Saturday, October 31, 2009

Recipes from Octobe 29



Dear Hot Yams,
This week felt a little scaled back, instead of the usual 200-250 eaters we fed only 150. However those 150 were so lucky to have enjoyed Lydia's very own:
* Cheeky Chickpea Wrap
* Funky Chunky Apple Onion & Sweet Potato Soup
* Grandiose Grilled Vegetable Salad
* Simple Cinnamon Pear Cookie




I know you all are dying to make these dishes at home so I will get straight to the point...

For the Cheeky Chickpea Wrap:

Ingredient & specification: Item count/volume:
Whole wheat or multigrain tortillas 16 packages of 8

OR

21 packages of 6

Organic chickpeas 5 15 oz cans
Butternut squash 3
Tomatoes (diced) 10-12 small
Red pepper (julienne) 12
Red onion (sliced) 3
Spinach 3 bags
Dried basil 1 tsp
Dried oregano 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Black pepper 1 tsp
Paprika 1 tsp

Cooking Directions:

  • Cut squash, place in stockpot and cook in boiling water until tender
  • Strain and mash
  • Add seasoning (basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, paprika)

Preparation directions:

  • Wash spinach and allow to dry
  • Rinse and strain chickpeas, add turmeric to enhance colour
  • Dice tomatoes and strain
  • Julienne red pepper, slice red onion
  • Warm tortillas in oven to make them more pliable
  • Line tortillas with dried spinach
  • Scoop squash onto spinach lined tortilla and spread out
  • Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, red peppers and onion
  • Roll up wrap and cut in half
  • Plate and serve
Next Up is the Funky Chunky Apple, Onion & Sweet Potato Soup

Yield: 250 servings

Ingredient & specification: Item count / volume: EP weight:

(EP= edible portion)

Golden Delicious apples ( ½” cubes) 20 regular size
Granny Smith apples ( ½” cubes) 20 regular size
Sweet onions (diced) 20 regular size 2.400kg
Red onions

( ½” cubes)

20 regular size 2.400kg
Sweet potatoes

( ½” cubes)

40 small size OR 13 large size 8.000kg
Celery stalks

(finely chopped)

40 2.400kg
Carrots

(finely chopped)

40 small size OR 20 medium size 2.400kg
Garlic

(finely minced)

40 cloves (5 heads)
Dried thyme 6 tbsp
Dried sage 3 tbsp
Salt 3-4 tbsp
Pepper 2 tbsp
Water 40L

Variations and substitutions:

  • Crispin apples can be substituted for Golden Delicious apples

Preparation directions:

  • Peel sweet potatoes and cut into ½ ” cubes
  • Cut onions into ½ ” cubes
  • Finely chop celery and carrots
  • Finely mince garlic
  • Peel apples and reserve peels (to be used for broth)
  • Core and cut apples into ½ ” cubes

Cooking directions:

  • Place water and salt into stockpot and bring to a boil
  • Add apple peels and reduce to a simmer
  • Simmer for approx. 10-25min.
  • Remove from heat and puree using an emersion blender to create an apple broth

  • Heat oil in pan over medium heat
  • Add onions and until softened
  • Add celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook until golden (approx. 8-10 min.)
  • Add apples, sage, and thyme, and cook for about 7 minutes or until apples have softened
  • Transfer all ingredients to stockpot with apple broth
  • Add sweet potato, and pepper and bring to a boil
  • Reduce heat, cover an simmer for about 25 min. or until sweet potatoes are tender
  • Adjust seasoning if need be

Grandiose Grilled Vegetable Salad

Ingredient & specification: Item count/volume:
Zucchini (sliced) 30
Tomatoes

(small roma or plum, sliced)

250
Eggplant

(small, sliced)

30
Yellow peppers (julienne) 125
Mushrooms (sliced) 15 cups
Red onions

(small, sliced)

5


Olive oil 8 cups
Garlic cloves 125 (15 heads)
Salt 5 tbsp
Black pepper 5 tbsp
Dried basil 5 tbsp
Dried oregano 5 tbsp

Variations and substitutions:

  • Olive oil can be substituted for another cooking oil such as sunflower oil

Preparation directions:

  • Finely mince garlic
  • Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper
  • Julienne peppers and slice all vegetables into evenly sized cuts
  • Toss vegetables in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper mixture
  • Let marinate for 20-30 min. (if time is not a constraint)

Cooking directions:

