G.R.O.W. Bananas.

Bananas, kids love them, they are super nutritious and easy to eat. They are also one of the few foods that ChildRoots offers that have to be imported another country. Our produce distributor, Organically Grown Company, works with Organics Unlimited to provide our bananas. Please go here and read their Mission Statement. Organics Unlimited has set up the G.R.O.W Fund, Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers, a non profit that is dedicated to helping farm workers. Go here to learn more about G.R.O.W.

Look for this sticker next time you buy bananas.  

How to Prepare...Peppers

First off, a confession. Although we did just have peppers last week, the pictures used here are not them. The pictures here are from last summer when Gee Creek Farms had these wonderful Purple Peppers. The peppers we had last week were red and from a hot house farm in California. Despite being totally out of season, they were delicious.

 

Peppers are rarely served as a side dish,  they are usually used more like a garnish to enhance the rest of  the dish. That's really a shame because peppers can stand on it's own. Not much can beat a crisp fresh pepper. Next time your not feeling well, you should turn to peppers instead oranges. One cup of chopped peppers has over 200% of your RDA of vitamin C, and a good dose of vitamin B6 to help with the immune system. 

At ChildRoots we try to expose the kids to a variety of food experiences, not just mush. The best way to serve peppers as a side is raw and lightly salted. 

Start by washing the pepper and finding it's most stable base. If  it is bottom of the pepper, thats great. If it's one of the sides, lay it that way and cut off about 1/4 of the bottom. 

Using a sharp knife carefully slice down one of the sides. 

Turn the pepper and slice down another side, then lay it flat and slice the last two sides. 

 

Then if you hadn't already done so, slice off the bottom. 

The peppers are then chopped to the appropriate sizes. Remember to remove the fibrous rib first and chop peppers with the skin side down. And be very careful. 

Once the peppers are chopped, they are tossed with a little salt and refrigerated for a couple hours.  

The couple of hours in the fridge with the salt sweats the peppers, they will soften and release some liquid.  

It may seem weird at first to have peppers as a side, but give it a try. 

Get to know...Spelt

The children at ChildRoots are introduced to many different foods. For the most part I talk about the produce here. Well, lately the produce has gotten a little humdrum, I thought I would throw some attention at the beans and grains. Spelt gets the first post in the series.

Spelt has a history that goes back to the Bronze Age. A relative Common Wheat, spelt came about when the wheat plant hybridized with wild goat grass. Spelt has never been a very well none grain. It's tough outer husk makes it harder to process. That outer husk also makes it more resistant to pests and doesn't require much fertilizer, so it's easy to grow organically.

Spelt is a strong source of fiber and protein. Also present  are the very important B vitamins, essential for skin health, metabolism, cell growth, and immune system functions. Spelt being a grain is also packed with carbohydrates to us as fuel. It's also worth noting that some people with wheat intolerance have good luck eating spelt, due to it's lower gluten content and lack of pesticides.

Spelt is easy to cook. At ChildRoots it's made in the trusty rice cooker. 

When cooked spelt has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture that often feels like they're popping in your mouth. 

Spelt can be served as a side, added to soups, and even made into a "risotto" like dish. While you can't always use it in place of rice, it's usually safe to try. My favorite way to use spelt is cold salads.