaf of bread, we would make buns so each kid could make their own. We had it for snack with butter, nut butter and fruit.
4.5 cups whole grain flour, divided
2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk 4 1/4 cup flour with the baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and honey then combine with dry ingredients. Stir until the dough comes together; it should be soft and floppy.
Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of flour on a work surface roll the dough into a ball. Working with floured hands makes it easier. At this point, you could also make individual buns. Place the ball or the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment and gently flatten with the back of your palm. Sprinkle with any remaining flour.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Might be less for buns.
Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
by Tamara
Boil Brussels sprouts whole for at least 10 minutes. A fork should go easily through the middle before draining. When done, rinse them with cold water to cool.
Either cut the Brussels sprouts in half or leave them whole. Put out a 'dipping' plate of parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast if vegan or lactose intolerant) and let the kid figure out how to peel the Brussels sprout. Wolf peels off quite a few of the layers until he gets to the less bitter soft flower center. Dip the still slightly wet Brussels sprout into the parmesan cheese so that the cheese sticks all over it.
Wolf says: "It's a great combination!"
Note: if a kid likes parmesan, any vegetable seems to be consumed happily this way.
Boil Brussels sprouts whole for at least 10 minutes. A fork should go easily through the middle before draining. When done, rinse them with cold water to cool.
Either cut the Brussels sprouts in half or leave them whole. Put out a 'dipping' plate of parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast if vegan or lactose intolerant) and let the kid figure out how to peel the Brussels sprout. Wolf peels off quite a few of the layers until he gets to the less bitter soft flower center. Dip the still slightly wet Brussels sprout into the parmesan cheese so that the cheese sticks all over it.
Wolf says: "It's a great combination!"
Note: if a kid likes parmesan, any vegetable seems to be consumed happily this way.
Fried Plantain
by Tamara
(a great treat on it's own, or with scrambled eggs and tomato in a sandwich, or as a side dish to a meal alongside rice and beans)
try to buy the very bruised looking plantains -- from half to nearly all black. these are the ripest and sweetest. (though they shouldn't be squishable.)
cut the ends off of the plaintains, then cut them in half. use a knife to help peel them. then slice the soft plantain lengthwise. usually you get about three or four pieces per half plantain.
add a very healthy hunk of butter to your saucepan. let it melt on medium high. place the plantain in the pan. hopefully the butter is bubbling a bit. after 5 or more minutes, use a fork to flip the plaintain to cook the other side.
cook to golden/dark brown or darker. wolf loves them. who wouldn't. reminds me of melt in your mouth banana bread.
(a great treat on it's own, or with scrambled eggs and tomato in a sandwich, or as a side dish to a meal alongside rice and beans)
try to buy the very bruised looking plantains -- from half to nearly all black. these are the ripest and sweetest. (though they shouldn't be squishable.)
cut the ends off of the plaintains, then cut them in half. use a knife to help peel them. then slice the soft plantain lengthwise. usually you get about three or four pieces per half plantain.
add a very healthy hunk of butter to your saucepan. let it melt on medium high. place the plantain in the pan. hopefully the butter is bubbling a bit. after 5 or more minutes, use a fork to flip the plaintain to cook the other side.
cook to golden/dark brown or darker. wolf loves them. who wouldn't. reminds me of melt in your mouth banana bread.
Winter Muffins
by Charles
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sweetener ( i usually put in 1/4 cup)
1 TB cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
In a large bowl combine and stir well - I get Tzipi to stir while I add things.
2 tart apples (peeled, cored and shredded)
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup flax seed meal or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
Add to dry mixture- stir to coat. Make a well in the centre.
2 eggs- slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk (cow, rice or soy)
1/4 cup oil
In a seperate bowl mix together. Pour into flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake in pre-heated oven at 375F for 18-20 min. We use a combo of mini muffin tins and regular sized muffin tins.
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sweetener ( i usually put in 1/4 cup)
1 TB cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
In a large bowl combine and stir well - I get Tzipi to stir while I add things.