  • Preheat grill, and lightly brush with oil
  • Place vegetables on grill and cook until grill marks are present (about 5 minutes) and vegetables are still firm
  • Turn vegetables over and until other side is browned and vegetables are tender
  • Remove vegetables from grill, sprinkle with basil and oregano, plate and serve
Simple Cinnamon Pear Cookies

Yield: 256

Ingredient & specification: EP weight: (edible portion) AP weight:

(as purchased)

Item count/volume:
Cake and pastry flour 1.920g
16 cups
Cinnamon 16g
5 tbsp
Baking soda 28g
4 tsp
Salt 8g
1 tsp




Organic sugar 1.400g
8 cups
Sunflower oil 400g
2 cups
Pure vanilla extract 40g
2 ½ tbsp




Chopped pear 640g 760g 3-4
Lemon juice

120 ml
Soy milk 480g
2 cups

Preparation directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Combine ingredients into cookie dough
  • Line baking baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
  • Scoop dough onto cookie sheets using cookie scoop

Variations and substitutions:

  • Sunflower oil can be substituted with canola oil or safflower oil
  • 40g (2 ½ tbsp) pure vanilla extract can be substituted with 120g (8 tbsp) artificial vanilla extract
  • If parchment paper or silicone baking mats are unavailable, brush baking sheets with oil

Baking directions:

  • Bake for 10 min. in oven at 350°F
  • Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 10 minutes
  • Transfer to cooling rack and let sit for 10-15minutes

Serving Directions:

  • Prior to serving take remaining pears, core and slice
  • (Cut each pear slice in half if there are not enough slices for everyone)
  • Use remaining lemon juice to sprinkle over pears in order to prevent browning
  • Plate each cookie with a pear slice and serve




As always please remember to scale down the recipes ad to enjoy!

Love Always,
Michelle the Yam


Thursday, October 29, 2009

representing at POWERSHIFT!

Yams! Let's all take a tubermoment to remember that behind all this awesome food party action we are group of young (or youngish) people dedicated to creating a campus-based alternative to aramark and chartwells and sodexho and ... you name it. It's one of many ways that all involved - eaters too - contribute to a simpler, more nutritious, more delicious, more self-empowering, more communal, more sustainable, less corporate and more awesome campus! Way to go!

This past weekend a huge group of mostly students from across Canada met in Ottawa to talk about stopping climbing change. The 4-day Powershift conference was organized by the Canadian Youth Climate coalition as a forum for youth activists to commune. We shared knowledge and techniques and frustrations with each other.

Hot Yam! was there too. I co-facilitate a workshop with Indra N. for about 20 people from across the country who wanted to talk about changes they want to see in food service on their campus. We talked about problems with corporate food services on our campuses and then answered a lot of questions about how the Yam works. We also learned about a few alternative food initiatives that already exist that I've never heard of.

Some of us Yammers have been talking about a gathering of Canadian campus-based foodies in the new year. So far this is who we know about. Let me know if anyone is missing!

Caffeinds (U of T)
People's Potato (Concordia)
Midnight Kitchen (McGill)
Happy Belly (McGill)
Tupperware Thursdays (Dalhousie)
Sprouts (UBC)
G-Spot (Carleton)
People's Republic of Delicious (U of O)

Love and revofoodtion
Kira Yam

Monday, October 26, 2009

Action 4 Food Justice 'Unconference' Tomorrow 10-3pm at Hart House

Dear Yams,
Tomorrow Hart House is hosting an exciting Foodie event, the Action 4 Food Justice Unconference! There will be lots of interesting people and discussion that will aim to connect existing on and off campus Food Initiatives as well as inspire new ones. The Hot Yam! Will be providing a free lunch of BBQ tofu sandwiches, lentil soup and iced zucchini cake! Hope to see you all there, some more details below:

Tuesday October 27, 10-3, Music Room (Hart House). Free lunch provided.

This is an opportunity for all the food passionate people from the UofT and Toronto community to share ideas, collaborate and foster action on food issues. This interdisciplinary day of action on food will enrich participants’ perspectives on food-issues, and foster collaboration. Our goal is to channel the large amount of energy and dedication around food into working groups that will deliver tangible and effective actions on campus and beyond.

Hope those midterms are going well with everyone and you have a little extra time to join us tomorrow.

Love,
A Yam

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Pictures from October 8th

Well if you haven't noticed already, our pictures are getting snazzier. That's cuz we've got the wonderful talents of photographer extraordinaire Jono Lung to help us capture our meals in ones and zeros..

