Winter Break

Our new baby boy is arriving by c-section Monday, November 10th so classes are on hold for a little while. I am anticipating starting them back up in February. I will keep you posted!

Whole Foods Classes

Click here to check out the two upcoming classes I will be teaching at Whole Foods! Pass the word along if you know anyone that would be interested in taking a class. They are a lot of fun and the store is amazing!

FBC Fall Class Schedule

September 8th
'Fall Fare'
- Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions
- Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Spiced Bulgur Salad
$10
*Recipes subject to change*

September 29th
'Holiday Baking'
- Gingerbread Apple Pie
- Fall Fruit Crisp
- Pumpkin Pie
$10
*Recipes subject to change*

October 20th
'Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner'
- Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Squash
- Mashed Potatoes with Chickpea Gravy
- Crusted Tofu Filets
$10
*Recipes subject to change*

** Sign up at the church or through me. Payment is due at sign-up

Fall Classes

Sign-ups for my fall classes are almost here. I will post the links to the classes at Hutchins Street Square and Whole Foods Market when they become available. Sign-ups for the FBC classes just started. They are some really great classes and I am so excited to teach them!

Summer Break

There will be no class in July or August. They will start back up in September and I am already excited for it. All the fall and holiday recipes, I am going to have a hard time picking which recipes to teach! I am planning on doing a stuffed class with stuffed tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, etc., maybe a casserole/soup class, possible a kid friendly class, holiday baking, and probably a Thanksgiving/Christmas combined class. Check back for more info.

Great class!

Thank you to all who came to the last class. It was my favorite one! (I say that every time) I will be posting the recipes soon. Try them at least once this summer, they are worth it!

June Class

The next Conscious Cooking class is scheduled for Monday June 2nd. It is going to be 'Summer Fare'. I haven't nailed down the menu yet but I do know I will be doing my favorite dairy free potato salad and veggie burgers. Let me know if you want to sign up. The class is $5 and payment is due before the day of class.

Class This Monday!

Just a reminder that the Conscious Cooking class is this coming Monday night. I have a lot signed up so please let me know if you haven't signed up already and would like to come. Also, please let me know if you are bringing a friend. Some of the tentative recipes are Spinach & Garbanzo Bean Salad, BBQ Tofu with a Cherry BBQ Sauce, Toasted Panzenella and Fruit Skewers!

Get 'green-washed' with Wet Seal

Wet Seal has a new 'eco-conscious' line out that was made using standard anti-eco techniques! Normal cotton and inks, normal polluting shipment, normal disposal. 'Green-washing' is now an actual term and "in case you haven't heard the term before, all knowing Wikipedia describes green washing as, "a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.""

Oaxacan Rice and Beans

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6 side dish or 4 main dish

Ingredients:

½ cup finely chopped carrot

½ cup chopped onion

1 pasilla pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup rice

2 ¼ cup vegetable broth

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup green beans, diced

1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

- Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add carrot, onion, peppers and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

- Stir in uncooked rice. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

- Slowly stir in broth and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

- Add green beans. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

- Stir in black beans; heat through.

(Recipe modified by Dayna Panella from Better Homes & Gardens)

Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Burritos

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 – 40 minutes

Serves: 8 – 10 burritos

Ingredients:

1 pound (1 tub) firm tofu

¾ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1 medium onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

8 oz carrots, diced
2 extra large potatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 medium zucchini, diced
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4 celery stalks, diced
1 15oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (you can use any type of bean you like)

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

½ cup cilantro

Olive oil

Salt and pepper
1 package large flour tortillas

Guacamole (optional)

Hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400°F

- Drain tofu and press out excess water.

- Crumble tofu. Add turmeric, if using, and stir well.

- Chop all the vegetables approximately the same size so that they will cook evenly.
- Place tofu and vegetables on a large cookie sheet , making sure they're spread evenly and not too thickly.

- Mix about ½ cup olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper around with the vegetables to coat evenly. - Roast in the oven, uncovered, until mixture is lightly charred, about 30 – 40 minutes.

- When mixture is done, mix with the beans of your choice, & spoon the filling onto warmed tortillas.

- Season the burritos with whatever you like, roll and serve.

(Recipe by Dayna Panella)

Mexican Bulgur Salad

Standing time: 1 hour

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Serves: 8 as a side dish

Ingredients:

1 cup boiling-hot vegetable broth or water

1 cup coarse bulgur
¼ – ½ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

3 large plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup diced cored seedless cucumber
1 cup diced peeled jicama
1½ - 2 cups chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped mint leaves
¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

- Pour boiling broth or water over bulgur in a heatproof bowl, then cover bowl tightly with a plate and let stand 1 hour.

- Transfer to a large bowl. Add ¼ cup lemon juice, oil, cumin, and salt and toss well.

Stir in tomatoes, cucumber, jicama, 1½ cups cilantro, mint and pine nuts.

