Oat and Fruit Breakfast Cookies

For desert, Colleen prepared a breakfast cookies recipe. Well, there is no Mexican flavours in this recipe.

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The Oat and Fruit Breakfast Cookies are high in fiber just like the Jicama Salad and Black Bean Soup with Citrus Fruit. It is soft and chewy. This is a wholesome cookie that can occasionally take the place of a real breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (ignore if you use salted butter)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup grated peeled apples
  • 2 1/3 cups rolled oats or quick cooking oats
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/3 cup currants

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Currants, also known as Zante currants come from Black Corinth grapes (sometimes called Champagne grapes). Like raisins, they have a significant amount of fiber, iron and potassium.

Source: via Colleen

Yield 16 large cookies

P/S: the kitchen doubled the recipe

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Black Bean Soup with Citrus Fruit

The next Mexican inspired recipe is a Black Bean Soup with Citrus Fruit.

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This is high fiber soup. It is tasty and filing.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 orange
  • 1/2 lime
Garnishing:
  • 1 lime cut into 4 wedges
  • 4 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream (optional)
  • 2 green onions, chopped

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Source: via Colleen

Yield 4 servings

P/S: we doubled the recipe in the kitchen

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Jicama Salad

This is the first kitchen led by Colleen in the South Arm Seniors Kitchen. Colleen will facilitate the kitchen for a couple of months until it breaks for the summer.

Colleen planned a Mexican theme for this kitchen. She said the meal is Mexican flavoured and may not be authentic.

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The first recipe is Jicama Salad which is crunchy and colourful.

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Jicama (pronounced he-cah-mah), is the root of a vine native to Mexico and Central America. In Mexico it is usually served with fruit covered in lime juice and seasoned with salt and chili pepper. Jicama is crunchy, juicy and has the texture that is similar to Asian pear.

Jicama is a great source of dietary fiber (6.4g per cup) and Vitamin C (1 cup provides 40% of daily value recommended). It also contains calcium, iron, Vitamin A and potassium.

You can get jicama from Real Canadian Superstore and most Chinese groceries stores.

Ingredients

  • 1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 1/2 of each of red, green and yellow pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 navel orange, cut away peel, sliced crosswise, then quarter each round
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of paprika

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Source: via Colleen

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Stewed Apples

For dessert, Minoo prepared a Stewed Apples for the South Arm Community Kitchen.

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The Stewed Apple if topped with vanilla ice-cream will make an exquisite dessert.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cubed apples
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup water or apple juice
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • dash of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg

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Source: via Minoo

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Mixed Green Salad

Minoo complements the Classic Lasagna with a simple Mixed Green Salad.

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The Mixed Green Salad is dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. I would add a touch of honey to cut the acidity of the vinegar.

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
  • 15 to 20 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Source: via Minoo

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Classic Lasagna

The main course for the South Arm Community Kitchen is a Classic Lasagna. Lasagna noodle is a wide and flat type of pasta.

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Kids will love this cheesy Classic Lasagna. It is great for pot luck.

Ingredients

  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 1 tub (475g) extra smooth ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pinch pepper
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Tomato Meat Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 2 cans tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil

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Source: this recipe is adapted from Canadian Living

Serves 12

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Spiced Carrot and Celery Soup

Minoo prepared four recipes for the South Arm Community Kitchen for this meet. We started with a simple, colourful, lively and warming soup.

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The simple carrot and celery is spiced up with curry powder. You can add any leftover food like ham or roasted chicken shreds into the  soup to make it more appealing to kids. The addition of potatoes or grains will make it more creamy and hearty.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 6 medium carrots, diced
  • 4 large sticks of celery, diced
  • 4 cups water or vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Source: this recipe is adapted from Vegan Family House (UK)

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No Bake Cookies

The second dessert prepared by Michelle in the South Arm Seniors Kitchen is a No Bake Cookie.

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These No Bake Cookies freeze well. It is a healthy snack for your kids’ lunch box. You can substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter if your kids’ school is a peanut free zone which most schools are.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar or cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup pure cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 3 cups quick oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, optional
  • 1/4 cup flaxmeal
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ

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Source: via Michelle

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Black Bottom Banana Cake Squares

Michelle shared a banana cake recipe for dessert at the South Arm Seniors Kitchen. In fact, we had two desserts for this kitchen. We enjoyed the double desserts from Michelle’s cravings for sweets during her last leg of pregnancies. The recipe is inspired by Stella’s contributions of frozen bananas from her freezer.

Michelle told us that the best way to freeze unused ripen banana is as it is. Do not store them in ziplock bag or they’ll become soggy.

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This Black Bottom Banana Cake Squares are very moist.  The cocoa adds the chocolate flavour without adding extra sweetness.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 6 bananas, mashed
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder

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Source: Hospitalilty: Cooking the Doukhobor Way

P/S: You can halve the recipe easily and bake in a 8″x8″ square pan

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Cheddar Chive Scones

Instead of crusty bread, Michelle served the Creamy Kale and Vegetable Soup with Cheddar Chive Scones. It is just a perfect marriage, creamy soup with cheese scone.

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This is a scone recipe that does not have tons of butter. The fat comes from the cheese and heavy cream.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups unbleached plus 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 1/2 cups grated medium to sharp cheese
  • 2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing

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Source: epicurious.com

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