Good Morning!

If you didn’t have a chance to read the NYT article last week about Alice Waters and her new book, “The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons and Recipes From a Delicious Revolution” (Clarkson Potter, October) check out the article online: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/dining/19wate.html

Among other things, the article makes brief mention of the Edible Schoolyard project in Berkeley: “Her pioneering Edible Schoolyard project, in which schoolchildren grow their own lunch and teachers use gardens for science lessons and recipes for social studies, is thriving in Berkeley, has been planted in New Orleans and may expand to Pittsburgh and Brooklyn. But in more than a decade the concept has not permeated the nation’s thinking on education.” Well, it has permeated into Ann Arbor.

Ann Arborites should be proud of the local initiative called “The Agrarian Adventure,” online at: http://agrarianadventure.org/index.html . Look over their website and see what the Agrarian Adventure is striving to accomplish.

This organization is working out of Tappan Middle School. They are creating programming in the K-12 public schools that reveals to kids the very fundamental connections between the food they eat, their health, their environment, and their community. Among other activities, this organization helps to run the Tappan Food and Garden Club where the kids, parents and community volunteers maintain an organic garden and greenhouse. It is really quite impressive; take a walk over to the Tappan field and look around.

I am inspired by the wonderful people who volunteer their time and expertise to such a vital program for our kids and our community. I’m committing to volunteer with the Agrarian Adventure and I hope you will consider supporting this organization as well.

Their website isn’t up to date, so be sure to make it a point to volunteer or support the “Agrarian Adventure Harvest Dinner,” Friday, October 12 at 6-8pm. To volunteer or get more information, email: info@agrarianadventure.org

Ellen

It’s been a long time since I’ve written a post. While the kids have been enjoying the recent hot weather at the pool, I’ve been spending a lot of time trying new recipes and pulling together new menus for meal kits for late summer and fall. One of my favorite sources for interesting vegetarian recipes is Heidi Swanson’s website www.101cookbooks.com. This website is a terrific resource if you are trying to improve the quality of your diet and move toward more vegetarian foods. Browsing around you’ll find lots of valuable information, tips and recipes. Swanson’s first cookbook, Cook 1.0: A Fresh Approach to the Vegetarian Kitchen, has lots of simple recipes organized in a rather unique manner. She gives base recipes that can be modified with interesting ingredients and it’s all layed out in a table format. It’s also a very pretty book with nice food photography. From the website, you might want to try the recently posted recipe for a summer quinoa salad, it’s very good. We left out the goat cheese and added very salty black olives. My daughter loves olives. You’ll find all kinds of uses for the avocado dressing, too: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/quinoa-and-grilled-zucchini-recipe.html

You might also find it interesting that there was an article in the Utne Reader about Heidi Swnson’s website along with some updates on the controversy surrounding soy. You can check out all the articles online at: http://www.utne.com/issues/2007_142/features/12609-1.html

If this rain lasts all day, you can look for a posting very soon with all the ingredients for this weeks menus!

Ellen

I thought I’d use this blog to share quick prep recipes and other helpful cooking and food tips.  One cookbook that I am using for some of my summer recipes is Peter Berley’s book:  Fresh Food Fast (Regan Books, 2004) Copyright 2004 by Peter Berley. 

Check it out, it’s a pretty book for your collection.  I think that you will find it has some wonderful recipes using common ingredients in creative ways.  It is organized by season, so you can be sure to use Michigan fresh produce that is readily available now and LOCAL.  The book even gives you shopping lists, if you’re the organized type (not me!). Speaking of LOCAL, I’ve been trying to use as much local produce in our meal kits as I can find at a reasonable cost.  If you are also getting into the ‘local’ movement, you will find the Local Harvest website an invaluable resource for tracking down local products:  http://www.localharvest.org/ 

Here is a recipe from Berley’s book that I think you will enjoy as a great summer dessert using Michigan blueberries.  Don’t let the ‘Soufflé’ scare you away.  There are no egg whites to beat, and nothing to fall!  It’s an easy, guaranteed winner you will make often.  I made it with raspberries and it was terrific.   I dusted it with powdered sugar when it cooled and it was beautiful.  Don’t try this with low fat ricotta or eggbeater, it takes all the life out of it. 

Lemon-Ricotta Soufflé with Blueberries

From Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley (Regan Books, 2004) Copyright 2004 by Peter Berley.

½ C sugar

6 large eggs

grated zest of 1 lemon (buy a microplane zester, you will love it!)

1 pound of whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 pint blueberries 

1.  Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375.  Butter a 9-inch pie plate or baking dish.  Set aside 1T of sugar.  2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, remaining 7T of sugar, and lemon zest.  Add the ricotta and whisk until smooth.

3.  Pour the mixture into the pie plate and bake for 15 minutes.  Top with blueberries, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, and bake until just set, about 15 minutes more.  Serve warm or chilled. 

Enjoy,

Ellen