The Whole Family Cookbook

by Michelle Stern

  Ask around and I bet that you'll discover a dairy near your community that makes its own cheese. Different parts of the country produce cheeses that have their own local flavors. Just as a wine connoisseur can detect that grapes have been grown in different locations, cheese experts can identify subtle variations in flavor by region! Money spent locally on artisan products and ingredients travels through fewer hands, which means that more of the profit goes to the hands that feed you. Literally.

  Yummy Strawberry Yogurt Parfait

  Serves 4

  There is something extra special about this recipe. Maybe it's the fancy glass that we like to serve it in, but I suspect it is really the creaminess of the Greek-style yogurt. If you can't find this variety of yogurt at the store, here's a trick to try at home: Simply line a mesh strainer with a clean dishcloth or paper towels and pour in 2 cups of plain low-fat yogurt. Set the strainer over a bowl, cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight. The whey will drain out, leaving pure heaven behind.

  2 cups granola

  2 cups 2% Greek-style plain yogurt

  1 cup strawberries, preferably organic

  4 teaspoons honey

  Measure granola and pour it into a bowl (you can use the Crunchy Granola recipe found later in the chapter, or you can use store-bought granola). Measure the yogurt and pour it into a bowl.

  Wash the strawberries.

  Cut off the stems, and slice the berries with an egg slicer or with a knife. Put them in a small bowl.

  Set out 4 fancy (but sturdy) glasses.

  In each glass, layer ¼ cup plain yogurt, ½ teaspoon honey, ¼ cup granola, and a small handful of berries. Repeat the layers one more time.

  Banana Sunshine Smoothie

  Makes 1

  Instead of tossing bananas that are past their prime, peel them and store them in a container in your freezer. Frozen bananas are an excellent addition to smoothies, and give a luscious sweet flavor and creamy texture to a summertime treat. That way, you can reduce, reuse, and recycle, right in your kitchen!

  1 frozen banana

  ½ cup frozen strawberries and peaches

  ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt (try Greek yogurt; it's great!)

  ¾ cup orange juice

  Break the frozen banana into 3 or 4 pieces and put the banana into the blender.

  Measure the frozen strawberries and peaches, yogurt, and juice and add them to the blender.

  Put on the lid, double checking to make sure that it is on tightly. Turn on the blender and blend until smooth.

  Sweet and Salty Glazed Bacon

  Serves 6

  Bacon isn't the most common recipe to find in a book in which parents are encouraged to cook with their children. It's hot and it splatters — not a good combination for creating good memories in the kitchen with your family. But you'll love this method. It's safer, neater, and more kid-friendly. It is also less greasy because the bacon drains as it cooks and leaves the crispy meat behind.

  1/3 cup lightly packed light-brown sugar

  16 slices bacon (about 1 pound), free from nitrites and other preservatives, or from a local farm

  Preheat oven to 350°F.

  Line two 10″ × 15″ rimmed baking sheets with foil. Place a wire cooling rack on top of each sheet.

  Measure the brown sugar and pour onto a dinner plate.

  Press one side of each bacon slice gently into the brown sugar.

  Arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on top of the racks. Be sure to wash little hands afterward.

  Bake for 30–35 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.

  The finished bacon should be crisp and browned. Serve alongside Mini Frittatas or Baked Apple Puff for a satisfying breakfast!

  Corny Raspberry Muffins

  Serves 12

  It can be crazy around our house in the morning — people are rushing in every direction, getting dressed, packing backpacks for school, and eating breakfast. Having healthy muffins on hand is really nice when time is short and you all need to grab something that is fast and easy to eat. These are better for you — and the planet — than the drive-through, any day!

  1½ cups all-purpose flour

  ½ cup yellow cornmeal

  ½ cup packed brown sugar

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1¼ cups plain low-fat yogurt

  3 tablespoons canola oil

  1 lemon

  2 large eggs, lightly beaten

  1 cup fresh raspberries

  ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

  Preheat oven to 375°F.

  Measure flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt and canola oil.

  Use a lemon zester, microplane, or box grater to grate the lemon rind over the bowl of dry ingredients. Watch out — these are sharp!

  Crack the eggs and add them to a separate small bowl.

  Lightly mix the eggs with a whisk or fork. Add the eggs to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine.

  Pour the wet mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients.

  Stir until just blended. The dough won't be nice and tender if you overmix.

  Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to spoon the batter into the muffin tin (coated with nonstick spray).

  Mix the raspberries and sugar in a small bowl.

  Using a spoon, scoop even quantities of berries into each muffin cup.

  Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins spring back when you touch them gently in the center. Remove them from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan.

