What's Happening in March!

It is almost Spring and it is a Leap Year!



Events around town are starting to pop up all around town! It is time to start thinking about what to plant and with the increase in fruit and veggie prices, why not try growing some edibles on your balcony, in a community garden or by sharing a backyard?



 Now, let`s get down to seeing what is happening around town in March!



"Sempervivums" with Howard Wills - March 2nd



Join the Burnaby Rhododendren and Garden Society (BRAGS) and guest presenteer, Howard Wills on Sempervivums.



What are Sempervisvums? We typically call them Houseleeks, Hens & Chicks, or Liveforever. Their real name, Sempervivums, are one tough little plant genus.



Most species will grow just about anywhere, including on rooftops where they are rumoured to magically protect the house from fire and lightning and ensure the health & prosperity of the occupants. They can also bake in the sun and freeze in the winter and truly do seem to "Live Forever" so once you get them in your garden you will have them for a lifetime but they are never invasive as they slowly expand into compact clumps.



When: Wednesday March 2, 2016

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: 6501 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby BC V5G 3T6

at Burnaby Village Museum, Discovery Room  



Website: http://brags.ca/ 



Sauerkraut Workshop - March 9th



Join Grandview Woodlands Food connection in this workshop on making raw sauerkraut which is full of probiotics! Probiotics is great for gut health. 



Learn to make your own great tasting sauerkraut! 



When: Wednesday March 9, 2016

Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Location: 1655 William Street, Britannia Community Centre, Pre-Teen Centre



Cost: $ 12.00



For more information, visit: https://gwfoodconnection.wordpress.com/workshops/ 



Pollinators and People in the City - March 10th 



A public evening of discussion, offering tools for creating relationships of dignity and respect for all people and habitat & forage for all pollinators. A celebration of opportunity in our city.



When: Thursday March 10, 2016

Time: Doors - 6:30 pm

Discussion - 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Mingle with light refreshments + honey - 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm



Location: 149 W Hastings St - 149 West Hastings Street. SFU Woodwards World Art Centre. Vancouver, BC V6B CA - View Map



Costs: $15

Get tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pollinators-people-in-the-city-tickets-21385917856

 

Featuring:

• Mark Winston: Professor and Senior Fellow, SFU Centre for Dialogue, and Author of


• Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive, Winner of the 2015 Governor-General's Literary Award for Non-fiction.


• Elizabeth Elle: Professor of Biological Sciences, SFU, and wild bee expert


• Dean Wilson: DTES Community Activist


• Sarah Common: Co-Founder and Chief Community O fficer, Hives for Humanity

Please contact Sarah Commo at sarah@hivesforhumanity.com for more information.





SFU Food Education Days: March 15 to 17th

Join SFU students, campus groups, and local community organizations to envision a new future for our food system at the 3rd annual Food Education Days (FED)! At FED, we will seek to engage SFU students to learn more about current issues of food access and security, food of the future, local food production, personal health, and other food related topics.



Check out our three awesome events on the Burnaby campus (on top of Burnaby Mountain):



March 15 - Expo Day

• Explore a variety of informational and interactive displays from different campus groups and community organizations. Students passing by can pick up an event �passport� to receive stamps from tables and be entered to win some awesome prizes!


• 11am to 2pm, the north hallway of the AQ

March 16 - Lunch & Learn

• Food Movements � Inclusion, Respect and Solidarity as Movement Building Strategies

March 17 - Movie Screening

• In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

Co-organized by SFU's Food Access and Education Committee.



For more information, visit: http://www.embarksustainability.org/food_education_days_2016.

Enhancing Community Food Programs for People with Disability Experiencing Food Insecurity - March 23 & 26th



Organized by the Disability Alliance of BC, the goal of Let�s Talk Food Access: Enhancing Community Food Programs for People with Disabilities Experiencing Food Insecurity is to improve access to safe, affordable food resources in two Vancouver neighbourhoods for people with disabilities through education, mentorship and partnerships and to build the capacity of individuals and community food programs to address barriers for people with disabilities and increase their health and well-being.



1st Workshop: Let's Talk Food Security

When: Wednesday March 23, 2016

Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Location: 1655 William Street, Britannia Community Centre, CFEC Room



Who should attend the first workshop: Community Program organizers



2nd Workshop: Let's Talk Food Security

When: Saturday March 26, 2016

Time: 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Location: 1655 William Street, Britannia Community Centre, CFEC Room



Who should attend the second workshop: People with disabilities living in the Grandview Woodlands area.