- Add more lemon juice, cilantro, salt and pepper if desired and serve at room temperature.

- Salad can be made 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Additions: Corn, black beans, red onion

(Recipe by Dayna Panella)

Enchilada Sauce

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Serves: Approximately 1 medium pan of enchilada’s

Ingredients:

4 cups (1 carton) vegetable stock
3 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼+ cup chili powder

Directions:

- In a large sauce pan, combine the flour and oil over med-low heat to create a roux. Stir until smooth.
- Slowly whisk in your stock until dissolved.

- Once all of the stock has been added add a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder and 1/4 cup chili powder.

- Let the mixture come up to a low boil for 10 minutes and taste. Add more chili powder and salt if needed.

- Let simmer for 5 minutes.

- The consistency should be like gravy. If it is too thick it will gel when baked. Add more vegetable broth to thin it.

(Recipe modified by Dayna Panella from www.vegweb.com)

Cheesy Bean Enchiladas

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 – 45 minutes
Serves: 6-10

Ingredients:

½ cup flour
½ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cup water
1 teaspoon mustard
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) non-dairy butter or margarine
10 tortillas
1 batch of enchilada sauce or 2 small cans enchilada sauce
3 cans beans (kidney, pinto, black), drained
2 medium onions, chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro

½ cup salsa (optional)

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- In medium-large saucepan, combine flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder.

- Add water and mix thoroughly.

- Heat on medium heat until bubbling and thick.

- Remove from heat and add mustard and margarine. Set aside 1/2 cup of cheese sauce in separate container.

- Add onion, beans, cilantro and salsa to sauce. Mix it up.

- Pour a 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

- Place a tortilla in pan and cover in enchilada sauce. Spoon in filling. Roll and push to one end of pan.

- Continue until all tortillas filled.

- Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top and then spread reserved cheese sauce on as last step.

- Bake until brown, 30-45 minutes.

(Recipe modified by Dayna Panella from www.vegweb.com)

April's Class

Thank you so much for all who came! It was a packed class and I had a lot of fun. Next class is May 5th and I will be doing picnic/BBQ style food.

Salmonella Contamination

Apparently Cantaloupes are the new bewares. Here's what the FDA recommends:

* Purchase cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged. If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice.

* After purchase, refrigerate cantaloupes promptly.

* Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes.

* Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating. Don't use soap or detergents.

* Use clean cutting surfaces and utensils when cutting cantaloupes. Wash cutting boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, or seafood and the preparation of cantaloupe.

* If there happens to be a bruised or damaged area on a cantaloupe, cut away those parts before eating it.

* Leftover cut cantaloupe should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours.

* Use a cooler with ice or use ice gel packs when transporting or storing cantaloupes outdoors.

(Ban T-Shirts)

April Class

The next class is Monday April 7th at 7:00pm. I am planning on doing some Mexican recipes for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo. Let me know if you're interested.

Class Cancelled

Sooo bummed! I have caught what my daughter was sick with! Fever and a viral thing. I am assuming you do not want me cooking with that. I will post the recipes I was planning on making soon.

Protein Facts & FAQs

Compassionate Cooks info sheet:
PDF
HTML

CC FAQ sheet:
PDF
HTML

All about Tofu and Tempeh

Compassionate Cooks info sheet - PDF

Compassionate Cooks info sheet - HTML

March class

I am so excited for the next class. I have been scouring my cookbooks and trying recipes...and gaining weight from it! The class is scheduled for March 10th. If you would like to sign up for that class or if you will not be able to make the new date please let me know. There is still room!

TJ's will stop selling single item foods from China

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US grocery chain Trader Joe's said Monday it would stop selling food imported from China due to customers' concerns about the products' safety.

"Our customers have voiced concerns about products from this region and we have listened," Trader Joe's spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said in a statement.

"All single ingredient food items sourced from mainland China sre scheduled to be out of our stores by April 1," she said.

"We will continue to source products from other regions until our customers feel as confident as we do about the quality and safety of Chinese products."

A series of consumer scares last year involving harmful products from major exporter China, including seafood, cat food, medicines and toys, led to mass product recalls and the tightening of US safety regulations.

Trader Joe's, which focuses partly on selling organic food, was founded in California in the 1960s.

The Worst Food in America

Men'sHealth has ranked the 20 Worst Foods in America. The winner is surprising! Who would have thought that a gigantic plate full of cheese fries from Outback Steakhouse is bad for you? Not only does it have 2,900 calories but fortunately it also provides you with 182 g fat and 240 g carbs!
"Even if you split this "starter" with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before your entree arrives. Follow this up with a steak, sides, and a dessert and you could easily break the 3,500 calorie barrier."

Ok, so you decide that next time you will opt for something healthier. Probably a turkey burger...those are supposed to be better for you. Right? Right?