  Remove the muffins from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack before digging in!

  GOING GREEN

  Eating Local Tastes Better!

  Consider buying your berries from your farmer's market. Local food doesn't have to travel very far, which means you will be able to eat it at the peak of its ripeness. Not only will it taste better, it'll be more nutrient-dense! Another benefit to supporting the local growers? You send a message to the producers who transport food via planes, boats, trains, and trucks, all with high carbon dioxide emissions that are lousy for our air quality. If you don't buy it, maybe they won't ship it!

  Baked Apple Puff

  Serves 4

  We love adaptable recipes, especially ones that taste great any time of the day. My kids love eating breakfast for dinner, and I have to admit that I adore it too. It's hard to resist serving this Baked Apple Puff, since it's built from protein and fruit. It is also the ideal locavore dish for our family. Our daughter is in 4-H and we have a small flock of chickens in the back yard. We also have a small apple tree. Between the two, the ingredients for this dish couldn't come from a source any closer!

  5 tablespoons butter, divided

  3 eggs

  ¾ cup milk

  3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

  ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ½ cup flour

  2 small crisp apples, organic if possible (go for Fuji if you prefer a slightly sweet apple, or Granny Smith if you enjoy a tart flavor)

  Preheat oven to 450°F.

  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave or in a saucepan.

  In a medium-sized bowl, crack the eggs.

  Beat the eggs lightly and then add the melted butter.

  Measure milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, vanilla, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, salt, and flour, and add them to the eggs.

  Mix all of the ingredients until the batter is well blended.

  If you have one, use an apple peeler/ corer/slicer to peel, core, and slice your apples. If not, use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples.

  Cut out the cores and slice the apples thinly.

  Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 10″ ovenproof skillet. Add the sliced apples and cook until they are golden brown, 5–10 minutes. (If you'd like, you ca
n add a dash or two of ground cinnamon.)

  Put on oven mitts and take the skillet off the heat. Pour the batter over the apples.

  Measure 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and stir them together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the batter.

  Place the skillet into the oven and cook for 15–25 minutes until gently browned and puffed. (Do not open the oven during the first 15 minutes of the cooking process, or the puff will deflate!)

  Put on oven mitts, remove the skillet from the oven, and immediately place an oven mitt over the handle, so that you won't accidentally burn your hand.

  Cut the puff into wedges and serve immediately.

  KID ZONE

  Fruit or Vegetable?

  It's time to go on an energy-saving scavenger hunt! Give your kids permission to unplug electric appliances, such as the toaster or blender, that are not being used. Even when they aren't on, they suck up a little bit of electricity just from being plugged in!

  Steel-Cut Oatmeal with Dates

  Serves 4

  This recipe uses steel-cut oats, which many cooks are not familiar with. When you buy oats there are three main types you can choose from. The most common are old-fashioned rolled oats, which have been rolled flat and steamed. Quick oats are also common, and are essentially rolled oats that have been ground up into smaller pieces so they cook a little bit faster. Then there are steel-cut oats. These are formed when the inside of the raw oat is sliced by a blade into several small pieces. They look like grains of brown rice, taste slightly nutty, and have a firmer texture than their rolled cousins, which tend to be mushy when cooked. Steel-cut oats take longer to prepare than old-fashioned or quick oats, but after tasting this sweet, winter-warming recipe, you'll find it's worth the wait!

  1 cup steel-cut oats

  3 cups boiling water

  1 cup low-fat milk (soy milk, rice milk, or coconut milk are great alternatives)

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1 cup diced fresh dates (about 8 dates)

  3 tablespoons butter

  1/8 teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  1 teaspoon honey

  ½ teaspoon vanilla

  Cook the oatmeal:

  Measure the steel-cut oats and pour them into a large saucepot.

  Turn on the heat to medium-high, and heat the oats gently until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes.

  Boil water and add to the oats.

  Reduce the heat and simmer the oats for 20 minutes.

  Measure the milk and add it to the cooking oatmeal. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

  Prepare the date topping:

  While the oatmeal is cooking, cut the dates into small pieces, making sure to remove the pits.

  In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced dates and stir to combine.

  Measure the salt, cinnamon, honey, and vanilla, and add to the cooking dates. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and allow the flavors to combine for 3 minutes.

  Assemble:

  Spoon the oatmeal into 4 bowls and top with the sweet date mixture.

  The dates will be very hot, so be sure that your kids allow them to cool down a little before digging in!

  Sweet Potato Biscuits

  Recipe adapted with permission from Janisse Scott of Family Bites.

  Serves many!