To attend the workshop, please contact Karen Martin, karen@disabilityalliancebc.org.



More information: http://blog.disabilityalliancebc.org/?p=2695



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If you have a farming/gardening/food security event that you would like to share, please email us with the information to: burnabyfoodfirst@gmail.com. We would be happy to share your events on our blog and get the word out!

The Lowly Potato, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following potato recipes.  

We have such great varieties of potatoes grown here in Manitoba.  They are all available at the local Farmer's Markets and some stores.

1. Spanish Tapa Potato wedges with roasted garlic dip

3 lb potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt

Roasted Garlic Dip
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1 tbs olive oil
5 tbs sour cream
4 tbs mayonnaise
hot smoked paprika, to taste
salt

Roast the garlic for 25 minutes at 350�F until caramelized. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze out and mash. Mix in a bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with salt and paprika. Chill.

For the potatoes, cut each potato half into 3 wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and salt and toss well. Transfer to a roasting pan and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 1- 1/14 hours, or until crisp and golden.

Serve immediately with roasted garlic dip.


5 Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

3-4 potatoes (Icelandic, Yukon, yellow, etc.)
2-3 shallots or yellow onions
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp smoked paprika
2-4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, cubed
5 cheeses, grated (I used:  1 cup grated smoked Oka, 1 cup grated cave aged Gruyere, 1 cup cut up Brie, 1/4 cup Mascarpone, 1/4 cup chopped Mozzarella)
salt and pepper, to tastes

Using a mandolin or a slicer/food processor, slice onions/shallots and potatoes separately.
Grease a 2-3 l baking dish with butter wrapper.
Layer in 1/3 of the thinly sliced potatoes.  Top with 1/3 of the thinly sliced shallots/onions.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour, nutmeg and paprika.  Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
Pour 1/3 of the milk over the potatoes, press down and repeat.

Cover and bake at 350�F for at least 1 hour.  Let rest for up to 20-30 minutes.  Enjoy!

P.S.  I used Mozzarella that I learned to make.  That is for another time!

Vancouver Food Bank Job Posting

Greater Vancouver Food Bank job opportunity: Community Development Coordinator II



Position Summary:



The Community Development Coordinator II is responsible for overseeing all operations,

including an annual budget, a small team, and funding applications and reports, of the Greater

Vancouver Food Bank�s (GVFB) community development initiatives. The community

development initiatives are where the GVFB develops the capacity of individuals and

organizations to organize and facilitate engaging community food initiatives. Current activities

include: community kitchens, townhalls, train the trainer, food skill workshops, food demos, and

mentorship. Initially re-porting to the Food and Education Department (FED) Director, the

position will plan and implement the growth of community development activities for the GVFB.



In addition, applicants should note that initiatives are subject to change and that the successful

candidate will collaboratively work with the FED team, other departments and key stakeholders

to set direction and goals. Experience in leadership, supporting diverse populations, and

community organizing are key expectations of the successful candidate.



Main Duties:



Planning

• Work with GVFB departments, stakeholders, community agencies, and local businesses to strengthen and expand community food initiatives.


• Work with GVFB staff, contractors, and community partners to facilitate a clear and representative vision, goals, and objectives for community and capacity development.


• Develop an annual budget and operating plan to support activities.


• Develop funding proposals for activities to ensure consistency and quality of initiatives.

Management

• Identify new, and nurture existing, community partners who support and participate in capacity building activities.


• Connect community facilitators and volunteers with skill development and capacity building training.


• Manage, supervise and evaluate all activities related to FED�s community development initiatives.


• Ensure that GVFB vehicles and equipment used by team are maintained and comply with organizational safety policies.

Supervision & Mentorship

• Participate and convene community and food networks and committees.


• Plan and coordinate the work of staff including supervision and collaborative evaluation, training, coaching/mentorship and team building.


• Co-organize and attend weekly departmental meetings to maintain effective communication.


• In consultation with the Director and FED Team, select, hire, coach and retain employees and volunteers.

Administration

• Monitor and approve all budgeted expenditures.


• Monitor cash flow projections and report actual cash flow and variances to the Food &


• Education Department Director on a monthly basis.


• Monitor activities on a regular basis and conduct regular program evaluations.


• Reports on community development activities to GVFB team and external partners.


• Communicate with funders as outlined in funding applications and agreements.