On the menu that week was:
  • Black Eyed Fritters (a la Vegan Soul Kitchen)
  • Green Thumbed Collard Redux (a la Vegan Soul Kitchen)
  • Copper Tongued Couscous
  • Red Cheeked Candy Apples


Recipes to follow..



Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Roasted Red Peppers, Cranberry Poached Pears, Wilted Arugula and Seasoned Squash

Dear Faithful Yammies,
Last week was a busy one for those at the Hot Yam! We not only served a total of 180 loyal eaters (plus volunteers) on our regular Thursday lunch but we went ahead and catered another 50 lucky new college students at the event "Home is Where the Fork is" without even breaking a sweat! (ok maybe we were sweating a little bit). We couldn't have done it all without our amazing volunteers who dedicate their precious study time to us every week. So here is a Big

THANK YOU !!!!

to everyone who came out to help (and eat).

In addition I'm here to share some of those lovely delicacies you encountered on your plate.
As always these recipes are altered to accommodate many more eaters then you may have in your home, so simply remember to downsize when you are putting together your own shopping list



First up

Roasted Squash and Wilted Arugula Salad /w Warm Maple Syrup Vinaigrette (for 250)

Approx 75 pounds butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced

  • 5-6 L extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 litre pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup Kosher salt and 1/2 freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cups dried cranberries
  • 9 litres apple cider or apple juice
  • 6 cups cider vinegar
  • 5 cups minched shallots
  • 2 cups Dijon mustard
  • 50 big bunches baby arugula (4 oz each)
  • 15 cups walnut halves, toasted
  • ¼ cup lemon zest, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 375 ml olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 cup salt and ½ cup pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

During service, place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the zest. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Then time for some

Sweet Potato, Apple, Carrot, and Red Lentil Soup (for 250)

1-2/3 cups margaine or olive oil

  • 12 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped small
  • 20 large carrots, peeled and chopped small
  • 8 apples, peeled, cored and chopped small
  • 7 onion, chopped small
  • 3-1/3 cups red lentils
  • 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons a 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 30 cups vegetable broth

  1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. (Will have to do in 3 batches, 2 pots)
  2. Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
  3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
  4. Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

Quinoa-sunflower stuffing in turkey-shaped roasted red peppers (for 250)

(from "3 Bowls: Vegetarian Recipes from an American Zen Buddhist Monastery")

  • 1 litres canola or corn oil
  • 20 medium onion, diced
  • 20 teaspoon sea salt
  • 60 large celery ribs, chopped
  • 35 cups mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 50 large carrots, grated
  • 60 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.8 cup dried sage
  • ½ cup dried basil, crumbled
  • 3 tbsp and 2 tsp ground fennel seeds
  • 3 tbsp and 2 tsp, thyme crumbled
  • 3 tbsp and 2 tsp, oregano crumbled
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 15 cups quinoa (dry)
  • 300 ml tamari / soy sauce / Bragg's
  • 20 cups sunflower seeds, toasted and ground
  • 84 small or medium bell peppers, whatever is cheap, tops cut off (probably green)

Preparation:

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and saute until it is bright and tender, about 3 minutes more. Add the mushrooms, carrots, garlic, sage, basil, fennel seeds, oregano, adn thyme and saute until the mushrooms and carrots soften and most of the juices have evaporated, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add 37.5 cups cold water, the quinoa and tamari and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and simmer until the water is completely absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the sunflower seeds.
  3. Stuff peppers full with stuffing, bake in 400 oven until peppers are softish, cut into thirds



and for desert!

Cranberry Poached Pears (for 250, 1/2 pear each)

45 cups cranberry juice cocktail

  • 3-3/4 cups white sugar
  • 15 cinnamon stick
  • 4 star anise
  • 120 Bosc pears, peeled with stems intact (about 3 half-bushels?)

Place cranberry juice, sugar, and cinnamon stick into a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, peel the pears, leaving the stem intact.

  1. Place the pears into the simmering juice and cover. Cook until the pears are tender, turning occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Once tender, remove the saucepan from the heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature. Turn the pears a few times as they cool so the color remains even.



If you were attended Where the Fork is and wanted to recreate some lucious local cuisine then please proceed

Tofu Dill Pizzatas (for 50)

- 15 blocks extra firm tofu

  • 5 red onions
  • 10 cloves garlic (start with 7?)