  These warm and flaky biscuits will give your kids a reason to haul themselves out of bed before school. If you have any left, store them in an airtight container and heat them gently in the toaster oven before serving. Even though sweet potatoes are unrelated to the potato, both grow underground and can be found with a variety of skin colors. See if you can find ones with white, red, purple, and golden skin at your farmer's market, and have a taste test with your kids. This will serve a hungry family of 4 for a few days!

  1 large sweet potato

  Pinch of salt

  1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

  ½ cup whole wheat flour

  1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

  2½ teaspoons baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

  ½ cup butter, chilled

  1/3 cup buttermilk, chilled

  Preheat the oven to 425°F.

  Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (a reusable nonstick silicone mat) or unbleached parchment paper.

  Peel the sweet potato with a vegetable peeler.

  Cut it in half, and place the flat side on the cutting board so that it doesn't wobble.

  Cut the sweet potato into ½″ cubes.

  Put cubes into a saucepan, cover with water, and add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook for 6–8 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork.

  Drain the water in a colander in the sink and return the potatoes to the pan.

  Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes.

  Measure the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne, if using. Add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

  Remove the butter from the refrigerator and cut into ½″ cubes.

  Add the butter to the flour mixture and rub together with your hands or mix with a pastry blender until it the texture is crumbly. You could also pulse the mixture together in a food processor.

  Measure the buttermilk and mashed sweet potatoes (about ½–¾ cup) and stir them in a bowl until they are smooth.

  Add the flour mixture and knead with clean hands inside the bowl until the dough comes together.

  Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface (a large cutting board or the counter). Place the dough onto the floured surface and pat into a 1″-thick circle.

  Use a round cookie cutter (any size is fine, but 2″ wide is ideal) to cut out biscuits. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet.

  Bake for 8–10 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before eating. These are delish with scrambled eggs or a bowl of yogurt and fruit!

  Breakfast Burrito

  Serves 4

  When our hectic schedules allow it, we eat as a family around the kitchen table. But sometimes we have to eat on the run. Instead of taking our food in the car inside disposable plastic bags or foil, we try to opt for foods that can be eaten over a plate or a reusable container with a lid. One of the perks of these delicious breakfast burritos is that they come inside their own wrapper! If your little ones are a little clumsy, like one of mine, be sure to take this on the road on a plate in case some of the beans decide to jump ship.

  1 russet potato

  2 teaspoons canola oil

  2 chicken apple sausages (you can also use spicy sausage or chorizo)

  4 eggs

  ¼ teaspoon cumin

  1 cup cooked or canned black beans

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1/3 cup Cheddar, feta, or queso fresco cheese

  4 10″ whole wheat tortillas

  ¼ cup sour cream

  ¼ cup salsa

  1 handful fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, optional

  1 small avocado, optional

  2 slices cooked bacon or turkey bacon, crumbled, optional

  Hot sauce, optional

  Scrub the potato under running water.

  Prick it all over with a fork and cook it in the microwave for 5–6 minutes, or until tender. Or bake at 350°F for up to an hour, until easily pierced with a knife. Allow it to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

  Heat the canola oil in a skillet over a medium-high heat.

  Slice the sausages into ¼″-thick rounds. (Note: If you are using uncooked sausages, you will need to squeeze it from its casing.)

  Cook the sausage in the skillet until it is browned.

  Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Beat with a fork or whisk. Measure the cumin and add it to the eggs.

  Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the eggs into the skil
let with the sausage. Stir them occasionally and break up any large clumps.

  Meanwhile, cut the baked potato into 1" cubes and set aside.

  Drain and rinse the black beans and add them to the skillet so that they can warm through.

  Season the egg, sausage, and bean mixture with salt and pepper to taste and remove the skillet from the heat.

  Grate or crumble the cheese into a small dish.

  Spread each tortilla with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

  Put ¼ of the potato cubes onto the center of each tortilla. Top the potato with ¼ of the egg, sausage, and bean mixture.

  Sprinkle with cheese.

  Add any additional toppings you like, such as cilantro, diced avocado, crumbled bacon, or hot sauce.

  To roll your burrito, bring one side toward the center, covering the toppings. Then do the same with the bottom, the second side, and then the top.

  Eat whole or cut the burrito in half, for little hands.

  RECIPE FOR ACTION

  Cook for Others!

  There are lots of ways that children and their families can use food to help the hungry people in their community. While some activities take lots of planning and volunteers, here is a simple idea you can pull off with the help of a few friends.

  1. Simply get together and make a grocery list for your favorite burrito recipe. Based on your budget, decide how many burritos you want to make — and be sure that you get enough ingredients.