Qualifications:



Knowledge and Skills

• Minimum of three years of program coordination with substantive experience supervising people and involvement in community development.


• Proven ability to build networks of individuals and organizations from a diverse range of sectors, demographics, and communities.


• Proven track record of project or program management including active involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of project/program objectives.


• Must have substantive capacity building experience among marginalized, diverse, and vulnerable populations.


• Knowledge of local and national food security issues, the social determinants of health, and food justice/sovereignty.


• Experience in community development or community organizing.


• Familiarity with program evaluation concepts and approaches, including outcome measurement.


• Experience writing successful donation request letters and grants.


• Demonstrated ability to seek and build relationships with potential funders, donors, and community partners.


• Experience supervising and mentoring staff and volunteers.

Education

• Post-secondary education in social work, community development, capacity development, food security or other similar educational background OR relevant experience in project management, community or social planning, or food security programming.

Other

• Driven to build robust, supportive communities by supporting community members� ability to lead and organize.


• Values, respects and advances the role of food in family, community and society.


• Brace yourself for an organization going through an exciting period of growth and transition


• Valid Class 5 Driver�s License and a clean driving record.

Asset Qualifications

• Proficiency in a language other than English.


• Food Safe Level I.


• Experience in facilitating workshops and/or other educational activities.


• Alignment of food values with those of the GVFB.

If you feel this position is the right fit for you, please submit your cover letter and resume to

Diane Collis, FED Director (DianeC@foodbank.bc.ca) by 5pm on March 1, 2016. Please use

the following reference in the subject line: Community Development Coordinator II Application � [Insert Full Name]



We thank all interested applicants, but please note that only those selected for an interview will

be contacted.

Brussels Sprout Chips

Do you know what I consistently want?  Honey BBQ Fritos Twists.  Like, I want them all of the time.  If I could eat a bag every day without feeling guilty or disgusting (or gaining a thousand pounds)... I would.  And because of this, I don't think I've opened a bag since college.  I'm too afraid of what might happen once I taste that sweet and spicy crunch.  WHY IS IT THE PERFECT CRUNCH?  Nope, no... I must not go there.  Instead, I will make things like Brussels Sprout Chips, which are delightful and flavorful AND nutritious.  It is somewhat tedious, I admit, to rip off the outer leaves, but you can also slice them thinly with a knife for a similar effect and texture.  Check out this recipe if you would like to avoid Honey BBQ Fritos Twists taking over your life as well.  

Workshop Bread and Pizza Dough

Bread and Pizza Dough Workshop!



Back by popular demand! Burnaby Food First is pleased to bring back another very popular workshop! Register as soon as possible as there are limited seats available!



Monday March 7th, 2016

6:30 pm to 8:15 pm



Brentwood Community Resource Centre
(2055 Rosser Avenue / Burnaby - map) 



Join Annabell Choi in this hands-on workshop and learn how easy it is to make bread or a pizza dough. 



After this workshop, you will want to try making your own bread at home!



** WORKSHOP IS FULL**



Please contact Meghan at (604) 209-2404 or by email to be added to the waitlist.

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Enjoy Burnaby Food First workshops? Want to get involved as a volunteer?

Check out all the great ways you can get involved. All are welcome, and we'd love to have you on board! For more information, send us an email. 

Chocolate Coconut Balls

Can you tell I am "out with one holiday, in with the other" around here?  It's not even March yet but my house is popping with green (especially now that I'm officially a "Daly" which totally makes me Irish, right?).  Feeling conflicted about when to put Easter up, however, it's so early this year.  Thoughts?  These are important matters we must discuss.  Also important?  How easy and delicious these 4-ingredient coconut balls are!  If you love coconut, make these now.  They are perfect for that after-dinner craving (or after lunch, breakfast...).  Recipe here.

Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower

Raise your hand if you love buffalo flavored anything!  Wow, I see 17 million hands!  Because I have 17 million followers!  Ok but really, I don't know many people who don't love buffalo sauce.  However, typically it's associated with rich foods like wings or burgers.  Not anymore, my friends, not anymore.  How about a crispy, buffalo VEGETABLE!  Cauliflower!  The hearty florets are lightly coated in a garbanzo bean flour & water batter (which makes them gluten-free, yes?), seasoned with garlic powder and a little salt, baked until crispy, smothered in buffalo sauce and baked some more.  They are so delicious, and would be even better dipped in a Greek-yogurt based blue cheese sauce (last night all I had was ranch on hand, still yummy).  I followed this recipe - enjoy!!

