JoyFoodly

  • About
  • Blog

Joyful 12

enter here

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Teach Your Kids To Make Camp Cauliflower’s Raviolis (so you don’t have to)!

Jun 1 by Elena Dennis 1 Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

10

Natalie scrunched her nose and shook her head in disgust; she had a serious dislike for tomatoes. I encouraged the students, “Everyone must try everything while we cook. You never know, you might like it!” This was my father’s mantra when my brother and I were growing up; nothing on our plate was left untasted. Throughout the week, I made sure Natalie didn’t avoid any part of the meal that had tomatoes. Slowly, I started to notice her opening up, however I still wasn’t convinced of any significant breakthrough.

2

A week after the camp, I was at the farmer’s market buying some fresh produce. I heard a high-pitched voice yell, “Mommy, we need these for the sauce!” Looking up, I saw Natalie at the same stand, smiling and holding three ruby red tomatoes. “Natalie! Are you buying tomatoes?” She looked up and nodded. “We’re making the tomato sauce that we made at Camp Cauliflower!”

6

Creating Camp Cauliflower, a nutritionally focused and nonprofit summer program, was the culmination of my love for healthy cooking, something I inherited from my father. I remember my first bite into my dad’s vegetarian taco; freshly made salsa and creamy guacamole tickled my taste buds with flavor, making me wonder how he made such a delicious meal from such basic ingredients. For as long as I can remember my father has prepared a wholesome and hearty meal every night for my family.

4

Our family has been labelled the “busiest bunch in Marin County;” however, we always make sure to sit down and eat dinner together every evening. Whether my brother is rushing to basketball practice or my mother is working with a client, we will always wait until everyone is home to start our meal. I remember watching my dad make pizza dough for the first time; seeing the bubbles rise to the top of the yeast, warm water and sugar mixture at the bottom of the bowl astounded me. With a little flour, this substance would eventually become a ball a dough, ready to go into the oven. The purity of these ingredients made me realize the importance of knowing what goes into our food.

3

My experimentation with flavors became second nature to me as I learned the secret behind altering a sauce’s sweetness, saltiness, or spiciness. I find that cooking lets me connect to my family through the conversation and activity that occurs in the kitchen; while my mom makes her famous kale salad, I’m helping my father assemble the homemade ravioli. My brother is known as the brave taster, making “sure that nothing is poisonous.” My most memorable moments are the ones spent in the kitchen with my whole family.

7

To make Camp Cauliflower a reality, I created an online fundraising campaign, connected with the head of the Food and Nutrition Program in Novato, organized my friends as volunteers in the kitchen, and asked local grocery stores for donations; I was determined to make this camp free to the children who wanted to attend and to give them the experience of cooking in a commercial kitchen. During the week, I led the five campers through hands-on cooking projects, making an organic and nutritious lunch every day. That very next week at the market, Natalie proved the camp’s mission successful.

8

Now it’s your turn to dive into one of our camp experiences! Try out this delicious recipe the Camp Cauliflower kids made last summer.