2 tart apples (peeled, cored and shredded)
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup flax seed meal or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
Add to dry mixture- stir to coat. Make a well in the centre.
2 eggs- slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk (cow, rice or soy)
1/4 cup oil
In a seperate bowl mix together. Pour into flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake in pre-heated oven at 375F for 18-20 min. We use a combo of mini muffin tins and regular sized muffin tins.
Banana Cookies
by Charles
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. sunflower oil
3/4 c. chopped walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts
2 1/4 c. mushed bananas, lightly packed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine oats, salt, and cinnamon. Add oil and toss to coat. Set aside.
Mash bananas. Add nuts and bananas to the oat mixture and mix well.
Scoop mounds of dough (slightly rounded) onto an unoiled cookie sheets. Flatten cookies with a fork or spatula.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and press each cookie flatter with a fork. Return cookies to the oven and bake another 8-10 minutes.
you can also add about 2T almond/peanut butter with the mashed or pureed bananas.
Tzipi loves to make these at home.
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. sunflower oil
3/4 c. chopped walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts
2 1/4 c. mushed bananas, lightly packed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine oats, salt, and cinnamon. Add oil and toss to coat. Set aside.
Mash bananas. Add nuts and bananas to the oat mixture and mix well.
Scoop mounds of dough (slightly rounded) onto an unoiled cookie sheets. Flatten cookies with a fork or spatula.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and press each cookie flatter with a fork. Return cookies to the oven and bake another 8-10 minutes.
you can also add about 2T almond/peanut butter with the mashed or pureed bananas.
Tzipi loves to make these at home.
You call these COOKIES?
by Peter & Oona
Blend: 1 beaten egg yolk; 3 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil; 1/4 cup milk.
Add 1 tbsp uncooked oatmeal; 1 tbsp wheat germ; 1+1/3 cup whole wheat flour. Beat well and add flour until dough is stiff.
Roll dough thin and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.
Blend: 1 beaten egg yolk; 3 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil; 1/4 cup milk.
Add 1 tbsp uncooked oatmeal; 1 tbsp wheat germ; 1+1/3 cup whole wheat flour. Beat well and add flour until dough is stiff.
Roll dough thin and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.
Pizza
by Peter & Oona
Dissolve 1tbsp yeast in ¼ cup of warm water with a pinch of sugar. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes
Add 2 cups warm water, ½ tsp salt, 2 tbsp oil, and 2 cups flour. Beat well. Keep adding flour until you can knead the dough smoothly. We use half organic white flour, half organic spelt flour.
Add sauce, toppings and cheese. Cook at 400°F for about 15 minutes.
Dissolve 1tbsp yeast in ¼ cup of warm water with a pinch of sugar. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes
Add 2 cups warm water, ½ tsp salt, 2 tbsp oil, and 2 cups flour. Beat well. Keep adding flour until you can knead the dough smoothly. We use half organic white flour, half organic spelt flour.
Add sauce, toppings and cheese. Cook at 400°F for about 15 minutes.
Barley Mushroom Stew
by Hilary
I made this a couple of times and it was a big hit. There’s something about the cooked vegetables that makes it almost have a sweet flavour. Then I discovered grilled cheese sandwiches, which involved a lot less chopping, so I never turned back. My kids don’t like the mushrooms or carrots, so they pick them out. (This is from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.”)
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 red potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths, approx. 2 cups
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup pearled barley
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
3 cups vegetable stock
Makes 4 servings.
1. Add hot water to cover porcini; set aside.
2. Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot; add onion, carrot, celery, potatoes and garlic.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables brown, about 12 minutes.
4. Drain porcini, reserving liquid and chop. Add fresh and reconstituted dry mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add barley and cook, stirring until shiny and coated. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper.