More buffalo: Bufalo Chicken Burgers, Buffalo Chicken Chili, Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad and Buffalo Deviled Eggs

Starting Seeds Indoors

Having recently hosting 2 workshops on container planting, I cannot help but think that it is time to start thinking about starting some seedlings indoors!



Now is the best time, given that Vancouver's Seedy Saturday is being held on Feb. 27th at the VanDusen Garden. Why not try growing your own food garden this year? With the price of fruit and vegetables growing, this is one way to beat the cost! The only down side, is patience and your time! But it will be well worth it!

Leanne Zmud facilitating Container Food Gardening Workshop

Photo: Meghan Cooke

Now why is growing your own food important to food security? 



Well, for one, you have access to really cool plants that you just don't find as seedlings. The variety of seeds (and heirloom varieties) is much more than what you find in the plant stores. The cost for a pack of seeds ranges from 99 cents to $5 per package. The ability to harvest what you grow, whether it is on a balcony, your community garden or your own plot of land? Priceless.



Plus this is a great way to get kids involved in having them grow their own food. The easiest seeds to start with are:

• Tomatoes - try the cherry variety as they are widely available


• Strawberries - why not try the alpine (white) varieties


• Peas


• Lemon Cucumbers - seen at some farmer's market but rarely at your grocery chain store


• Lettuce 

Tips for starting your seeds indoors



Make sure if you are starting your seeds indoors to start at the appropriate time. Not sure when to start? Check out West Coast Seed's Planting Charts. A great resource for every gardener!



Use appropriate containers that are clean. Not too small and not too big. Don't forget to label what you planted. When the seedlings pop up, it may be hard to figure out what seed was what!



You may want to partner up with a friend or neighbour when buying seeds. Each package contains far more seeds that what is needed! Besides, its a great way to pool resources, further cutting down on the cost of gardening! At Vancouver's Seedy Saturday, they sometimes will have a seed swap. So, if you have some seeds bring them and see if you can trade them for some other vegetable or fruit to try growing.



Use seedling mix. Not potted soil. Also, not too much water. You only want the seeds to be moist so that it starts to germinate.  Most seed packages have the instruction on how to plant the seeds. Once it has germinated, it will need some sunlight to grow, so you may want to move your seedlings to a light source.



Most importantly, have fun! Growing seeds indoors is a great way to involve kids in understanding where foods come from and to taste the different varieties that they have grown. I have seen white, orange to "zebra" striped tomatoes...each with subtle differences in their taste. You could even have your own tasting of different veggies in the late summer or fall, when they are ready to harvest. For those who are adventurous, you can try saving some seeds!



There are a lot of resources online or through your local library (ours is Burnaby Public Library and those librarians are a great resource in helping you find any gardening book) about growing your own seeds indoors and on a rainy day (which is a lot of those at the moment), it would be a great activity for anyone (or the whole family to agree on which plants to grow)...even if it is just one container on your patio! Happy planting!

Creamy Tomato Vodka Sauce

While we were in California, I met a new friend who shared a bowl of pasta with her homemade tomato vodka sauce.  I instantly fell in love with her, in a... "I love your pasta and want to be able to cook like you" kind of way.  We talked about the recipe and I tried to remember everything she said, which wasn't easy because she's not the type to measure things.  Last night, I tried it out, and I think I did a pretty good job.  Now I'm in love with myself!  Just kidding.  I was surprised at how easy and quickly this sauce came together, however I'm sure you could let it simmer on your stove for hours and it would taste even better.  Now I've got to track her down because she mentioned she makes a killer alfredo sauce too... oh pasta, why do you do this to me.    

Creamy Tomato Vodka Sauce

(Makes approx. 4 cups)

Printable Recipe

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced

4-6 cloves garlic, minced (depending how much you like garlic)

2 tomatoes, finely diced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup cream

1/3 cup vodka

Seasonings to taste: dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper

In a deep skillet or pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat.  Add the shallots, garlic and fresh tomato, and saut� for about 5 minutes, until shallots start to soften.  Add the tomato paste and stir, saut�ing for another couple of minutes.  Then add the crushed tomatoes, cream and vodka.  Stir, and let simmer for 20 minutes, or longer, until the sauce thickens and the flavors develop.  Season to taste with seasonings.    

