Baking for a Cause

I just completed a project that I'm really proud of.  For several years I've been inspired by the commercials on the food network about Share Our Strength's work to end childhood hunger.  Share Our Strength started a campaign encouraging people to hold bake sales to raise money  for their organization.  I've long wanted to host one myself.  Why?  Because it's a great cause, and I've always loved bake sales.  Bake sales remind me of the many summertime lemonade stands I held as a kid.  And nostalgia is a very powerful thing!

 

Share Our Strength has a great website with tons of resources to make hosting a bake sale easier.  So I signed up on their website and got started.  As it turned out, my daughter's kindergarten class needed to come up with what they call a "leadership project" for this quarter.  (Basically, they are supposed to learn about something as a class and present it to the rest of the school.)  My bake sale idea became this year's leadership project.

I worked with the kindergarten teachers to get the project up and running.  We wanted to keep the bakesale simple and pretty small scale, so we decided to sell treats to the school on a Friday afternoon when the school would normally sell ice cream.  The ice cream costs $1, so we decided we'd sell our treats for $1.  We limited the bake sale to brownies and rice krispie treats to keep it simple, and then I solicited volunteers via email to bake some treats for us.  I also used some of the tools on the Share Our Strength website to make a flier about the event.  

Next the kindergarten students made a poster advertising their bake sale, and they put together a presentation explaining what they were doing.  They went from classroom to classroom giving the presentation in small groups.  Then they handed out the fliers I had made to all the students in the school.  They were clearly very proud to be helping out other children.

Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 children suffer from hunger in the United States?  I thought that was a shocking statistic.  We put that fact on our fliers, and it definitely got people's attention.  The bake sale happened last Friday, and we raised just over $250!!!  I was amazed at how successful our little project was.  The students were so excited for their Friday afternoon treat.  And I was so impressed with how generous they were, too.  Many of them put $2 in the basket and then only took one treat.  In the end this bakesale was at least as fun as my childhood lemonade stands. 

By the way, my daughter pretty much made the rice krispie treats herself.  I always forget how easy (and yummy!) rice krispie treats are.  All you really have to do is melt the butter and marshmallows and then stir, stir, stir.  Plus, it's always fun cooking with kids. 

All in all, this project was a great experience that left me feeling so inspired.  My hope is that I will continue to find ways to be involved with Share Our Strength.  It really pains me to think about kids feeling hungry right here in this wealthy nation we live in.  So . . . if you're looking for a summer project to do with your kids, or you've been wanting to find a way to give back to your community, I definitely recommend hosting a Share Our Strength bakesale.

 http://join.strength.org/site/TR?fr_id=1190&pg=entry

On Counting Carbs . . . and Eating Them Too

For reasons I am not yet ready to reveal to the Internet, I recently had to start counting carbs and watching my diet.  In a nutshell, it’s not fun.  I have always been a very healthy eater, but there’s something about being told I have to eat healthy that is just so . . .  well, annoying.  Nevertheless, I have committed to following the rules.  Most of the time, anyway.  When I do feel like cheating, it will most definitely be for chocolate.

At our Superbowl party last weekend I cheated with these brownies.  They have less flour and less sugar than your average brownie.  The chocolate flavor really shines through from the Dutch-processed cocoa, which is supposedly more flavorful than your run-of-the-mill cocoa powder.  

These brownies also have a nice dose of salt, and I have to admit I find the sea salt and chocolate combo to be downright mouth-watering.  Initially I made a version with all of the salt inside the batter, but I think the crunchy topping makes for a nice finish. 

If you happen to be watching your carb (or calorie) intake, give these brownies a try.  I hope to cheat with them again soon!

Lower Carb Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies

Makes 16 brownies

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa (preferably Dutch-process for a flavor boost)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ butter
• 2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.  Grease an 8-inch square metal baking pan.

In a cup, dissolve the coffee in the vanilla extract.  In a small bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, ¾ teaspoon sea salt, and the baking powder.  Then in a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, vegetable oil spread, eggs, and coffee mixture until well-mixed.  Then blend in the flour mixture.  Spread the batter in the prepared pan.  (It will be a thick batter.)  Lastly, sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon sea salt over the brownies.