6. Add veg broth to porcini soaking liquid to make three cups; add to stew.
7. Bring to a boil over medium heta; turn heat down so stew barely bubbles. Cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
I made this a couple of times and it was a big hit. There’s something about the cooked vegetables that makes it almost have a sweet flavour. Then I discovered grilled cheese sandwiches, which involved a lot less chopping, so I never turned back. My kids don’t like the mushrooms or carrots, so they pick them out. (This is from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.”)
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 red potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths, approx. 2 cups
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup pearled barley
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
3 cups vegetable stock
Makes 4 servings.
1. Add hot water to cover porcini; set aside.
2. Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot; add onion, carrot, celery, potatoes and garlic.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables brown, about 12 minutes.
4. Drain porcini, reserving liquid and chop. Add fresh and reconstituted dry mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add barley and cook, stirring until shiny and coated. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper.
6. Add veg broth to porcini soaking liquid to make three cups; add to stew.
7. Bring to a boil over medium heta; turn heat down so stew barely bubbles. Cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Pasta Shapes in Tomato Lentil Sauce
by Ali
This is a lunchtime favourite on my duty day. I have yet to have a kid refuse it. Gabey and Wolf have commented at times that it was spicy and I held my breath, but that was followed with "we like spicy". Second, third even fourth helpings are requested. The kids like the shape pasta and spend much time identifying the animals and vehicles.
It's easy to make. I make a large batch of the sauce in advance and freeze.
1 jar garden vegetable pasta sauce
apx 3/4 cup well cooked lentils
steamed veggies - I've used squash, carrots, zucchini, celery...
Blend in the blender until there are no chunks (that's key - the kids can't detect all the veggies, it's a smooth puree). This sauce freezes well and can be thawed overnight.
I serve this over the shaped Tinkyada rice pasta. It can be made the night before, but no earlier - the texture changes and it's not as good.
This is a lunchtime favourite on my duty day. I have yet to have a kid refuse it. Gabey and Wolf have commented at times that it was spicy and I held my breath, but that was followed with "we like spicy". Second, third even fourth helpings are requested. The kids like the shape pasta and spend much time identifying the animals and vehicles.
It's easy to make. I make a large batch of the sauce in advance and freeze.
1 jar garden vegetable pasta sauce
apx 3/4 cup well cooked lentils
steamed veggies - I've used squash, carrots, zucchini, celery...
Blend in the blender until there are no chunks (that's key - the kids can't detect all the veggies, it's a smooth puree). This sauce freezes well and can be thawed overnight.
I serve this over the shaped Tinkyada rice pasta. It can be made the night before, but no earlier - the texture changes and it's not as good.
Macroyummy
by Tara
Cook either brown rice or rice or kamut pasta...let cool.
Steam cut broccoli, carrots, and Cauliflower.
Add to rice or pasta toasted sesame oil, bragg and lemon juice to
taste. Add tofu cubes and reheat before serving.
Cook either brown rice or rice or kamut pasta...let cool.
Steam cut broccoli, carrots, and Cauliflower.
Add to rice or pasta toasted sesame oil, bragg and lemon juice to
taste. Add tofu cubes and reheat before serving.
Goat Cheese Pasta
by Jacqueline
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 boxes of pasta (i like to use catelli smart pasta)
2 cans of organic whole tomatoes
half a head of garlic
1 large red onion
2 organic red peppers
2 tbsp of dried basil or full bunch of fresh basil
1 Organic Lemon
3/4 of large tube of goat cheese
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Directions
Peel and dice onion
Coat large sauce pan with olive oil and turn burner to medium
Throw in Onion and start to sautee
Smash, Peel and finely chop garlic and add to onion
If using dried basil add to onions and garlic
Roast red peppers, let cool and then peel, add to onions and garlic
Grate lemon rind into onions, garlic and red pepper
When onions and garlic have caramelized add tomatoes.
Let simmer for as long as you can.
Cook pasta to directions.
While pasta is cooking add goat cheese to tomato sauce, keep stirring so that it melts
When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to sauce.
If you're using fresh basil, clean and chop and add to pasta and sauce.