Veggie Burgers on TODAY

Hello Blogging World!  I have been SIRIously absent, as I'm sure you've noticed.  February has been a month of highs and LOWS in our house.  It started with Carson getting the flu, BIG time: low.  Then there was my 35th birthday: high!  Err, I guess?  Then our middle child had a 6-day fever: low.  Aaaaaand, then the baby got it: low, low, low.  After that, we flew to Pebble Beach, California to watch Carson play in a golf tournament: major HIGH.  During which, I came down with a really bad cough: low (imagine me on the golf course - a very silent setting - ducking into the forest with the deer trying to suppress a coughing fit).  I think I even cracked a rib or two from all the hacking!  Low!  Valentine's Day: blegh.  Now our son, who seemed to escape all the sick, has gone down: lowwwww.  Too many lows.  Anyone else ready for spring??

But this morning, I was at the Today Show: high!!  I made two different veggie burgers and some rutabaga fries (recipes here) and it felt so great to be back in the kitchen.  Once I knock this jet lag, I plan on making all the things I've been dreaming of these past few weeks.  So come back!  Don't forget about me!  (Photos by Samantha Okazaki)   

What I Eat

People often ask me what I eat. I've been reluctant to share, because it feels egocentric and I'm a private person by nature. I also don't want people to view my diet as a universal prescription for others. But in the end, as someone who shares my opinions about nutrition, it's only fair that I answer the question. So here we go.

In my food choices, I try to strike a balance between nutrition, cost, time efficiency, animal welfare, pleasure, and environmental impact. I'm the chef of my household of two, and I cook two meals a day, almost every day, typically from single ingredients. I prefer organic, but I don't insist on it.

Eggs from my hens

My diet changes seasonally because I grow much of my own food. This started out with vegetables, but recently has expanded to staple foods such as potatoes, flour corn, and winter squash. I also have a small flock of laying hens that turn table scraps, bugs, grass, and chicken feed into delicious eggs.

The primary guiding principle of my diet is to eat somewhere between a "Paleolithic"-style diet and a traditional agricultural/horticultural diet. I think of it as a broad ancestral diet. Because it's partially inspired by agricultural/horticultural diets, starch is the main calorie source.

My meals are organized around three food groups: a protein, a starch, and vegetables/fruit. If any of those three are missing, the meal doesn't feel complete. I'll start with those categories and move on from there.

Read more �

Hot Cereal, Hot Coffee

Cold cereal was crispy, flakey, or puffy, and served with milk. It was this reason, the splash of milk, that I avoided cold cereal (and still do), aside from a handful of clusters popped into my mouth as a crunchy dry snack.

Hot cereal was Cream of Wheat, simmered on the stovetop, and served with a pat of country crock margarine and a shower of granulated white sugar. On weekends, when dad was home for breakfast, our hot cereal was topped with a generous, scalding hot, sugary sweet splash of black coffee. 


It was my dad�s idea� something my Oma used to make? The coffee had to be extra hot, and extra sweet. Amanda and I loved coffee when we were kids, and this was one of our favorite ways to have it. We�d gather around the kitchen counter, which was where we sat for casual meals, and wait with excitement while he placed the steaming carafe of coffee in between our bowls. We would all start with a small pour, which pooled around the edges of the Cream of Wheat. As we ate and the sweet dark coffee mixed in with the cereal, we�d add more and more, until in the end, we were lapping up spoonfuls of coffee flecked with grains of wheat. 

I hadn�t eaten or even thought about hot cereal in years, until the other day Amanda said she had some for breakfast. I instantly remembered the aroma of sweet black coffee, the giddy anticipation as we waited for the liquid to cool enough to take a bite, the way everything in the bowl turned a creamy light caramel color after it all started to mix together. And then, of course, I ran out and got a box of Cream of Wheat.

There�s no recipe. Just make Cream of Wheat according the instructions on the box. Make it a little thick. Brew your coffee a little stronger than normal, and pour, a little at a time, over the cream of wheat in your bowl. This time I added the coffee plain, along with a swirl of maple syrup. When I was a kid, the coffee would be pre-mixed with white sugar. 

Valentine's Day and Food Security

Happy Valentine's Day! I cannot think of this day without thinking of chocolates and specific foods that we "share" with our loved ones!



So, why not break with tradition and send out valentine cards with seeds? It is almost time to start your seedings! Plus USC Canada, an organization that promotes vibrant family farms, strong rural communities and healthy ecosystems around the world, has a really cool and nifty idea to tie Valentine's Day with food security...so, rather than saying it with roses, why not try seeds?