- 3 bunches dill

- 1.85 cups dijon mustard

- 1.85 cups apple cider vinegar

- 3 lemons

- 1/3 cup olive oil

- 50-60 pitas

  • 12 tomatoes, diced OR 6 cucumbers, sliced thinly (depends on whats local and freshest and ripest; we can do a mix as well)

Combine and mash everything except for ½ bunch of dill and cukes/tomatoes; Toast slightly pita

Spread tofu onto pitas; Garnish with cukes/tomatoes and a bit of remaining dill; Cut into quarters

Apple Crisp (for 50, 5 recipes)

For the filling
20 lbs apples (I use Roma)
2 1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 cup sugar (I use Florida Crystals)
2 1/2 cup apple juice or water
2 tablespoon arrowroot powder (cornstarch will work too)
5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves

For the topping
5 cup quick cooking oats (not instant)
5 cup flour
5 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 2/3 cup canola oil
15 tablespoon soy milk
5 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F

Peel, core and thinly slice apples. Dissolve the arrowroot in the apple juice or water. Set aside.

Place apples and raisins in the baking dish, add sugars and spices and combine everything well (you may need to use your hands to do this). Pour arrowroot mixture over everything.

To prepare the topping, in a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add oil, soymilk, and vanilla, mix well. Crumble topping over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Zucchini bread (for 50, 5 recipes)

15 tbsp of flaxseed meal (boil 3 parts water, add 1 part seeds, cook

and stir until the consistency of eggs)

7.5 cups granulated sugar

5 c vegetable oil

10 cups coarsely grated raw zucchini

15 tsp vanilla

15 c flour

5 tsp salt

5 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

15 tsp cinnamon

2 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Grease pans. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and dry spices.

3. Mix in the sugar and wet ingredients: egg substitute, vanilla,

oil. (The recipe says "mix dry ingreds, then wet, then stir wet into

dry" but that dirties too many pans for me.)

4. Mix in the zucchini.

5. Bake for ~60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. The

bread should still be moist in the middle, just not gooey.

  1. Cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Califlower and Potato Gratin (for 50, 6 recipes)

INGREDIENTS

6 large heads cauliflower
  • 6 pounds potatoes
  • 6 medium onions, diced
  • 7.5 cups (1.875 L) soy milk
  • 4.5 cup water
  • 1 cup and 1 TBSP raw cashews
  • 6 teaspoon salt
  • 6/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 6/8 teaspoon nutmeg bv
  • 1 cup and 1 TBSP oil
  • 2 cup unbleached flour
  • 3 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ¾ cups tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 3 teaspoons paprika


METHOD

Cut the cauliflower into medium pieces and potatoes in a medium dice, and place in a bowl with the onions. Set aside.

Blend the soy milk, water, cashews, salt, white and black pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast in a blender until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and gently heat, stirring often. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the flour to make a roux. Then whisk the heated soy milk mixture into the roux to make a light, creamy sauce. For a thicker sauce, use more roux. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir.

Oil a casserole dish. Pour the vegetable and sauce mixture into the pan and press lightly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the vegetables and cover with paprika. Cover and bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F for 45 to 55 minutes.

Chocolate Pudding (4 servings, 3 for sample and (1) for demo)

6 (2) cups soy milk
9 (3) T arrowroot starch
1 ½ (1/2) cup sugar
1 (1/3) cups cocoa power
3 (1) t vanilla extract
3/8 (1/8) t almond extract

in a small saucepan off the heat whisk together the soy milk and arrowroot until the arrowroot is dissolved. add the sugar and coca powder. place over meduim heat and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, about 7 minutes. once the mixture starts to bubble and is quite thick, turn the heat off. mix in the extracts. chill in fridge for an hour and then cover them with plastic wrap and leave in fridge overnight.



Love Always,

A Yam

Eat Local! on Wednesday, no Thursday lunch

Happy World Food Week (http://www.harthouse.ca/foodweek) folks!

Instead of our regular weekly lunch, it's time for the 3rd (approx.) annual Eat Local!

International Student Centre
Wednesday, October 21
10am-4:30pm

The Eat Local! event hopes to bring greater awareness to the University of Toronto population and the local community about the importance and benefits of eating locally grown and produced food. The event will be centered around a free vegan, and mostly organic and local lunch, in addition to displays of educational materials from key organizations including Local Food Plus (LFP), Ontario's Greenbelt, Foodland Ontario, and FoodShare!

So, come to the International Student Centre with empty bellies and open minds, to munch on muffins while learning from our guests about food in your community. Lunch is at 12 - we're serving wraps heavy with delicious local treats!

This is taking the place of our normal meal on Thursday, so you'll have to get your Yam! fix on Wednesday. Next week we'll be back to our normal Thursday meal.