Bake for approximately 22 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted approximately 2 inches from the edge of the pan comes out almost clean.  Place the pan on a wire rack and cool for approximately 2 hours.  Enjoy!

Meatless Mondays: More on Muffins

{Photo from here}

In the last few weeks I've mentioned my (and my preschooler's!) new love for hearty muffins as an afternoon snack. This muffin started it all. The recipe calls for peanut butter to replace some of the butter. It is sweetened with maple syrup and chocolate chips. And they are made with whole wheat flour. These are more than your average muffin because the peanut butter and whole grains really boost the protein and fiber.

Oh, and did I mention how yummy they are? The chocolate chips poking out of the top of the muffins entice my daughter every time. We have some in our freezer now!

Meatless Mondays: Pumpkin Cornbread

Last week I mentioned that the new favorite snack around my house is the {muffin}, and this recipe was a truly great find. These are hearty, sustaining, even long-winded. They are whole grain, for a boost of protein and fiber to make you feel full, and the subtle honey flavor makes them absolutely scrumptious. Just like the little cakes Alice eats in Alice in Wonderland! They taste best the first day, or frozen immediately after cooling and re-heated later. Yum!

Pumpkin Cornbread
Adapted from Simply Vegetarian

• 1/2 c. soft butter
• 3/4 c. honey
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
• 1 c. cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter a 12-cup muffin tray. Cream the butter and honey in a bowl. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and milk, then mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full, then bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Meatless Mondays: Pack it in

Back when I was pregnant with my daughter I started to keep track of how much protein I ate just to be sure I was getting enough for the both of us. I quickly realized that it's hard to eat enough protein in just one or two vegetarian main dishes. But there are many foods that you wouldn't ordinarily think of that have a good dose of protein. Whole grains are one of the easiest "alternative" sources. Once I started counting every whole grain slice of bread and every spoonful of brown rice, the protein really added up quickly.

If you want to feel full during a day of meatless eating, then pack in the protein. Afterall, every ounce of nutrition counts. And what better way to enjoy some nutrition than in a muffin. That's right, a muffin. My daughter loves them, so I try to find recipes withextra protein or vitamins without too much sugar. She and I both have them for afternoon snacks. Or breakfast. Or a midnight snack. Or dessert. You get the idea ~ when you look this similar to a cupcake, what's not to love?

I can't wait to share some recipes soon.

Fun With Ola

Last weekend I was looking for a fun cooking project to do with my daughter. We were in the mood for something sweet, but I was hoping to avoid heating up the house with the oven. I showed my daughter a picture of homemade granola bars. Then she launched into this extended story about how her preschool friend Emily likes ola bars with chocolate chips and how her other friend Maria likes ola bars only sometimes.

Since we almost never eat granola bars around our house, this was the first time I had heard my daughter call them "ola bars." She was dumbfounded when I explained that they are actually called "granola bar." So cute!

In the end we did make a batch of granola bars. Truthfully these are somewhat of a cross between granola bars and Rice Krispie treats. They don't have granola in them, and they aren't baked like homemade granola. But they do have the flavor of granola bars with some of the same treats you would expect mixed in ~ dried fruit and chocolate chips. The cereal is more like over-sized Rice Krispies, similar to what rice cakes are made of, and I found it in bags with all the other cereals.



It was a super fun project ~ easy, very child-friendly, and SO tasty. The first time I made these I followed my penpal Emily's recipe, then last weekend I used another variation. My version is a little less sweet than the two recipes I looked at.

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Peanut Butter "Ola" Bars

• 3 cups crispy rice cereal
• 3 cups crispy kamut cereal or toasted oat cereal
• 1 cup dried cranberries (or other small dried fruit)
• 1/2 regular raisins
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup honey
• 1 16 oz jar natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky)

Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan. Combine the cereals, raisins, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Place the peanut butter and honey in a microwave safe bowl and microwave briefly to soften the mixture, then stir well to combine. Pour over the cereal mixture, then mix well. Press the combined mixture into the prepared pan. Cool, cut into squares or bars, and serve.

