A Delicious Breakfast Treat

Last week our OFL class in Durham created Chocolate Strawberry French Toast, and the recipe was a hit! It just so happens that strawberries are on sale this week at Harris Teeter until Tuesday at midnight! So go pick up some fresh strawberries and try out this recipe for yourself.

 Chocolate Strawberry French Toast

Serves 4, 1 piece of toast per serving

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• ½ cup low-fat chocolate milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 medium strawberries
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• ¼ cup light syrup

Directions

1. Beat egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer or whisk until frothy.

2. Add chocolate milk and cinnamon to egg whites and beat about 1 minute.

3. Rinse strawberries, cut off leafy tops, and slice ⅛ inch thick.

4. Coat a large frying pan with the non-stick cooking spray and heat over medium heat.

5. Quickly dip one piece of bread in egg mixture and flip to coat both sides.

6. Remove bread from egg mixture, shaking off any excess egg coating, and quickly place it in the frying pan.

7. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

8. Remove from pan.

9. Top each piece of bread with 3 Tablespoons sliced strawberries and 1 Tablespoon light syrup.

Name the chickens: winners announced!

After much debate this past week, Katherine and Douglas have chosen names for their new chickens!

Meet Wilma and Delores!

Competition was high for the winning names because of the great variety of humorous and witty suggestions! Congrats to Anna Smith (Wilma)  and Lee Robeson (Delores) for suggesting the winning names! Thanks to everyone who contributed!! We will keep you updated on how Wilma and Delores are doing in future blog posts.

Hear it first on Oct. 13th: Bob Dylan's new album

The countdown has begun at the Food Shuttle for the listening party and release of Bob Dylan's new Christmas in the Heart album! Bob Dylan has decided to donated all U.S. royalties from the album sales to benefit Feeding America- the Nation's Food Bank Network. We've been talking about the album in a couple earlier posts: here and here.

Our friends at Boylan Bridge Brewpub will be hosting the party while we listen to Dylan's new holiday tunes. It will be a fun night to have a drink, enjoy great food, and meet other Bob Dylan fans in the Triangle.

Tell all your friends and come out to Boylan Bridge Brewpub on October 13th at 7:00.

See you there!

School Gardening Workshop: Brains and Bodies Oct. 6th

Advocates for Health in Action will be holding an interactive workshop about school gardening:  how school gardens positively influence kids' academic success and health in school, how to get a garden started at your school, how to get funding for a garden. The Food Shuttle will be at the workshop, too! Come out and learn about the importance of having gardens in local schools!

The workshop is FREE, but attendees need to register by calling 919.350.8366 or by sending an e-mail to laiken@wakemed.org.

When: October 6th from 10:00-11:00am

Where: Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh

View the Brains and Bodies flier  here.

PAR Donation Total

Over 13,100 lbs. have been donated to provide food to people in need since June! It has been exciting to watch people get behind this campaign and bring in extra produce to the Food Shuttle and to Logan's Trading Co! Thanks to all the gardeners and farmers who helped over the past few months! Do you have any suggestions for next year's PAR campaign? We would love to hear your ideas.

Meet the Interns!

Rachael and Sarah tell us a little about who they are and what they'll be doing at the Food Shuttle this year.

Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget

It’s no surprise that eating healthy can sometimes be a challenge. Here at the Food Shuttle, we've come up with some easy ways to stay healthy, while keeping both your stomach and wallet full:

Buy fresh produce that’s in season and local.  

• Local in season fruits and vegetables will likely taste better and be full of nutrients because they are picked at peak just before sale.
• Items from local farmers are generally less expensive because they reflect lower transportation costs.

Bonus: you’ll be helping local farmers, local commerce and the environment all at the same time!

• If you do not use all the fresh produce try freezing it to avoid waste.

Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables that aren’t in season.

• Helps to ensure that you always have healthy ingredients on hand.
• You will save money by eliminating wasteful food purchases.  Just make sure you choose items with no added salt or sugar, and no sauces and gravies.
• In most cases, frozen produce is comparable, and sometimes higher, in nutritional value than fresh because it is picked and frozen at peak.

 Stay tuned for more healthy and budget-friendly tips!

