Resources

For a fast dinner, think chard

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Blanching the chopped stems to give them a head start on cooking.
Blanching the chopped stems to give them a head start on cooking.
In the pan: Cut washed chard leaves into thin ribbons. Saute 1-2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves in olive oil until lightly golden. Add chard, salt and more olive oil if needed. When well wilted and fragrant, remove from heat and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
In the pan: Cut washed chard leaves into thin ribbons. Saute 1-2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves in olive oil until lightly golden. Add chard, salt and more olive oil if needed. When well wilted and fragrant, remove from heat and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Ready to eat: Two fat bunches of chard cost about $10 at McCaffrey's on Sept. 14. A family of four can have generous portions of Swiss chard for two meals - that's about $1.25 a serving. Chard, a relative to beets, spinach and quinoa, is a superfood - rich in antioxidants and helpful in regulating blood sugar.
Ready to eat: Two fat bunches of chard cost about $10 at McCaffrey’s on Sept. 14. A family of four can have generous portions of Swiss chard for two meals – that’s about $1.25 a serving. Chard, a relative to beets, spinach and quinoa, is a superfood – rich in antioxidants and helpful in regulating blood sugar.

Celebrating chard and partners at JazzFeast

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JazzFeast 2014: Jammin' Crêpes was among Princeton School Gardens Cooperative supporters with food booths at the popular downtown Princeton event sponsored by Palmer Square. Gerry Porcaro graciously agreed to wear Amanda Sharp's custom-designed Chardy costume to get the word out about the upcoming chard blitz at Princeton Public Schools and across town.
JazzFeast 2014: Jammin’ Crêpes was among Princeton School Gardens Cooperative supporters with food booths at the popular downtown Princeton event sponsored by Palmer Square.

Gerry Porcaro as Chardy
Gerry Porcaro graciously agreed to wear Amanda Sharp’s custom-designed Chardy costume to get the word out about the upcoming chard blitz at Princeton Public Schools and across town.

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

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JW Iron Chef Food Literacy Program (Chef Jen Carson)
Yield: about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick softened unsalted butter
  • ½ c brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water or milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ c all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 c old-fashioned oats
  • ½ c breakfast cereal
  • ½ c raisins or other dried fruit
  • ½ c unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, beat together the butter with both sugars. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat well until the mixture emulsifies. Add the combined flour, baking soda, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix until completely combined. Fold in the cereal, dried fruit, and coconut. Mix until combined.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto parchment-covered or ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9-11 minutes. Allow to cool one minute on the pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Granola

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Granola Parfait
PERFECT PARFAIT: Layer homemade granola with fresh berries and fruit and plain yogurt for a hearty and delicious brunch.

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 oz canola oil
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a big bowl, combine the salt, canola oil, brown sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon.

Add the oats and coconut and coat with the sweet, wet mixture. Pour mixture into parchment-covered or greased baking sheet. Toast in oven for 15 minutes. Stir, then toast another 10 minutes if needed. Granola is finished when oats and coconut are golden brown, and the Maillard reaction and caramelization has occurred.

French Toast

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Making French Toast
STOVETOP OR OVEN: Iron Chefs learned about egg chemistry by making French Toast at the JW Teaching Kitchens.

Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 slices bread
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • maple syrup, fresh berries, or powdered sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat.

In a shallow container (like a pie plate), combine the cinnamon, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.

Dip bread into egg mixture. Fry slices until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side. Keep slices warm in the oven while you dip and fry the remaining slices. (Add more butter to the pan as needed.)

Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, and/or powdered sugar.

Manual: Garden planning for all grades

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In 2007, Dorothy Mullen, Master Gardener and co-founder of the Princeton School Gardens Cooperative, worked with teachers to create and publish a how-to booklet. The book has chapters on composting and planting, herb gardens, lessons plans, recipes, field trips, curricular links, and more. To view and print the PDF, click on the image. Dorothy Mullen's PSGC handbook

Supporting school gardens with OnePrinceton

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IMG_0584From the first spade of soil turned nearly a decade ago, we have worked as a community, sweaty shoulder to sweaty shoulder, deepening and broadening the reach of Princeton School Gardens Cooperative programs to improve all children’s self-reliance, health and appreciation of the natural world through garden- and food-based education.

Now we can all do even more – while making everyday purchases around town.

Here’s how it works: Local businesses partner with Heartland Payment Systems, a Princeton-based company, to offer the OnePrinceton card, similar to a debit card. When you sign up for a free OnePrinceton membership (click here for information and to sign up), you link your membership to your own bank account. Then, you use the OnePrinceton card to buy goods and services, as you would a debit card.

The benefit comes next: OnePrinceton members choose a local nonprofit to receive a donation of 1 percent of the total pre-tax purchase from the member merchant, who in turn pays a smaller fee for this kind of transaction processing than he/she would for a credit card transaction.

One percent here, 1 percent there, and pretty soon, we have the funds for a class field trip, a school-wide tasting, a scholarship for a teacher, or for a chef to teach cooking classes at an after-school program.

Delicious, right?

Please consider signing up for a free membership with OnePrinceton.
And please do choose the Princeton School Gardens Cooperative as your beneficiary.