#17 - The Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger weighs in at 1,145 calories, 71 g fat and 56 g carbs!

Hmm...let me see...what can I say to all of this... ... ... Animal. Products. Are. Really. Bad. For. You.

Sign-ups for the next class...

The next class is Monday March 10th at 7:00pm. Sign up early before it fills up!

Tofu Manicotti

Tofu Manicotti
Makes 10-14 shells

Don’t be put off by all the ingredients and directions. This is actually a fairly easy recipe to make. No one will be able to tell that one of the main ingredients is tofu. You can make this recipe even easier by using a pre-made tomato & herbs pasta sauce instead of making the sauce yourself. You can also add other veggies to the filling mixture. There are add-on suggestions at the end of the recipe.

1 box Manicotti shells (usually has 14 shells)

Sauce:
1 28oz can tomato sauce
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 teaspoons fresh basil, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
Balsamic vinegar to taste (or sugar)

Filling:
2 small red onions, finely chopped
Olive oil (about 3 tablespoons, depending on type of pan)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 ½ pounds firm tofu
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Wrap the tofu in a towel and place on a plate. Put another plate on top of the wrapped tofu. Place a heavy object on top of the plate. (Large canned item, cookbook, bowl, etc.)
Heat a large stock pot of water on high. Add shells and cook for about 8 minutes or until al dente.
Drain and set aside.
Combine all sauce ingredients except balsamic in a bowl and mix well. Add balsamic to taste.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until the onion begins to get transparent, about 5 minutes.
Put the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times until they are mixed together. Add the tofu, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Process until very smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Turn a large Ziploc bag inside out halfway. Place the filling into the bag in one of the corners. Unfold the bag and cut about a ¾ inch tip off the corner of the bag that contains the filling. Put the cut tip just inside a cooked shell and squeeze the bag, filling the shell with desired amount. Continue with the rest of the shells. Arrange the shells in the baking dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the shells. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the shells are heated through, about 20-30 minutes.

Filling Add-ons:
- Fresh or frozen chopped spinach
- Peas
- Pureed vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli. (Veggies that don’t have a strong flavor.)

Recipe by Dayna P******

Tomato & Zucchini Quinoa

Tomato & Zucchini Quinoa
Makes 4-6 servings

There are two ways you can make this recipe. Both suggestions are in the directions.

2 cup water and/or vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
Olive oil (about 3 tablespoons, depending on type of pan)
1 28oz can diced tomatoes, drained
5 cups zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
1 15oz can lentils or white beans, drained
1 cup soy mozzarella cheese (optional)

Method 1:
Add the water and/or vegetable broth and the quinoa in a large sauce pan or a stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and let simmer until all the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add all ingredients except the cheese. Mix well, cover and let cook until zucchini is tender. If the mixture is sticking to the pan or is becoming dry add either more olive oil or some vegetable broth.
Combine quinoa, tomato mixture, and cheese and mix well.

Method 2:
Omit olive oil from ingredients list.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in a 9x13 inch baking dish and mix well. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the quinoa is done.

Leftover suggestion – does well in the fridge as a leftover. Heat it and roll in a tortilla with salsa, taco sauce or hummus.

Recipe by Dayna P******

Lentil Barley Steup

Lentil Barley ‘Steup’
Makes about 8 cups

This is such an easy recipe that takes a minimal amount of preparation. It is a soup-stew hybrid so I have dubbed it a ‘steup’. If you want more of a soup-like consistency add more water and/or broth.

1 cup lentils, rinsed
½ cup hulled or pearled barley
6 cups water and/or vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or crushed
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½-2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ - ½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt to taste (at least 1 teaspoon)

Place the water and/or vegetable broth into a large pot and heat on medium heat.
Add all the ingredients except the salt into the pot and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
Add salt to taste.

Add-ons:
- Fresh herbs when served. Whichever herb you favor. I would add parsley or basil.
- Sunflower seeds when served.
- Crunchy tortilla strips when served.
- Served with cornbread.

Recipe by Dayna P*******

Article - ''High IQ Children Become Vegetarian Adults"

Even though this is in the article..."of which 123 said they also ate fish or chicken" it is still interesting. By-the-way vegetarians DO NOT eat chicken or fish. You ARE NOT vegetarian if you eat an animal and the last time I checked fishes (yes, it is a real word) and chickens are ANIMALS. It absolutely drives me nuts when people do that! Can you tell? A little? Do I need to tuck it in? I was a smart cookie when I was a tot. Probably had that super IQ the article talks about. That explains a lot. I am so glad I found this article! I always knew I was a brainiac for caring for the the furry scamps but now I am justified in thinking so! :)

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February Class

After 5 days of sign-ups the class is at max!! This will be my second time teaching a cooking class and I am excited/scared. Can't wait though! If all goes well I will continue with a class the first Monday of every month. :)