Whole-Wheat Ravioli with a Spinach-Ricotta Filling
2015-05-28 13:17:36
Serves 4
Culinary Note: Don’t be discouraged if the dough doesn’t come out perfect after the first mix. I’ve found that this recipe yields a pretty dry dough so make sure to have a cup of water next to you in case all the ingredients aren’t thoroughly incorporated.
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
55 min
For the Dough
  1. All Purpose Flour, 1 ¼ cup
  2. Whole Wheat Flour, 1 ¼ cup
  3. Eggs, 3
  4. Olive Oil, 1 TBSP
  5. Salt, pinch
For the Spinach-Ricotta Filling
  1. Part skim ricotta cheese, 1 cup
  2. Grated parmesan cheese, ¾ cup
  3. Fresh Italian parsley, 2 TBSP
  4. Sage, 1 TBSP
  5. Freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 TSP
  6. Ground pepper, 1/2 TSP
  7. Salt, 1 TSP
  8. Fresh Spinach, 3/4 pound
For the Tomato Sauce
  1. Ripe Roma Tomatoes, 2 lbs
  2. Olive Oil, 3 TBSP
  3. Yellow Onion, 2/3 cup
  4. Cloves of garlic, 4
  5. Rosemary leaves, 2 TSP
  6. Fresh Oregano, 2 TSP
  7. Balsamic vinegar, 2 TBSP
  8. Salt and Pepper to taste
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach. Wash all ingredients.
  2. Mound flour and salt in a pile and make a large well in the center. Crack the egg into the the well, add oil, and carefully beat with a fork. Incorporate flour into the egg by continuing to whisk with the with fork. Once flour and egg are fairly well mixed, use a board scraper to cut and mix dough further. Scrape and roll the dough into a ball.
  3. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface by hand for five minutes to yield a smooth, not too wet or too dry, firmer than bread dough. Let dough rest under inverted bowl for 15 minutes.
  4. Measure out all ingredients for the Spinach-Ricotta filling and place in a mixing bowl.
  5. Mince parsley and sage. Add to bowl.
  6. Wilt and stir fresh spinach. Cool, drain well and press out all remaining water. Chop very fine and add to ricotta mix. Refrigerate mix until you need it.
Prep the tomato sauce
  1. Blanch and seed Roma tomatoes. Set aside.
  2. Chop onion.
  3. Mince garlic, rosemary leaves, and oregano.
Assembly/Cook
  1. Roll dough with rolling pin and cut into squares with pizza or pasta cutter. Place a teaspoon of filling in each square. Brush edges of ravioli with egg wash, put top on ravioli and press edges to seal. Place ravioli on flour dusted tray and let dry. Drop raviolis in boiling water for 4 minutes and then remove.
  2. For sauce, heat a sauce pan and add oil. Add onions and sauté for a few minutes until translucent. Turn off heat and add garlic, rosemary, and dried seasonings if using. Sauté on residual heat until soft and fragrant. Do not burn garlic.
  3. Add tomatoes and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes until tomatoes have broken down. Add fresh herbs, vinegar and seasonings and stir over heat to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking!
Notes
  1. This recipe is not gluten-free
By Elena Dennis
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/

Filed Under: Guest Post, Meatless Monday, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: dinner, summer, tomato, vegetarian

Elena’s Kickin’ Southwestern Quinoa Salad With Mango Salsa

May 18 by Elena Dennis Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestmail

joyfoodlyfood-143

Please welcome Elena Dennis to our Joyfoodly community. She’s not only our spring intern at Joyfoodly, but she’s a fellow educator who has a passion for teaching children to love eating seasonal vegetables and fruits through the camp she started at the tender age of 17–Camp Cauliflower. Please welcome Elena as she shares her passion for living veggie love in these next few blog posts:

I still remember the expression on my best friend’s face when I told her. We were sitting in the food court of the Northgate Mall, a bowl of teriyaki chicken and rice placed in front of us. The majority of the broccoli and carrots were pulled to my side of the plate while the tender chicken strips were gathered near her fork. Surprised that I wasn’t digging into the sweet and sour flavors of this slowly roasted bird, I decided to break the news.

joyfoodlyfood-141

That’s right folks. I officially announced my vegetarianism. However, I didn’t realize the slew of questions I would receive when converting over to a life full of veggies. Let me share some of the FAQs I’ve found over my three years of being a veg.

#1: How do you live?

Well, I’m able to talk, breathe, eat, and laugh, so living isn’t too difficult. I’ve never been the biggest red meat eater, and to be honest, I love vegetables so being vegetarian isn’t a bad lifestyle for me. However, I can see why people ask that question all the time, which brings me to #2.

joyfoodlyfood-142

#2: How do you get enough protein?

Research. It’s all about taking out the fat Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition and reading. I’ve found that my favorite sources of protein are quinoa, beans and rice, greek yogurt, and almonds. These are also incredibly versatile ingredients, which you can use and substitute into about any recipe.

joyfoodlyfood-148

#3: What do you usually make for dinner?

And this question brings me to my favorite dish: quinoa bowls. Whether it’s chopped cold carrots and celery or sautéed chard and kale doused in a ginger-miso sauce, I can confidently say that you could put anything on quinoa and feel satisfied after. These fluffy seeds are chock-full of essential amino acids that fulfill my complete protein requirement per day. I’ve been one to sprinkle toasted almonds and pecans over a honey-drizzled bowl of quinoa or create a cheesy quinoa mixture and stuff it into a roasted pepper. However, there is one quinoa dish in particular that I could eat for the rest of my life.

joyfoodlyfood-145

Behold, the Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad. Whew—that’s a mouthful. But it’s a mouthful of deliciousness! I’ve always loved the combination of black beans and cilantro; it reminds of my father’s famous beans and rice that he introduced to me when I was a youngin’. This dish definitely leaves me feeling full, but not lethargic, which is very important as a hustling and bustling student.

