2016 Student Recipe List

This recipe list was created via contribution of the student body.

Mexican Cowboy Bean Soup

( Frijoles Charros Soup )

Crunch time at school, this soup will feed you for many days while giving you protein, iron, fibre and yum yum. Plus it's cheap as borsch.

Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 2 hours 

Ingredients:

• 2 Litre of chicken or vegetable stock.

• 1 Lbs of black beans  or any beans like pinto or mug beans.

• 2 cloves of garlic finely diced.

• 1 Tsp Epazote powder or leaves ( you can skip this herb if you cant find it, they sell it at places like Tres Marias Market).

• 2 Tsp of Mexican Oregano ( It has a more punchy taste but other oregano will do. Get it at las Tres Marias).

• 1 Tsp of ground cumin.

• 1 Serrano pepper diced ( optional if you like spice)

• 4-5 mild Italian sausages ( you can commit this if you want the vegetarian version)

• 5-6 Slices of Bacon ( you can commit this if you want the vegetarian version)

• 1 small can of tomato paste ( 150 ml)

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Fry Bacon slices and sausages. Set aside and diced them in fine cubes. Reserve

2. In a crock pot ( or a stove top pot) add the stock the beans and all the rest of ingredients. Add the fried bacon and sausages. Let it cook for 2-4 hours in crock pot ( or for more if you want) or 1.5 hours in the stove at medium heat. Remove from heat. if the soup it is too thick add more liquid.

Tips and notes:This soup it is so easy to make and can be frozen.  You can put in the fridge to eat for the days ahead before you finish the semester.

Easy Potato Soup

This is a fast soup and very affordable in your shoe string end of semester budget. You can make this soup gluten free by using GF flour or corn starch. You can make this one also Vegetarian if you skip the ham and use vegetable stock.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Litre of chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 Stalk of celery finely diced

• 1/2 Med onion finely diced

• 1 Cup of diced ham or fried bacon ( diced)

• 1/2 Cup of sliced mushrooms

• 2 tsp of chopped green onions ( 1-2 green onions)

• Salt / pepper to taste

White Sauce:

• 2 1/2 Tbsp butter

• 2 1/2 Tbsp flour

• 1 Cup of milk

Instructions:Saute onion and celery in some olive oil, add ham, potatoes stock, mushrooms, bit of salt and pepper.  Add white sauce to soup mixture, stir  when done add the green onions and serve.White sauce:Melt better in a saucepan add flour stir well until blended, add milk stirring out the lumps.

Choco-chinni Smoothie

by Rocio Graham

This is a smoothie that will satisfy you for hours yet provide you B6, Manganese, lots of vitamin C and the cacao powder is super a food but tastes amazing. If you have never heard of Lucuma powder you can get it at the light cellar or any other health food store. Lucuma is loaded with nutrients and can be used as a sweetener but it has a very low glycemic index which it means it won't give you the sugar rush and lows that regular sugars do. This smoothie is practically desert but it is healthy to the last drop. You need to get strong as you head for the last bang of school. Trust me if it wasn’t for the amazing food I eat I would have dropped exhausted in the main mall already.

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium zucchini cubed or diced in approximately 1 inch cubes

• 1 cup of milk or nut milk

• 1 TBS cacao powder (The Light Cellar, natural foods markets have it)

• 1 Tsp Lucuma ( This is a low glycemic index which can provide some sweetening properties while not giving you a sugar spike)

• 1 Tsp of Coconut syrup or  you can use honey or maple syrup instead

• 1 banana

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1 Tbsp of Protein powder of your choice ( I like vegan 1, sun warrior etc).

• 1/2 -1  cup of ice or cold water

Instructions:Put everything in the blender and take with you to school. You can double batch and drink one in the morning and take the rest for later. The ice will keep it fresh for hours.

Cheddar Cheese Risotto

by Rocio Graham

"This is so easy and so comforting for a day when you just want to lay in bed and feel cozy. You can easily add a salad to make it a more balanced meal."

Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 15-18 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Leek finely diced ( you can use 1 shallot instead).

• 1  Tsp coconut oil or butter

• 2  Cups of risotto rice you can also do 1 1/2 cups of rice and 1/2 cup of quinoa.

• 1/2  Cup of white wine.

• 1/2  Tsp of dijon mustard.

• 4 Cups of chicken broth or vegetable stock.

• 2 Cups of shredded cheddar cheese ( you can also do 1 cup of you want it a bit lighter).

• 2 Tbs chopped chives or you can use the green part of spring onions.

• 1 Cup of mushrooms diced ( optional) or you can use 1/2 cup of peas for an added vegetable factor.

Instructions:

1. Melt butter or coconut oil  in a medium sized pan and cook the leek  until a bit translucent  ( 2-3 minutes).

2. Add the rice ( and quinoa if used) and keep stirring for 2-3 minutes, turn the heat up a bit and add the wine and mustard, stir until wine is absorbed by the rice.

3. Start adding the hot stock 1/2 a cup at the time. Every time the hot stock get absorbed you add another 1/2 cup of stock.