Ingredients
1 and 1/2 boxes of pasta (i like to use catelli smart pasta)
2 cans of organic whole tomatoes
half a head of garlic
1 large red onion
2 organic red peppers
2 tbsp of dried basil or full bunch of fresh basil
1 Organic Lemon
3/4 of large tube of goat cheese
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Directions
Peel and dice onion
Coat large sauce pan with olive oil and turn burner to medium
Throw in Onion and start to sautee
Smash, Peel and finely chop garlic and add to onion
If using dried basil add to onions and garlic
Roast red peppers, let cool and then peel, add to onions and garlic
Grate lemon rind into onions, garlic and red pepper
When onions and garlic have caramelized add tomatoes.
Let simmer for as long as you can.
Cook pasta to directions.
While pasta is cooking add goat cheese to tomato sauce, keep stirring so that it melts
When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to sauce.
If you're using fresh basil, clean and chop and add to pasta and sauce.
Soba Noodles with Quinoa and Vegetables
by Tamara
have some cooked quinoa in the fridge ready to go (to cook quinoa, i use 1 cup quinoa to 2.5 cups of water or broth, a hit of butter and ample sea salt. with the extra half cup (or more) of liquid the quinoa cooks for at least 25-30 minutes. then i steam it for 5-10 minutes after all the water is gone for the biggest, fluffiest quinoa possible)
the soba noodles i get have a little piece of paper around each portion. i break the dry noodles in half before cooking and usually estimate one portion per kid, 2 portions per adult.
boil water in a large saucepan-type pot if possible. add broccoli and cauwliflower or anything other vegetable you like to boil for about 2 minutes. add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes.
drain everything.
use the same pot for sauteeing some garlic in olive oil until it's golden.
then you can be creative with the 'sauce' -- the noodles will need some liquid so they don't stick -- so you can add either braggs, some miso dissolved in hot water, a little sesame oil, lime, tamari, dulse... or all of the above.
add the cooked noodles and vegetables after you've coated the pot with some liquid. then, as you're stirring, add a couple very big spoonfuls of cooked quinoa. the quinoa separates and coats the noodles and vegetables.
the co-op kids quite like it and call the soba noodles 'worms.'
have some cooked quinoa in the fridge ready to go (to cook quinoa, i use 1 cup quinoa to 2.5 cups of water or broth, a hit of butter and ample sea salt. with the extra half cup (or more) of liquid the quinoa cooks for at least 25-30 minutes. then i steam it for 5-10 minutes after all the water is gone for the biggest, fluffiest quinoa possible)
the soba noodles i get have a little piece of paper around each portion. i break the dry noodles in half before cooking and usually estimate one portion per kid, 2 portions per adult.
boil water in a large saucepan-type pot if possible. add broccoli and cauwliflower or anything other vegetable you like to boil for about 2 minutes. add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes.
drain everything.
use the same pot for sauteeing some garlic in olive oil until it's golden.
then you can be creative with the 'sauce' -- the noodles will need some liquid so they don't stick -- so you can add either braggs, some miso dissolved in hot water, a little sesame oil, lime, tamari, dulse... or all of the above.
add the cooked noodles and vegetables after you've coated the pot with some liquid. then, as you're stirring, add a couple very big spoonfuls of cooked quinoa. the quinoa separates and coats the noodles and vegetables.
the co-op kids quite like it and call the soba noodles 'worms.'
Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Coconut Soup
by Airin & Charles
4 cups water
1 veg bouillon cube (if desired)
2 med sweet potatoes
1 small butternut squash
3-4 med carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 can coconut milk
Boil diced potatoes, butternut squash and carrots in water and bouillon. Add garlic, spices and oil and simmer until veggies are soft. Puree soup until smooth. Add coconut milk and simmer on low 5 min. Serve over rice.
4 cups water
1 veg bouillon cube (if desired)
2 med sweet potatoes
1 small butternut squash
3-4 med carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 can coconut milk
Boil diced potatoes, butternut squash and carrots in water and bouillon. Add garlic, spices and oil and simmer until veggies are soft. Puree soup until smooth. Add coconut milk and simmer on low 5 min. Serve over rice.