Grilled Cheese Remix

For today's remix, I'm starting out basic:

"The Traditional"
Sharp cheddar
Wheat bread
Brushed with olive oil
(because it's faster than spreading butter and it crisps up nicely!)

The Shower Effect

I don't know about you, but I love weddings and I adore babies. The last two weekends I had the good fortune to participate in not one but TWO showers ~ the first was the bridal shower that I co-hosted and the second was a baby shower. Both were splendid.


And both involved an elegant tea service at my favorite new discovery in town ~ Tea List.


So now I'm sold on the idea of having tea, sandwiches, and a reason to get together for a little party every weekend.


Honestly, almost nothing makes me feel more positive or more hopeful than the thought of two people in love or a precious baby being born. This is especially true when a dear friend is involved.


I left these parties feeling a true high. (Although maybe it was just a buzz from all that tea!)



I also left with a whole new appreciation for the sandwich.


Those tea sandwiches were great! My favorite was simple and classic ~ cucumber, mint, cream cheese, and yogurt on white bread.


The flowers weren't bad either. I always love an excuse to visit a florist!


So let me leave you with one question ~ any chance you have a baby or bridal shower I could plan?


I promise to take lots of pictures!

Bugs

What's your favorite bug to eat? A butterfly?


Dragonfly?

Ladybug or bumblebee?


I'd go with the butterfly. And do you prefer to top your bugs with super sweet American-style icing, or with barely sweet vanilla whipped cream?


I prefer the vanilla cream. Any guess what I like to eat alongside my bugs?


Colorful berries, of course. You get the richness of freshly whipped buttercream without all the sugar. This combination might even have fewer calories. But then again...who really cares when you're eating bugs!

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Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form, then pipe onto your favorite vanilla bug cake.

Get Your Sauces Ready

It's dipping time!

Recently my toddler has stopped liking cheese very much. This is unfortunate, since cheese sandwiches and cheese quesadillas have been a staple around here for a while. So I have reinvigorated my efforts to find alternative protein sources for her. I've turned once again to the tofu puzzle. This time I may have really solved it, too.


Each time I've made these nuggets they have disappeared from the plate in half the time I expected. They are perfect for dipping. We've tried Bittman's barbecue sauce and ranch dressing, but I can't wait to try a good marinara or blue cheese dressing. Definitely report back if you discover some good combos.

The best part is that the recipe couldn't be simpler.


Tofu Nuggets
Adapted from Nava Atlas

• 1 lb. block extra firm tofu (I like the locally made Sacramento Company)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp. cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a nonstick baking sheet. Cut the tofu crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slabs and blot with a paper towel to remove moisture. Cut each slab into 1/2-inch by 1-inch nuggets.

In a shallow baking dish gently toss the tofu in the oil. Mix the other ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the tofu. Toss gently some more, until the nuggets are well coated.

Arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes, then turn carefully and bake another 10 minutes, or until golden and firm. Serve with the sauce of your choice.

Eating Rainbows

Recently I led the morning circle at my daughter's preschool, hoping to teach them their fruits and avoid the situation in Jamie Oliver's video. Here are the basics of what I said:

Me: Do you like food?
Preschoolers: Yeah!
Me: Do you like rainbows?
Preschoolers: Yeah!
Me: Do you like to eat rainbows?
Preschoolers: Wah?
Me: Did you know that it's healthy to "eat rainbows"? And why do children want to be healthy?
Preschoolers: So that they don't get sick and they grow big and strong.
Me: Well, one way to make yourself more healthy is to eat every color of the rainbow.

We talked about all the different-looking fruits that are out there. Then we made our very own rainbow smoothies. I put several colors of fruits in a blender and blended it up to see what color the smoothie became. And finally, we all tasted.



