My Foodie Call

So I belong to this really awesome lunch group called the Taste and See. Basically the Taste and See is just a group of women  that meet once a month in someone’s home to prepare and cook incredible plant-based meals. The lunches are held from 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM, and really…we just learn from each other and eat a great meal.

That simple. I am not sure about you, but I eat on the go WAY too much. Sitting an eating a lunch with awesome people and good conversation should be a top priority. I am working on this….

Furthermore, the relationships that I have developed through the Taste and See have been so rewarding and to eat great food together? Bonus.

As mentioned, this lunch group only meets once a month and we keep it simple. 11:00 AM-1:00 PM. Each menu is different, brainstormed and  decided upon a few months in advance, and then ingredients are divvied up so we can shop, and then create kitchen mayhem.

We cook, sit, eat, leave. Good food, good conversation. Love it.

If you live in the Charleston area, take a break and come join us. http://www.totallyfit.org/totally-fit-programs/taste-and-see/

The point of today’s post?

Right in line with the adult Taste and See, we felt the need to get the kids in the kitchen for their own Taste and See. Whether they want to or not. 🙂 It’s all fine if mom is eating healthy but to try to execute that on the home front? This is a whole different ballgame. Especially with the junk food forces at school and soccer shenanigans working against us. So the mission for the Kids’ Taste and See was to keep it simple, get the kids cooking, and possibly open some eyes to wholesome, plant-based foods.

Alas, the Taste and See 2. Same deal, 11:00 AM-1:00PM, except not monthly…baby steps.

This past Monday we had our third Taste and See 2 (woot woot), and it was fun, fast and all hands were on deck.

On the menu? We did a “Build-your-own” Greens and Grains Veggie Bowl. Check out a few pictures from our day, and if you scroll through, you will see the actual menu further below.

Cooking up some broccoli and cauliflower. We try to get the kids to do as much as possible, although parents are around to help and guide if need be.

Slicing some avocado.

My own little  tall lady hard at work.

Older kids were assigned the more difficult cutting, like carrots, while the younger ones did the leafy greens.

Measuring and whisking up the peanut sauce. This one was my fave!

These were put together by the younger kids. There was a job for everyone.

Pick your green, pick your grain. Pretty self-explanatory. Purposely did not include brown rice in our assembly line. Why? Most kids do just fine with rice. The point is for kids to venture out and possibly explore farro…

Really the possibilities are endless with this. We limited the options so that parents didn’t have to take out a second mortgage to afford their ingredients.

The crew. Ready to divide and conquer.

Okay, so a couple of things on the pictures. There are not near as many as I would have liked for various reasons.

For example, I had to shoot home because I forgot to bring one crucial ingredient for one of our sauces, miso paste. Womp Womp…Also regarding the pictures. Although the boys do not appear to have helped at all in the prep, it’s because while I was home getting the miso, they had been there, done that. By the time I got back with the stuff they were way beyond their kitchen duties and practicing their zip-lining skills out back of the house.

Another thing. I kind of attacked the food when I got back so no end result Grains and Greens Veggie Bowl picture. Forgive me if I post our exact menu??

Kids Taste and See 2-

February 17, 2014

Grains and Greens Bowls

(main course)

Choose your greens:

• Organic Romaine Hearts (1 package, chopped)
• Organic Spinach (1-5 oz package, chopped)

Choose your grain:

• Whole Wheat Couscous (cook according to package instructions)
• Farro (cook according to package instructions)

Choose your vegetables:

• Broccoli (1 head, chopped and lightly cooked)
• Cauliflower (1 head, chopped and lightly cooked)
• Sweet potato  (2 lb. bag cooked and cubed)
• Carrots (1 package long, chopped and lightly cooked)
• Red peppers (2, seeds removed, and fine-chopped)
• Cucumber (2 peeled and fine chopped)
• Avocado (2, cubed)

Choose your protein:

• garbanzo beans (1 can organic)
• black beans (1 can organic)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pepitas

 Sauces

1) Ginger-sesame Sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 tsp white miso
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2-4 Tbsp Honey, to taste
• Approximately 1/4 cup both water and extra virgin olive oil (until you reach desired consistency and taste)

Whisk together until well incorporated

2) Peanut Sauce 

• 6 tbsp natural smooth peanut butter (melt it a bit if too hard)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-4 tsp ginger, grated
• 2-4 tsp soy sauce, to taste
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Add water until you reach desired consistency

Whisk together until well incorporated

Dessert

Walnut Oatmeal Date Balls

Ingredients:

• 12 Medjool dates, pitted
• 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup raw walnuts

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything is blended together and a thick batter forms
2. Roll batter into balls and refrigerate until ready to eat

http://www.pbfingers.com/2012/03/04/walnut-oatmeal-date-balls

Drink

Raspberry Zinger Iced Tea with Stevia

• 1 box Celestial Seasonings raspberry zinger tea bags
• Stevia

Pour 8 cups boiling water over eight tea bags in a heat-resistant container. Steep 4 to 6 minutes and remove tea bags. If desired, add sweetener while tea is hot. Add 4 cups cold water and chill.