admin | December 19, 2011
Still in need a of a few gifts? We’ve got just the thing: preserves! The Ecology Center is now offering a delicious assortment of pickled veggies and jams from Happy Girl Kitchen. Our favorites are the dilly beans and apricot chutney, but there are so many to choose from. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, there is still time to do a bit of preserving yourself. There is nothing quite like receiving a homemade gift, especially one you can eat. We happen to have some excellent books to get you started. Stop by The Ecology Center this week; we’ll be open from 11am to 2pm all week!
admin | November 1, 2011
Roasted Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients:
-2-3 lbs of winter squash (butternut, kabocha, hubbard, pumpkin, etc), quartered and seeds removed
-1 medium onion, skin removed and quartered
-3 cloves of garlic
-olive oil
-4 cups vegetable stock
-fresh thyme
-salt and fresh ground pepper
-half and half or heavy cream to finish (optional)
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-On a roasting pan, toss the squash, onions, garlic and a few sprigs of fresh thyme in enough olive oil to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
-Remove from oven and carefully remove the skin from the squash.
-Put the squash (skin removed), onions and garlic in a soup pot and add 2 cups of vegetable stock.
-Using an immersion blender (this can also be done in a blender), blend the soup until it’s smooth. Add more stock to desired consistency.
-Add salt, pepper and more thyme to taste. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
-Before serving, drizzle heavy cream or extra virgin olive oil on top.
-Enjoy!
admin | October 11, 2011
Saturday, October 29, is our first ever Ecotoberfest! New Belgium Brewing’s own Matty Gilliand will be here to talk about making award winning, sustainably produced beers. Join us as we sample a unique collection of New Belgium Brewing’s finest and snack on the perfect Ecotoberfest pairing of pretzels and mustard courtesy of Ryan Wilson of SideDoor.
Getting to know Matty Gilliand of New Belgium Brewing….
After through-hiking the Colorado trail at age 18, Matty “Smooth” Gilliland came back with a big gnarly beard that worked better than any fake ID, and began sampling every craft brew available during the craft brewery explosion of the early ‘90s. Shortly after turning 21, he joined the brewing industry and never looked back, devoting his entire adult life to producing the highest quality craft beers. For the past 14 years he’s been with New Belgium Brewing Company, first as a brewer and now leading the process development group, building systems that can make the same great beer using less water and energy, and creating less waste.
admin | October 3, 2011
Saturday afternoon we celebrated the beginning of the fall harvest with our October Farm to Fork program. We lit up the wood burning oven and Chef Ryan from SideDoor taught the children how to make some truly delicious pizza! Starting with a walk around the gardens, the children harvested some beautiful fall veggies and herbs to top their pizza creations. Not wanting to leave anyone, or thing for that matter, out of the fun, the children harvested a little extra and stopped by the coop to give the chickens a snack. Then it was down to business making as many individual pizzas as the children (and adults) could eat. The delectable toppings included fire roasted tomato sauce, sauteed chard with garlic, roasted eggplant and red peppers, burrata, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and oregano. Courtesy of one of the hens, we even made a pizza topped with an egg! Many thanks to all of the children and parents who participated, we couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant bunch! Also thanks to Chef Ryan and SideDoor for creating such an incredible Farm to Fork experience! Join us next month for sourdough bread baking!
admin | September 19, 2011
Farm to Fork is back! Our much loved children’s cooking workshop is back on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 11am. Beginning with an exploration of our veggie garden and ending with the preparation of a meal with Chef Ryan Wilson of SideDoor Corona Del Mar, this children’s program emphasizes the real food journey from “Farm to Fork.”
Recommended for children ages 6 to 12, Farm to Fork classes are $25. Sign up here.
admin |
Just in time for back to school, we spent Saturday at the Center for Living Peace making reusable food bags. First, participants chose between two different styles, a snack bag or a sandwich wrap, and then proceeded to construct and decorate. If you missed this workshop don’t fret, here are the steps to make one at home.
Materials:
-Gently used/new fabric – this is a great time to use up old dishtowels, tablecloths or scraps of fabric.
-Iron-on Velcro
-Embroidery thread
Sandwich Wrap
Procedure:
-Cut an 18 x 18 inch square of your favorite fabric.
-Cut off the corners (approximately 8 inch diagonals) to make an octagon. The original sides of the square will now be about 6 inches each.
-Fold the sides in, the bottom up and the top down to make a square the size of a sandwich.
-Use a hot iron to secure the folds.
-Iron on a piece of Velcro so that the top flap will adhere to the bottom flap.
-Decorate! Use the embroidery thread to make it unique.
Snack Bag
Procedure:
-Cut a 14 x 7-inch piece of your favorite fabric.
-Fold the bottom up, leaving a 1.5-inch flap for the top. Fold the top down and secure the folds with a hot iron.
-Decorate! Use the embroidery thread to make it unique.
-Sew up the sides using the embroidery thread.
-Iron on a 5-inch piece of Velcro along the top flap.
*If you are up for the challenge, feel free to finish the sides with a sewing machine or by hand to avoid frayed edges.