It was a great experience, and I think everybody was pretty excited about it. I literally made smoothies until I ran out of fruit. Before I knew it I had passed out smoothie samples and recipes to all of the teachers in the school. And this is still posted on the classroom bulletin board:

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Make Rainbow Smoothies at Home

You’ll need:

• 2 cups of orange juice
• ½ cup yogurt (optional, any flavor)
• 1 banana, broken in half
• 16 whole frozen strawberries
• 2 handfuls frozen blueberries
• 1 handful frozen peach slices

Place all ingredients in your blender bowl. Pulse until the large pieces of fruit have broken up, then blend until smooth. Stir once or twice, and add more liquid if the blender has trouble breaking up the frozen fruit.

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So tell me, do you eat rainbows? If not, you just might try!

Greetings

Happy Friday!

Make it Sprinkle-y

Here's to an oh-so-sweet weekend!


If you care to try these out, you should know that they are down-and-dirty easy. I just melted some chocolate chips in the microwave, coated half of several large pretzel sticks, and then rolled them in the brightest sprinkles I could find. Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount of sprinkles it takes to do this and thought that I had enough on hand. What was supposed to be a Valentine treat for all of my toddler's teachers at her school turned into a yummy treat for just us to enjoy at home. Next year will involve better planning ~ and more sprinkles in the cupboard!

Seasonal Blending

All of a sudden it seems like the perfect time for a smoothie. I probably feel that way because smoothies remind me of summer. (Warm nights on the patio, everybody's carefree attitude, vacation ~ what's not to miss?) And today is certainly a day to daydream of summer. Currently there's a storm sitting over Northern California. The wind is outrageous, roaring outside and whistling as it rushes through the rafters of my house. At times it looks like the two redwoods looming over my backward may come plummeting down. Eek!

But back to the smoothies. . . One final reason to make a smoothie is that they're an easy way to detox from November and December eating. And they taste great!


The basics of smoothie-making are straightforward enough. The most important rule is to use enough liquid so that your blender can handle the frozen fruit. (I broke many blenders before I knew this, so take heed!) Use at least a cup of liquid, and add more if it seems too thick or if your blender is having trouble processing. Start with a few quick pulses to break up the frozen fruit, stirring with a spoon once or twice in between pulses. Finish by letting the blender run for ten seconds or so.


My basic recipe includes:

• a cup or more of orange juice (this adds sweetness)
• about 1/3 cup of yogurt, plain or vanilla (more if you want a creamier smoothie)
  
• 1 banana, preferably cold
• several handfuls of frozen strawberries (approximately 2 cups)

I sometimes substitute other frozen fruit for some of the strawberries, such as frozen blueberries or peaches. But since the strawberries add a lot of sweetness, I usually don't eliminate them altogether. Happy Blending!

Saved By the Bell-Shaped Pasta

I just love this pasta glossary, recently featured on the Kitchn. It reminded me that not all pastas are created equal. Sometimes it really does matter what shape of pasta you use.

Pasta is often my go-to genre when there are many hungry bellies to feed and when I hope to satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. It also works well for both children and adults. Recently I've been saved by two particular shapes of pasta. On Christmas Day I was saved by the bell-shaped pasta Campanelle, which I made with Mark Bittman's Chestnut Cream. The sauce was super simple, could be made in advance, and was hearty enough to satisfy any appetite. As a nice plus, it could also be easily adapted to a vegan diet by substituting a non-dairy milk. The Campanelle shape held the sauce well and prettied up an otherwise mono-color dish.



On another occasion I was saved by the corkscrew-shaped pasta Cavatappi, which I think is the perfect choice for multi-generational mac 'n' cheese. When it's smothered in cheese sauce it has the look of elbow macaroni for the kids, with a little sophistication for the adults.



When I volunteer to take a main dish to a party at my toddler's preschool I most often turn to the quick and foolproof quesadilla, which can also be dressed up to suit a variety of tastes. But for my toddler's recent holiday party I branched out and made a super-simple and super-sized batch of Cavatappi macaroni 'n' cheese. This recipe also lends itself to adaptation, since you could easily substitute a stronger cheese to make it more over-the-top. (Goat cheese? I've tried it, it's great. Blue cheese? That'll be next!)