joyfoodlyfood-151

With bursting colors of orange, green, white, and black, this zesty salad truly knows how to bring a family together. I’ve been one to finish off a whole bowl of this stuff with my brother and parents in one sitting. Sad? Definitely not! Because even though we left the table feeling as if our stomachs were a couple of inches wider, we were able to enjoy each other’s presence in the process.

joyfoodlyfood-136

Elena’s Kickin’ Southwestern Quinoa Salad With Mango Salsa
2015-05-14 13:40:47
Serves 3
Culinary note: You can top this bowl with just about anything! My favorite is avocado or the mango salsa, but you could throw in some regular pico de gallo or plain ol’ tomatoes.
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
10 min
For the Quinoa Bowl
  1. Black beans, 30 oz
  2. Quinoa, 1 cup (uncooked)
  3. Cilantro, 1 bunch
  4. Carrots, 4, medium
  5. Green onions, 1 bunch
For the Lime Vinaigrette
  1. Limes, 2
  2. Olive oil, 1/3 cup
  3. Cumin, 1/4 tsp
  4. Garlic, 1 clove
  5. Maple syrup, 1 tsp
  6. Salt, 1/2 tsp
For the Mango Salsa
  1. Mangoes, 2
  2. Garlic, 2 cloves
  3. Habanero pepper, 1-2 (small)
  4. Shallot, 1
  5. Lime, 1
  6. Salt, approximately 1/2 tsp
Prep
  1. Take 5 minutes to get out all your ingredients, measuring and cooking equipment needed, and place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach. Wash all ingredients.
  2. Cook quinoa. Being 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water up to a boil. Once you reach a boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Leave this mixture cooking while you prep the vegetables.
  3. Peel and shred the carrots. Place in large mixing bowl.
  4. Remove lower stems only and rough chop the leaves. Add to carrots.
  5. Chop the green parts of the green onions and add to the other vegetables. Make sure to save the white parts of the onions for another recipe!
  6. Drain and rinse black beans. Add them to the bowl.
Make the mango salsa--in a separate bowl, prep and combine
  1. Peel and cut mango meat off of pit and place in separate bowl. Using your hands, squeeze pulp off of the pit and place into bowl.
  2. Peel and chop garlic.
  3. Rinse and chop Habanero pepper. WARNING: do not touch your eyes after handling Habanero peppers; they will sting! Make sure to thoroughly wash your hands after touching them.
  4. Peel and finely chop the shallot. Make sure the pieces are very small!
  5. Juice the lime and add salt. Set aside.
Assemble
  1. Once quinoa has finished cooking, take a fork and fluff the grains. Pour the cooked grains onto a cookie sheet, spread them, and let dry while you prepare the vinaigrette.
  2. Measure out all the ingredients of the lime vinaigrette and whisk in a bowl or quickly blend in blender.
  3. Add cooked quinoa to the bowl of prepped veggies, give the mixture a solid toss, and then mix in the lime vinaigrette.
  4. Enjoy a bowl of my Southwestern quinoa dish with a large dollop of mango salsa on top, or eat them separately! Both options are equally delicious!
By Elena Dennis
JoyFoodly http://www.joyfoodly.com/
I want to give a BIG thank you to Chef Hollie Greene for allowing me this amazing opportunity to intern and blog on JoyFoodly. From working with her, I can already feel my skills as a blogger, educator, and lover of fruits and vegetables grow!

-Elena-

Filed Under: Meatless Monday, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: carrot, green onions, meatless monday, quinoa, salad, summer, vegan, vegetarian

Hey, I’m Chef Hollie!

Here at JoyFoodly we help families joyfully eat more fruits and veggies each season. I am passionate about helping parents feel good about the food they feed their kids.

Learn more about JoyFoodly

Search Our Site

Explore The Joyful Blog

by Season

Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring

by Meal

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Appetizers, Dessert, Sides, Soups, Salads, Meatless Monday

Our Favorites

Videos

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Official Meatless Monday Blogger
HeartofMarin 2016 Nominee
  • Home
  • Joyful 12
  • About
  • Our People
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Blog
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

The information on this website is designed for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information found on this website to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare providers (such as a pediatric dietitian) with any questions regarding a medical condition, nutritional issue or any eating/feeding problem.