Summer Recipes to Share

Summer Recipes to Share

11 ways to keep kids' minds active over the summer, an article that appeared in the July 6th issue of The Journal News, started the list with:

#1: "Check out your local library: It's a wonderful place to inspire a love of reading, whether it's required or recreational reading. Many libraries offer summer programs…"

The #7 suggestion was: "Cook with your kids. Not only can they practice their reading skills by reading cookbooks and recipes, but they can work on their math skills as well".

Put the two recommendations together and what do you get? Cooking Workshops at the New Rochelle Public Library! Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some of the recipes concocted at our workshops for elementary school children, for teens, and at some of the BID Family Market Days. Enjoy them at home as much as patrons have enjoyed them here in the library and at the Market on Library Green.

An easy recipe for playdough was introduced by Jeremy Miransky, at the first session of Experiments in Cooking and Science (for kids 6 – 12 years, Mondays at 10 am, through August 10th).

Playdough (for play – not eating!)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup water

3  tablespoons oil

1 cup flour

1/3 cup salt

10 drops food coloring

Instructions:

1. Mix water, oil and food coloring in a bowl.

2. Mix flour and salt in another bowl.

3. Add the flour and salt mixture to the oil and water mixture.

4. Mix with a spatula until the mixture forms a dough.

5. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour, bit by bit until the consistency of the dough is the way you like it.  If the dough is too dry, add a couple of drops of water until the consistency is right.

6. Store in a covered container or freezer bag.

For the Teens Workshop, Cook like an Iron-rich Chef, (Mondays at 4 pm, through August 10th), Chef Giovanni Green and the chefs-in-training cooked-up this fabulous dish:

Snow in July Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice (uncooked)

1 lb. Snow Peas *

2-3 Bell Peppers (mixed color peppers) *

3 Summer Squash (Zucchini) *

1 lb. Golden Raisins

2-3 tablespoons Ginger Root 

Toasted Sesame Oil (Coconut Oil or Grapeseed Oil works too!)

1 lb. Arugula *

2-3 Cucumbers *

Figs or Fig Jam *

1 15 fl. oz. can Coconut Milk

Smoked Paprika, Sea Salt, Pepper

Vinegar (Apple Cider or Rice)

Love

Instructions:

1. Begin by placing the uncooked basmati rice, toasted sesame oil, sea salt, pepper, and smoked paprika into a pot over medium heat stirring constantly to coat rice with oil and spices.  After stirring for about 5 minutes add 3 ½ cups of boiling water and allow to boil for 3-4 minutes. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer. The rice will cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. Snap off ends of snow peas, slice bell peppers and zucchini into whatever shapes and sizes you like.

3. Peel ginger with a spoon and then place into a food processor or mince by hand.

4. Wash the arugula and leave in a strainer to drain if it hasn't been washed already. In a blender combine the figs/fig jam, coconut milk, vinegar, with a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. If using the fig jam you can whisk/stir the ingredients together by hand. Leave dressing aside, we will use it for the fried rice and the salad.

5. Toss together the golden raisins, cucumbers, and arugula and drizzle with the coconut fig dressing.

6. In a wok or a large frying pan add the toasted sesame oil and ginger over medium heat stirring constantly until you can smell the aroma of the ginger. You can also add minced garlic to the mixture if you like as well.

7. Add in the bell peppers and summer squash with a pinch of sea salt and pepper. After 3 minutes add in the cooked basmati rice and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the snow peas and pour some rice vinegar into the pan and give the pot one final toss and stir.

8. As the rice is being served, drizzle each individual plate with the golden raisins and coconut fig dressing.

9. Enjoy with love!

Chef Green adds:

This dish is complete with a variety of fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients that are dense in nutrients. There is an abundance of iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, B-complex, K, protein, fiber, and more. Snow in July Fried Rice provides a healthy and delicious alternative to consuming fried rice purchased from an establishment which may be high in sugar, fats, and artificial/processed ingredients which only leaves us feeling lethargic and our bodies still craving the nutrients we need.

Next time you have leftover rice you can combine it with the ingredients I have listed or with any you may have on hand at home. Ingredients marked with * can be purchased right now from a local farmers market. Thus you know your food was picked most likely that morning or the day before, it will be at peak nutritional value, and will help reduce pollution since the food is coming from nearby.