By: Sarah Mehta, Food Shuttle Intern

Tangy, with just enough heat...

another tantalizing Ripe Recipe from Sally.  She could open a restaurant just using the great recipes she's shared on the blog.  Today it's Grilled Tomatillo Salsa. Give it a try this week and spice up your life! Tomatillo Salsa on the grill

• 12 tomatillos* (about 1 pound), husked, rinsed
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 jalapeño chiles, halved, stemmed & seeded
• 1 medium white onion, sliced thick
• 2/3 cup (lightly packed) chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt

In a grill basket combine the first four ingredients and roast over medium-high heat turning occasionally and allowing vegetables to sear & char just a bit. Remove items as they finish, and place them in a bowl or in a food processor. Peel the garlic before adding it to the other veggies. Then coarsely chop with a knife, or lightly process the veggies until they have reached a “salsa” consistency. Add the fresh cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste.

This simple salsa is good with anything grilled … chicken breasts, pork chops, flank steak. I particularly like it with grilled salmon … the colors are pleasing, and the tanginess of the salsa plays nicely off the rich salmon. Serve with beans & rice, or slice the meats and make soft tacos using steamed corn tortillas.

Name the Chickens!

This weekend Katherine and her husband Douglas adopted 2 new members to their family. Meet the Andrew's new chickens! The Andrews got the chickens from John Rappl's farm that provides fresh produce and eggs- Rappl Farms is located in Wake County. John's a Plant A Row for the Hungry donor in the area and gives produce regularly to help feed hungry people in the community.

Katherine and Douglas need some help in choosing names for the new chickens though, and they want YOUR ideas!

Leave a comment with your name suggestions and we'll announce the winning names in 1 week.

An Apple a Day...

Nothing reminds me of autumn more than fresh picked apples. From homemade apple pies to ciders and chutneys; apples can be used to create diverse menu items. Last week two of the Food Shuttle’s OFL classes utilized apples to create simple yet delightfully tasty treats. In Cary, at the Fellowship Center, students created a fresh Apple Salad by mixing apples, nuts, raisins and yogurt. In Durham, at the Reality Center, students created a fresh Apple Crumble. The students not only learned how to core and peal apples but they also learned the health benefits of eating fruits and incorporating more fiber into their diets. Apples taste great no matter how you prepare them, we suggest you head out to your local farm stand or farmers market, pick up some fresh local apples and try out these recipes below. Please feel free so send up feedback, suggestions and ideas, we always welcome your comments.

Apple Salad

Serves 4, ¾ cup per serving

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Granny Smith apples
• 2 Tablespoons dried currants
• 3 Tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon whole, shelled walnuts

1. Rinse and remove cores from apples, do not peel. Cut into 1 inch pieces and place in medium mixing bowl.
2. Add currants and yogurt to bowl. Mix well.
3. Put nuts into a small sauté pan and toast over medium heat on the stovetop until golden brown and fragrant. Watch carefully, so they don't burn.
4. Remove nuts from hot pan and let cool.
5. Put cooled nuts into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin or an unopened can to crush into small pieces.
6. Add crushed nuts and optional dried cranberries and honey to the salad, toss, and serve.

Optional Ingredients

1. 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
2. 1 Tablespoon honey

Tips and Tricks:

• Use any kind of apple in this recipe.
• You can substitute raisins for currants.
• Substitute any kind of nuts for the walnuts, if desired.
• Instead of toasting nuts on stovetop, you can place nuts on a baking sheet and into a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Nuts can burn quickly, so watch them closely.

Fresh Apple Crisp

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4 cups apples (can also use pears, peaches, or berries  canned, drained and rinsed, or frozen fruits)
• 3 tablespoons sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup whole grain flour
• 1/3 cup oats
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Peel, core, and slice fruit if fresh.
2. Lightly grease a small baking dish.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the fruit, honey and cinnamon.
4. Loosely pack the fruit mixture into baking dish.
5. Combine the flour, oats, butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl to make a fine meal or crumble.
6. Crumble the mixture over the fruit.
7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and fruit is soft.  Cooking time might change based on how ripe the fruit is.

Tips and Tricks:

• Use any kind of apple in this recipe
• Leave the skin of the apple for extra nutrients and fiber