Katie Van Den Berg

Jun 01

WATERMELON AND TOMATO GAZPACHO
Ingredients
6 cups fresh watermelon
2 large tomatoes 
1 cucumber
1 serrano chile, minced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sugar
A pinch of salt
A pinch of fresh mint
Method
1. Carefully cut your watermelon in half. I prefer my watermelon with seeds to those without because you can roast them. 
2. Cut the watermelon half into layers and then cube it.
3. Measure out six cups and purée it. Reserve the remaining cubes for garnish or just to snack on, because who doesn’t love watermelon? Yum!
4. Slice the bottom off each tomato using a serrated knife.
5. Using the same knife, make “C” cuts to the tomato. The key here is to cut off the flesh and to avoid the seed membrane.
6. Purée the tomatoes in the food processor.
7. Peel the cucumber and cut away the seeds with a knife, very carefully.
8. Purée the cucumber. Remember, food processors work best when the pieces are evenly cut.
9. In a large mixing bowl, add together the puréed tomatoes, cucumber and watermelon.
10. Put the tomato-cucumber-watermelon mixture through a sieve to remove the extra pulp. You, of course, do not have to do this. For me, a filtered gazpacho really accents the delicacy of watermelon.
11. Add the cilantro, basil, serrano pepper, sugar and lime. Salt to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
12. To serve, place some of the remaining watermelon chunks in a shallow bowl and fill with gazpacho. You want the chunks to still be visible. Finish with some fresh mint leaves.
13. Enjoy!

via TreeHugger

WATERMELON AND TOMATO GAZPACHO

Ingredients

Method

1. Carefully cut your watermelon in half. I prefer my watermelon with seeds to those without because you can roast them. 

2. Cut the watermelon half into layers and then cube it.

3. Measure out six cups and purée it. Reserve the remaining cubes for garnish or just to snack on, because who doesn’t love watermelon? Yum!

4. Slice the bottom off each tomato using a serrated knife.

5. Using the same knife, make “C” cuts to the tomato. The key here is to cut off the flesh and to avoid the seed membrane.

6. Purée the tomatoes in the food processor.

7. Peel the cucumber and cut away the seeds with a knife, very carefully.

8. Purée the cucumber. Remember, food processors work best when the pieces are evenly cut.

9. In a large mixing bowl, add together the puréed tomatoes, cucumber and watermelon.

10. Put the tomato-cucumber-watermelon mixture through a sieve to remove the extra pulp. You, of course, do not have to do this. For me, a filtered gazpacho really accents the delicacy of watermelon.

11. Add the cilantro, basil, serrano pepper, sugar and lime. Salt to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

12. To serve, place some of the remaining watermelon chunks in a shallow bowl and fill with gazpacho. You want the chunks to still be visible. Finish with some fresh mint leaves.

13. Enjoy!


via TreeHugger

STRAWBERRY TUXEDO RECIPE
A fun way to dress-up your strawberries!
Ingredients
15 strawberries
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 ounces white chocolate
Method
Chop chocolates and place in separate bowls.
Place these bowls over a pot of barely simmering water and let stand until melted.
Stir until smooth, set aside and let cool for a few minutes.
Dip strawberries in white chocolate and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Dip sides of the strawberries in bitter chocolate. Back to the refrigerator for 10 more minutes.
Dip a thin paint brush in bitter chocolate and draw the bow tie and buttons.
via Strawberry Tuxedo : Cafe Fernando 

STRAWBERRY TUXEDO RECIPE

A fun way to dress-up your strawberries!

Ingredients

Method

  1. Chop chocolates and place in separate bowls.
  2. Place these bowls over a pot of barely simmering water and let stand until melted.
  3. Stir until smooth, set aside and let cool for a few minutes.
  4. Dip strawberries in white chocolate and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  5. Dip sides of the strawberries in bitter chocolate. Back to the refrigerator for 10 more minutes.
  6. Dip a thin paint brush in bitter chocolate and draw the bow tie and buttons.

via Strawberry Tuxedo : Cafe Fernando 

Apr 21

Bring Food Education Back!
A great inforgaphic! Together we can change the way people eat by educating every child about food, giving families the skills and knowledge to cook again, and motivating people to stand up for their rights to better food. Add your voice at Food Revolution Day.
Food Revolution Day on 19 May is a chance for people who love food to come together to share information, talents and resources; to pass on their knowledge and highlight the world’s food issues. All around the globe, people will work together to make a difference. Food Revolution Day is about connecting with your community through events at schools, restaurants, local businesses, dinner parties and farmers’ markets. We want to inspire change in people’s food habits and to promote the mission for better food and education for everyone.
Local Events
Food Revolution Day London ON - May 19

Infographic Source  http://visual.ly/bring-food-education-back

Bring Food Education Back!