4. Stir and ladle until the rice is al dente for about 10-15 minutes. If the rice it is too dry and does not feel cooked add another 1/2 cup of hot water or stock. Try the rice and the rice has to be fully cooked, soft and smooth.  Add the mushrooms and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the cheese and stir until it melts.

5. Serve in bowls and garnish with the chopped chives or spring onions.

Almighty Vegetable Packed Shepherd's Pie

by Rocio Graham

Vegetarian

Prep time: 1 hour ( 15 minutes active ones) Cook time: 50 minutes ( 20 active ones)

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked green lentils ( you can cook them the night before in a crock pot)

• 1/2 lb. minced mushrooms.

• 1 diced onion ( fine)

• 3 minced carrots

• 2 minced carrots

• 2 diced leeks

• 8 oz of baby spinach leaves or 1-2 cups depending how much greens you like

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tbsp or more Dijon

• 1 tbsp balsamic

• 1tsp worchesthire sauce

• 2-3 cloves of garlic finely diced

• 2 tsp of cornstarch

Potato and yam mash          

• 1-2 yams

• 2-3 medium potatoes

• 1 Tbs of butter

• 1/4 cup of milk or cream

Instructions Boil the yams and potatoes in a pot with water . Water must cover them (around 25-30 minutes until can be pierced with a fork). Let them cool off and mash them. Add the milk or cream, butter and a tsp pf salt and mash them. Set aside. You can make this step the night before.If you are really tight on time you can make the mashed one night and the filing another night and then assemble the third night. To ensure meals for a few days you can busy the single portion foil and lid containers available at most supermarkets.

Directions: 

1. Step 1:  In a pan sauté for 3-5 min the finely chopped red onion or 2-3 leeks. Add garlic.

2. Step 2: Add  to the pan 3 minced carrots, 2 stalks minced celery, dried thyme ,oregano,  dijon mustard, balsamic and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir for 5 more minutes until veggies start to get a bit translucent.

3. Step 3:  Add mushrooms, corn starch, spinach & lentils and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Transfer  the whole mixture to a baking pan and top  it with mashed potatoes and yams  ( as described above). Bake for 25 minutes at  375 F.

4. Storage: You can make a double batch and freeze one by covering it with waxed paper and foil. 

Meat Lover’s Trio

by Rocio Graham

Cook once and feed yourself many days

All recipes use ground beef and pork, onions and garlic.  Also green pepper , Zucchini, oat meal  or flax are used in at least in two dishes. You will save time by prepping all meals at the same time. Dedicate one day to cook and you will have meals for many days.

Shepard’s Pie

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil ( or  vegetable cooking oil)

• 1 Large Onion chopped

• 1 Large Green Pepper diced

• 2 lbs ground beef

• 1 lbs Ground Pork

• 3 Cups of Kernels

• 1 cup of tomato Puree

• 1 cup sliced green olives

• 2 tbsp cornmeal or flour

• 1 tbsp chili powder ( you can skip it if you don’t like it or add double if you are a heat lover).

• 2tbsp cumin powder

• 2 tsp Worcestershire

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp all spice

• 1 tsp hot red pepper sauce

Instructions:

1. Peel and boil potatoes while you cook the rest of the filling. If you are a time saver like me, you can put the potatoes in the slow cooker one evening, mash them and put them in a container in the fridge for use later. That way when you need them the next day they are ready.

2. Preheat oven to 350FIn a Skillet or pot:

   1. Sauté onion and green pepper until soft and a bit translucent. Add meat to skillet and cook until no longer pink.

   2. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Pour mixture in to a baking dish (3 quart). Cover with Mashed potatoes and bake for 1 hour at 350F.

Freezing tip! Buy aluminum containers that can be frozen ( get the ones that come with lids) that way you can eat shepherd’s pie one evening and freeze another portion for another day ( add mashed potatoes on top as they freeze well). You can also get single portion aluminum containers. They are awesome!

Calabrese Meatballs

Cook time: 35 minutesIngredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil ( or  vegetable cooking oil)

• 1 Large Onion chopped

• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef

• 1 1/2 lbs Ground Pork

• 4 large eggs beaten

• 4 cups of bread crumbs ( I use 2 cups of bread crumbs and 2 cups of ground flax seeds for extra omegas and fibre).

• 1 cup of Parmesano Reggiano (Costco has a good deal on this)

• 1 tsp chili  flakes

• 1 tbsp of crushed fennel seeds

• Salt and pepper to taste  (around 1 tsp of each)

• 1 Zucchini finely diced or grated (use the cheese grater)

Instructions:

1. In a skillet: Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Let it cool.

2. In a large bowl: combine the ground meat, eggs, breadcrumbs ( and or ground flax seeds), cheese, chili flakes, salt , pepper, fennel seeds and onion mixture.Preheat oven to 375 F

3. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Form the mixture in to meatballs of any size you like.

4. Bake in 375 F for around 35 minutes depending on the size of meatballs. Just cut one in half and check that they are fully cooked.

5. Serve with or without a sauce.  To make it a full meal. I cook spaghetti and add spaghetti sauce and you get a full meal.

