RECIPE SWAP
You’ve probably heard by now that Manitoba schools will step up their efforts to ensure kids have access to the healthiest food choices by introducing a trans fat ban. The provincial government announced last week that it will legislate a ban on trans fats on foods served in schools. The new rule requires school boards to ensure no artificial trans fat is contained in packaged foods or any other type of food product schools sell or distribute to students.
Vegetable oil or spreadable margarine products used preparing foods at a school also must not exceed two per cent of the product’s total fat content, while the trans fat content of other foods, excluding meat or dairy products, must not exceed five per cent.
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Food is a big part of school life. Apart from lunches brought from home (which are exempt from the trans fat ban in case you’re wondering), kids eat at parties and cultural events, buy food and drink from vending machines, attend breakfast and snack programs, sell food products and receive food as incentives and awards.
Schools increasingly have food and nutrition policies, and have recommended changes to the way kids consume food at school through the province’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures Task Force.
Does the school your children attend have a food and nutrition policy? What impact has it had? Is your school doing something innovative with food or helping children to better understand the food system? We’d love to hear your stories. We love getting your recipes! If you’re looking for a specific recipe and think our readers might have it, send us your request and we’ll publish it.
Moms and Dads packing lunches for school are always looking for new ways to tempt young appetites. Here are some recipe treats kindly sent to us this week from readers. Melanie Chewka sent us this recipe in response to the call we put out recently on how to make a “Gorp Slice” recipe. This isn’t actually a cookie, but a slice, Melanie writes.
BREAKFAST IN A COOKIE
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter
(crunchy may work too…
I’ve never tried it)
1/3 c. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 egg
1-1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
1 c. quick-cooking rolled oats
(not instant)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. raisins
4 c. O-shaped breakfast cereal
Preheat oven to 375F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg until smooth and creamy. Add the flour, oats and baking soda, beating until combined. Stir in the raisins and the breakfast cereal (the mixture will be stiff and hard to stir; just mix until everything sticks together very well). Working with about 1/3 cup at a time, roll dough by hand into two-inch-diameter balls, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make sure you pat the dough balls firmly so that they stick together, and leave at least two inches of space between them as they will expand. Lightly press down to flatten each ball to about one inch thickness. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Let cool for five minutes before removing from pan. Makes about two dozen cookies.
Recipe Request
Has anyone heard of pickled lettuce? Do you have a recipe for it?
Margaret Carlson, who has supplied us with several nice recipes in recent weeks, is looking for this recipe. “I was wondering if anyone has heard of it,” she writes. “My friend says her mother (of Ukrainian descent) used to make it.”
Also… we’re still hoping to receive best pumpkin recipes from readers. The pumpkins are ripening out there and we’ve had a reader hoping to bake, mash and freeze fresh pumpkin for later use this winter. Can you help us out?
Manitoba Co-operator Recipe Swap
Box 1794, Carman, Man. R0G 0J0
or e-mail
APPLE BROWNIES
Margaret Carlson of Teulon sent us this nice lunch box stuffer.
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c. chopped nuts
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. sugar
1 c. chopped tart apples
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, apple and nuts. Sift flour, soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix all together. Spread in a 10-inch by 10-inch pan. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Cool in pan and cut in squares.
With school back in and schedules picking up many busy households will be looking for large-quantity baking ideas to fill up the larder. I found this recipe in the Carman Family Resource Centre’s cookbook for a nutritious cookie that is especially appealing to youngsters. After being stored in a container for a while, these cookies turn out very soft. Here are both the family-quantity and large-quantity directions for you. – Lorraine
HEALTHY OAT AND RAISIN COOKIES
FAMILY QUANTITY: 1 C. WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR 1 TSP. SODA 1/2 TSP. SALT 2 C. ROLLED OATS 1/4 C. WHEAT GERM 3/4 C. BUTTER OR MARGARINE 1-1/2 C. LIGHTLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR 2 EGGS 1 TSP. VANILLA 3/4 C. COCONUT 3/4 C. RAISINS
QUANTITY COOKIES: 1-1/2 C. WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR 1-1/2 TSP. SODA 3/4 TSP. SALT 3 C. ROLLED OATS 1/2 C. WHEAT GERM 1-1/8 C. BUTTER OR MARGARINE 2-1/4 C. LIGHTLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR 3 EGGS 1-1/2 TSP. VANILLA 1-1/8 C. COCONUT 1-1/8 C. RAISINS
Combine flour, soda, salt, oats and wheat germ. Stir well to blend. Cream butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add oats mixture. Mix well. Stir in coconut and raisins. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with hands or floured fork. Bake at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Makes about 4-1/2 dozen (family quantity) or six dozen (large quantity).