Creamy Kale Soup
Wholesome, filling, delicious, and full of fibre, nutrients and flavour. Fall weather is here, time to make some soup!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup French lentils or red lentils
1/2 cup brown rice or quinoa (I like to use half-and-half)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 bunch of kale
5 cups water
SPICES
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1/2 tsp of curry powder
1 tsp of sea salt, to taste
TAHINI DRESSING
1 Tbsp tahini (heaping, or as desired)
2 Tbsp flax oil
Bragg's Liquid Aminos to taste (or tamari)
Prior to cooking, add all spices together in a small bowl and mix well (prevents clumping when added to the cooking pot later). Wash kale and chop finely.
Add olive oil to a pre-heated cooking pot on medium temperature. Once oil is hot, add onions and cook until soft. Add spices, being careful to blend well. Then add lentils and brown rice/quinoa right away and stir well. When that is done, add chopped kale and mix.
At this stage, take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the mixture looks -- but not too long, because the water must now be added. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 45 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, combine tahini, flax and Bragg's in a small bowl; mix until texture is smooth and creamy. When the soup is ready, puree with a hand blender and stir in the tahini dressing. Serves 2 hungry adults or a bunch of kids. Delicious with chapatis on the side.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup French lentils or red lentils
1/2 cup brown rice or quinoa (I like to use half-and-half)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 bunch of kale
5 cups water
SPICES
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1/2 tsp of curry powder
1 tsp of sea salt, to taste
TAHINI DRESSING
1 Tbsp tahini (heaping, or as desired)
2 Tbsp flax oil
Bragg's Liquid Aminos to taste (or tamari)
Prior to cooking, add all spices together in a small bowl and mix well (prevents clumping when added to the cooking pot later). Wash kale and chop finely.
Add olive oil to a pre-heated cooking pot on medium temperature. Once oil is hot, add onions and cook until soft. Add spices, being careful to blend well. Then add lentils and brown rice/quinoa right away and stir well. When that is done, add chopped kale and mix.
At this stage, take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the mixture looks -- but not too long, because the water must now be added. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 45 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, combine tahini, flax and Bragg's in a small bowl; mix until texture is smooth and creamy. When the soup is ready, puree with a hand blender and stir in the tahini dressing. Serves 2 hungry adults or a bunch of kids. Delicious with chapatis on the side.
Brown Rice Pudding
I've always loved a cool and creamy rice pudding, but wanted to indulge in a healthier version like this one!
1/2 cup short grain brown rice
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
5 green cardamom pods
2 Tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 Tbsp or more to taste of brown rice syrup
or other sweetener (sucanat, agave nectar, etc)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Cook the rice in the water for 20 minutes or until the rice has begun to soften. Strain. In a large pot, bring to a boil the almond milk with the cardamom pods and cinnamon, over medium heat. Add the parboiled brown rice and the raisins and boil for about an hour until thick and soft. Remove cardamom pods and add powdered cardamom and syrup, and continue cooking 5-10 minutes longer.
If it's too thick, add more milk; the consistency should be creamy but not gloopy (will thicken a bit more as it cools, as well). Stir in butter and remove from heat. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar if desired.
1/2 cup short grain brown rice
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
5 green cardamom pods
2 Tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 Tbsp or more to taste of brown rice syrup
or other sweetener (sucanat, agave nectar, etc)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Cook the rice in the water for 20 minutes or until the rice has begun to soften. Strain. In a large pot, bring to a boil the almond milk with the cardamom pods and cinnamon, over medium heat. Add the parboiled brown rice and the raisins and boil for about an hour until thick and soft. Remove cardamom pods and add powdered cardamom and syrup, and continue cooking 5-10 minutes longer.
If it's too thick, add more milk; the consistency should be creamy but not gloopy (will thicken a bit more as it cools, as well). Stir in butter and remove from heat. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar if desired.
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