Tip! Leftovers freeze amazingly well. Just put those in a ziplock freezer bag in the freezer and you have a meal for another day.

Meatballs

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lbs ground beef

• 1/2 lbs ground Pork

• 1 Slice of bread cut in cubes

• 1/4 cup of milk

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp dry mustard

• 1/2 cup oatmeal or ground flax

• 5 drops of Worcestershire sauce

• 1 medium onion diced finely

• 1/2 green pepper diced fine

• 1 small zucchini finely diced

• 1 cup of finely chopped kale (if you are not in to kale you can skip it)

• 1/2 cup grated carrot

• 1/2 cup of ketchup

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 F

2. Mix with your hands all ingredients in a large bowl. Pat down in a pan (loosely, don’t push hard).

3. Drizzle ketchup over top and bake for an hour.

Tip: If you double the recipe you can bake two, eat one and freeze the other one for a rainy day.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

(From roasted chicken leftovers)

by Rocio Graham

You roasted a chicken or picked one at the supermarket. You didn’t finish and you don’t know what else to make with leftovers. This casserole can feed a few people and you only need very little chicken. This is perfect for a Friday game night.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken (from your leftover roasted chicken or turkey)

• 12 cheddar cheese or marble cheese slices approx. 3” x 3” ( or 1 sliced cheese package)

• 1 can or jar of good quality Mexican salsa around 500 ml (Fresh is best brand is the best salsa or Que Pasa brand)

• 1 package of 12 corn tortillas (COP has fresh tortillas or Safeway) cut them in 1/4 ( you end up with a sort of triangles)

Instructions: 

1. Pre-heat temperature Oven at 350F 

2. In a Baking pan (10” x 5” approx.) lay a thin layer of salsa on top of the pan then add a layer of tortillas, a thin layer of chicken, more salsa, a layer of cheese slices then repeat tortilla, chicken, salsa and cheese until you get to the top.

3. Add extra cheese to the top.

4. Cover the casserole loosely with foil and bake it for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is all bubbly and the tortillas are soft.

5. Storage: This can be frozen for a few weeks. Make a double batch for the last week of school when energy is low. 

6. Tips If you have lots of left over chicken you can also make a quick chicken salad for sandwiches.

Healthy Breakfast Balls / Break Snack

by Rocio Graham

Prep time:15-20 minutesCook time: 5 minutesIngredients

• 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked

• 1 cup buckwheat, soaked or 1 cup of cooked quinoa ( let it cool)

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked

• 1/2 cup of cashews

• 1 cup dates, soaked and pitted

• 1/2 cup hemp

• 1/2 cup chia seeds

• 1/4 cup of chocolate chips ( ideally use  dark chocolate or cacao nibs)

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 2 tablespoon raw ground flax seed

• 1 tablespoon lucuma powder ( you can skip it if you cant find it but try The Light Cellar)

• 1/4 tsp of cinnamon

• 1 tsp of vanilla

• pinch of salt

Instructions 

1. Step 1: Blend the soaked dates without the liquid until you make it in to a paste or chop the dates very finely until they get the consistency of a heavy glue.

2. Step 2: In a bowl add all ingredients and mix it until  you uniform consistency  (the date paste will bind all the ingredients together). if the paste it is too runny just add flax seeds and more dates.

3. Step 3: Form balls around 1.5 inches , place them in a baking sheet and refrigerate  or freeze until set. 

4. Wrap them in waxed paper and keep them in a plastic container or bag in the fridge. You can grab them and go to school. If you make a big batch you have healthy snacks to fuel you during the day.

Sick Day Ramen Soup

by Rocio Graham

"This soup it is so easy to make and it is loaded with vitamins and probiotics. It is the best when you are feeling like your body is running down. This soup and a blanket and you will be good to go finish the semester in no time."

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 cup of diced broccoli ( cut in to mini florets)

• 2 Carrots finely diced ( fine cubes)

• 2 Pkg of rice ramen ( 2 squares of dry ramen)

• 1 Tbs of raw red miso ( get all the probiotics this way). This can be bought at the Light Cellar.

• 2 tbs of soy sauce ( I used the gluten free Tamari)

• 1 cups of frozen peas

• 1 cup of diced mushrooms

• 2 tbs cilantro

• 1 Serrano pepper finely diced ( optional if you like spice)

Instructions:

1. In a pot bring the stock to boil, add the carrots and ramen ( noodles). Let it cook for  5-7 minutes until noodles are al dente.

2. Turn heat down to medium or low temperature and allow it  to simmer. Add the soy sauce, broccoli, peas and mushrooms.

3. Turn heat down and add the red miso ( if the broth it is too hot let it cool off a tiny bit otherwise the heat will kill the probiotics in the miso, you can also add the miso separately to the bowls).

4. Serve in bowls, garnish with cilantro and serrano peppers ( if desired). Enjoy!

   Note: You can pre-cut the fresh veggies and put them in ziplock bags and toss them in the freezer. That way you can make soups for many days if you just come home put the broth to boil, add the ramen and the pre-cut veggies from the bags. You will be having soup in less than 10 minutes.