A great inforgaphic! Together we can change the way people eat by educating every child about food, giving families the skills and knowledge to cook again, and motivating people to stand up for their rights to better food. Add your voice at Food Revolution Day.

Food Revolution Day on 19 May is a chance for people who love food to come together to share information, talents and resources; to pass on their knowledge and highlight the world’s food issues. All around the globe, people will work together to make a difference. Food Revolution Day is about connecting with your community through events at schools, restaurants, local businesses, dinner parties and farmers’ markets. We want to inspire change in people’s food habits and to promote the mission for better food and education for everyone.

Local Events

Food Revolution Day London ON - May 19

Infographic Source  http://visual.ly/bring-food-education-back

[video]

Mar 02

Suit-Up: Penguin Cuteness!
mabelmoments:

Picture: Jenfu Cheng/Solent News & Photo Agency

Suit-Up: Penguin Cuteness!

mabelmoments:

Picture: Jenfu Cheng/Solent News & Photo Agency

Feb 29

“You forget 90% of your dreams, do something with the 10%.”

Feb 27

Fresh out of the oven Peanut Butter Cookies! Vegan Style Goodness.
Vegan Peanut Butter CookiesIngredients
1 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter1/2 Brown Sugar1 Egg Replacer ( 2 tbsp Water and 1 tsp Egg Replacer)
PREHEAT Preheat oven to 325 F or 320 F for (small apartment size ovens like mine)MIXMix ingredients in a bowl until smooth until well blended. ROLLRoll in 24 balls, place 2 inches apart, on ungreased backing sheet. BAKEBake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. (Don’t over bake as they do burn easliy) 
COOLRemove cookies from the oven and let cool for ten minutes. These cookies can be very fragile when transporting them when they are still hot. Store in an air tight container to keep them fresh. Enjoy!
TIPS
Most peanut butters use vegetable oil, but aways read the label to ensure it is vegan-friendly before you buy.
Most grocery, health food and specialty stores carry Egg Replacer.
I use wet parchment paper on my baking sheet for baking these peanut butter cookies, as it makes it easier to transfer your cookies off the baking sheet to cool and reduces the chances of your cookies from burning on the bottom. 
(Taken with instagram)

Fresh out of the oven Peanut Butter Cookies! Vegan Style Goodness.


Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1/2 Brown Sugar
1 Egg Replacer ( 2 tbsp Water and 1 tsp Egg Replacer)

PREHEAT 
Preheat oven to 325 F or 320 F for (small apartment size ovens like mine)

MIX

Mix ingredients in a bowl until smooth until well blended.
 
ROLL
Roll in 24 balls, place 2 inches apart, on ungreased backing sheet. 

BAKE
Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. (Don’t over bake as they do burn easliy) 

COOL
Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for ten minutes. These cookies can be very fragile when transporting them when they are still hot. Store in an air tight container to keep them fresh. Enjoy!

TIPS

  1. Most peanut butters use vegetable oil, but aways read the label to ensure it is vegan-friendly before you buy.
  2. Most grocery, health food and specialty stores carry Egg Replacer.
  3. I use wet parchment paper on my baking sheet for baking these peanut butter cookies, as it makes it easier to transfer your cookies off the baking sheet to cool and reduces the chances of your cookies from burning on the bottom. 

(Taken with instagram)

Feb 16

[video]

Feb 12

Buckwheat Vegan Pancakes
1 Cup BuckWheat Pancake Mix
1 Cup Rice Milk
1 tsp. Sunflower Oil
1 Egg Replacer ( 1 tsp. Egg Replace and 2 tbsp. Water)
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Mixing
Combine all ingredients with a wire whisk until smooth. For thinner pancakes add more rice milk.
Cooking Instructions
Cook over med to high heat in a skillet with vegan margarine or sunflower oil.
Serving
Makes 4 large pancakes. 


(Taken with instagram)

Buckwheat Vegan Pancakes

1 Cup BuckWheat Pancake Mix

1 Cup Rice Milk

1 tsp. Sunflower Oil

1 Egg Replacer ( 1 tsp. Egg Replace and 2 tbsp. Water)

2 tsp. Vanilla

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Mixing

Combine all ingredients with a wire whisk until smooth. For thinner pancakes add more rice milk.

Cooking Instructions

Cook over med to high heat in a skillet with vegan margarine or sunflower oil.

Serving

Makes 4 large pancakes. 

(Taken with instagram)

Feb 11

[video]