Recipes below. . .

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Mark Bittman's Chestnut Cream available here on page 457.

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Macaroni 'n' Cheese for a Crowd
Serves 12-15 adult main course portions

• 1 1/2 lbs pasta
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 6 tbsp. flour
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• 3 cups milk
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 4 cups shredded cheese (I used 3 c. sharp cheddar and 1 c. medium cheddar)
• salt and pepper
  

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water per instructions. Meanwhile melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low. Whisk in the flour and mustard and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and cayenne, and whisk to start breaking up the clumps. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking very often. Once the milk is just at boiling, turn the heat to low. Slowly add in the cheese, whisking constantly. The cheese may appear to clump at first, but if you keep whisking it will smooth out. Once the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth, add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the hot pasta and stir to coat. There will be a lot of sauce at first, but the consistency will be perfectly creamy once you stir it a bit. Serve hot.

Something Sweet

As I mentioned before, I think that December is a stressful month for a lot of people. So I look for creative ways to take time out from the hubbub. It doesn't take much for me to feel re-centered again, ready to tackle anything.

Here's an idea: Savor something sweet. Like these little sandwich cookies. (I buy them at Ikea, but I think you can also get them at Cost Plus World Market.)



These cookies instantly remind me of the sandwich cookies of my childhood. And the hazelnut filling is so much like Nutella that I think of the Nutella-filled crepes that I sampled on the streets of Paris.

So fun. So simple. So sweet.

Crunchy Vegetables

Do you have any tricks for making sure that you "eat your vegetables" so to speak?

We've developed a trick at our house that's not half bad. My toddler has always been so-so at eating her veggies. She's always been fairly willing to try veggies, but in the past she didn't get much beyond licking the broccoli, nibbling the carrot, or eating a single sliced cucumber.

She's a changed girl now. One day I bit into a thick baby carrot at the dinner table. It made a huge noise that got everyone's attention. Next thing you know we were ALL crunching on carrots, trying to see who could crunch the loudest. My toddler has quite a sense of competition, so we've continued this game at nearly every meal since. We all love it, and I think we all eat more veggies as a result. We eat crunchy broccoli, crunchy celery, even crunchy lettuce. (In case you were wondering, Romaine is the crunchiest lettuce!)

So I challenge you to see if you can crunch your vegetables. You might even crunch louder than your neighbor!

Dillas

We eat a lot of quesadillas at our house. They're quick, easy, and can be customized to fit everyone's taste. In fact, simple cheese quesadillas have become my signature contribution at weeknight school events when I have very little time to prep. The kids eat them plain, and I add a bowl of salsa alongside for the adults to spice theirs up. I can purchase 3 ingredients (tortillas, cheese, salsa), make an entire lasagna pan of them in about 30 minutes, and keep them warm in the oven until I cart them off to whatever kid-event they're headed to. It works out great for everyone!

Recently I was doing this exact thing when I decided to make a few extra "adult" quesadillas using whatever I happened to have in the fridge. This ended up being a great discovery, on par with macaroni and cheese or strawberry shortcake. I mean it - these are scrumptious! Next time you're in the food doldrums and need a quick solution, definitely try these out. Just remember to make extra!

Simple Spinach Quesadillas

• 4 taco-sized tortillas (flour, wheat, or corn)
• About 1 1/3 cups of shredded Mexican cheese (jack or cheddar will also do fine)
• About 2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 3 green onions, white and light green parts, cut lengthwise into fourths, then very finely sliced
  

First prep the cheese and veggies. Warm a skillet or grill pan on medium. To assemble the quesadillas, put about 1/2 a tablespoon of green onions on one half of each tortilla. Then spread about 1/3 cup of cheese over that. Finally, spread 1/2 cup of spinach on top. The tortillas will seem very full - fold in half and crease slightly so they stay closed. Grill for a few minutes on each side, pressing them closed occasionally with a spatula to help the spinach to cook down. Enjoy!