Good to the Grain

We are very excited to have pastry chef Kim Boyce baking for ChildRoots. Kim will be providing two delicious, whole grain baked goods for us each week. This week our students have enjoyed banana oat bars and pumpkin cookies. Sweetened without sugar and packed with whole grain goodness, the kids love them! 

When Kim Boyce, a former pastry chef at Spago and Campanile, left the kitchen to raise a family, she was determined to create delicious cakes, muffins, breads, tarts and cookies that her kids (and everybody else) would love. She began experimenting with whole-grain flours and Good to the Grain is the delicious result. Boyce has truly reinvented the wheel with her collection of 75 recipes that feature 12 different whole-grain flours, from amaranth to teff.

Want a copy for yourself (you do) and learn tips from a profession pastry chef? Kim has two upcoming speak engagements....

Pastaworks

Saturday, October 16, 2010 01:00 PM

Bob's Red Mill

Good to the Grain Brunch with Pastry Chef Kim Boyce! Tuesday, October 19, 2010 5:00-7:00 p.m. 

How to make clouds

"Tofu! I love tofu! That is the stuff that tastes like chicken and looks like clouds" - ChildRoots Student

Tofu is not only popular, but nutritious as well. It is low in calories, contains a relatively large amount of iron, and has little fat as well. Our tofu comes from Surata Soyfoods. Based in Eugene, Surata has been making soy products using organic, U.S. grown, non-GMO soybeans since 1977. It takes 24 blocks of tofu, roughly 24 pounds total, to feed the hungry little mouths at ChildRoots. The best method we have found for cooking that volume of tofu in a small oven, and in a relatively short time, involves roasting it. At home I like to use Wildwood brand firm tofu, which is available at most major groceries and co-ops around town. If you can not find that particular brand, make sure to get firm tofu.

The process is simple: 

1. It important to have a very hot oven, 450 degrees.

2. Strain and rise the tofu.

3. Depending on the desired consistency, cube the tofu or cube and crumble by squeezing the tofu through your fingers (this is kind of fun, I am sure kids would love to help with this part).

4. Coat the tofu olive oil and desired seasonings. We use salt-free stock powder, dried thyme, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Tofu has basically no flavor of its own, so any spices you like will work. For roasted tofu tacos, I like to crumble the tofu and use cumin, coriander, chili powder and a little lime juice and use it. 

5. Pop the tofu in the oven. One of these from a restaurant supply store work great because they have a raised lip that a regular cook sheet doesn't. A casserole dish will work as well. Roast for 15 minutes and give the tofu a shake and a stir. Keep roasting until tofu is nicely browned.

Child-nutrition bill passes the Senate

Following up on an earlier post, the Senate has passed the Child-nutrition bill.

Read about it here and here. 

Also a picture of a famous lunch lady...

Watermelon!

It is certainly no surprise that kids love watermelon. Watermelon is actually not a fruit, but a vegetable related to the pumpkin, cucumber, and squash. Besides being an excellent summertime thirst quencher watermelon is also an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, and C. Watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases.

Despite what kids may say, eating watermelon seeds does not cause a watermelon to grow in your stomach. In fact every part of a watermelon is edible, even the seeds and rind. Watermelon rind pickles, a southern tradition, is a great way to utilize every part of the melon. 

Child Nutrition Legislation Clears House Education Committee

In 1973 a young George Lucas' influential film American Graffiti topped the box office, the average home cost was $29,900, a gallon of gas ran you around 50 cents and a dozen eggs cost 45 cents. Tragically, it was also the last time congress raised the federal reimbursement rate for school meals. Today, about one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963. 

With the passing of the Child Nutrition Legislation in the House, the situation could finally improve.

"The bill includes sweeping reforms to significantly increase access and remove barriers to child nutrition programs, improve the quality of the meals served and implement new school food safety guidelines. The bill would increase the reimbursement rate for schools -- the first increase in over 30 years. Additionally, for the first time, it would require schools to set standards for foods served outside the cafeteria, including vending machines."

What to do with.... Leftover Rice

One of the most important lesson learned during my first week as chef for ChildRoots: make sure the rice cooker is turned on. I was not intending to explore new recipes during my first chaotic week. However, I have been thinking about how to work coconut milk into the menu, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make some coconut rice pudding!

In India the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree that gives all that is necessary for living." Coconut has a significant amount of medium-chain (12-carbon) saturated fat called lauric acid, a health-promoting fat whose only other abundant source is human breast milk. Studies have also shown that the health benefits of coconut are vast including: regulate cholesterol, decreases propensity for heart disease, contains anti-microbial properties, aids in weight management, is a potent anti-oxidant, improves absorption of calcium and magnesium ions, increases breast milk production, beneficial and neutral skin conditioner.... just to mention a few! It is no wonder that Ayurvedic Medicine has used coconut to nourish the body and soul for over 4,000 years.

(Source : The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, Michael Murray N.D.) 

Even omitting sweetener (sugar, usually), this simple pudding was a big hit with the kids! The pudding was made with coconut milk, brown rice, golden raisins, milk (also a great way to use some surplus milk before the holiday weekend), vanilla, and cinnamon—this could also easily be made omitting the diary. For adults and older children, some great additions would be: honey, brown sugar (or agave) ,orange zest, almonds, rose water (one of my favs), and topped with toasted coconut.

How to Prepare...Asparagus

Local asparagus was tight this season due to inclimate weather, so we were only able to get two batches so far of locally grown asparagus. But we made the best of it....

Asparagus is an excellent source of of Iron, Magnesium and Zinc, as well as an exciting source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.

At ChildRoots our preferred method is roasting. Steaming is too stinky.

We start by rinsing, followed by removing the bottom portion of the spear. 

Making sure to leave each piece large enough for little hands to grab.

Once prepped the asparagus is placed on a sheet pan and drizzled 

with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and tossed gingerly.

Set the oven as hot as it will go. Place the asparagus on the top rack. Set timer for four minutes. After four minutes, take a peek and keep roasting until the tips a nice golden brown. Once nicely colored remove from oven and allow to rest three or four minutes. At home, you may enjoy a splash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.