Source: USC Canada's Valentine's Day card!

We want to help spread the message of food security, so why not download these cute Food Security Valentine's Day Card templates and spread the message of growing your own local (and healthy) food from seeds...it is a great opportunity to talk to family and friends about the importance of food:

• where it comes from (such as shipping lettuce from California),


• growing it yourself either in a community garden or on your balcony in a container, and


• community building through sharing backyards!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

Punjabi Rajmah and Tuscan beans on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

Tomorrow, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod, I'll be bringing in these two bean dishes.  It is the year of beans and pulses, enjoy!

Both the Kidney and the White (canellini) beans are grown here in Manitoba and are available at Saturday's St. Norbert's Farmer's Market by J. Berard Gardens.   

The Sausage for the Tuscan Beans is also available at the Market tomorrow at Wildfire Farms. 

Rajmah

2 cups red kidney beans, washed thoroughly, soaked and cooked
1 medium yellow or red onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tbs + olive oil
2 medium-sized tomatoes diced (about 1 cup)
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped or grated (2 tablespoon)
3 cloves garlic, chopped or minced (1 tablespoon)
2 � 4 green Thai, Serrano or cayenne chilies, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon whole cumin seed
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp red chili powder (cayenne)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 - 2 tbs tamarind paste
good pinch or two of salt
6-8 cups water (less if you want more of a chili effect)
1 bunch fresh, chopped cilantro (1/2 cup)

Saut� onions over medium heat in olive oil. Add chopped tomatoes, chilies, ginger and garlic. Add dry spices and cook until soft. Add beans and salt and tamarind and cook until the beans break down and become thick and somewhat creamy.

When finished, take an immersion blender and press it about four times to break up some of the beans. If using a blender, take out about a cup and process in the blender, then put this back in the pot. Be careful not to process all of the beans. Most of the beans should remain whole.

Stir in the cilantro.

Serve over a bed of rice with yogurt. Some enjoy a dab of butter on each serving.


Tuscan beans (Fagioli all'uccelletto)

This is perhaps Florence's most famous dish. Some include Italian sausage.  I used the sausage from Wildfire Farms. 

1 pound small white cannellini or great northern beans, soaked overnight
1 large sausage (optional)
2 sprigs of sage
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic
5 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 14 oz can Italian plum tomatoes

DRAIN the beans and simmer in fresh water to cover, with 1 sprig of sage and 1 tablespoon olive oil, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender, adding salt when the beans begin to soften.

IN a separate pan (large enough to hold the beans) heat the remaining oil on low heat with the garlic and the rest of the sage so that the flavors infuse, but do not brown

ADD the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the drained beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 15 minutes or so. There should be a good amount of sauce.

Enjoy!

Is the "Obesity Paradox" an Illusion?

Over the last two decades, multiple independent research groups have come to the surprising conclusion that people with obesity (or, more commonly, overweight) might actually be healthier than lean people in certain ways. This finding is called the "obesity paradox". Yet recent research using more rigorous methods is suggesting that the paradox is an illusion-- and excess body fat may be even more harmful to health than we thought.

Introduction. What is the obesity paradox, and why does it matter?

Read more �

Knowledge Network: Just Eat It Film on Food Waste

Hello Food Firsters!



One of our past bloggers suggested that this may be a great idea for the blog! Here at Burnaby Food First, our passion is about ensuring that everyone has access to healthy and local foods.



A part of food security that does not get a lot of attention from our workshops, is food waste. How much of our food ends up in the trash. MetroVancouver has a Love Food, Hate Waste campaign which has some great resources on how to reduce waste as well as opportunities to share ideas or to discuss this very important topic.



This 74 minute movie follows Grant Baldwin and Jen Rustemeyer, in their  efforts to live a zero-waste lifestyle, take on a new challenge: to eat only rescued food for six months.

 

The movie shows the Vancouver couple as they forgo restaurant meals and
quit grocery shopping cold turkey. What they find is shocking:
truckloads of perfectly edible food destined for the landfill.



Access the movie: https://www.knowledge.ca/program/just-eat-it or visit http://www.foodwastemovie.com/ for more information.



For Canadians, access to the movie is unlimited and free. Consider donating to help raise awareness of food security and support the movie.



4 Feb 2016 - Just posted online: French supermarkets banned from throwing away and spoiling unsold foods.

Kale Caesar Salad

So I finally finished this season's Homeland, and I was depressed about it all weekend.  Not only because of the ending (no spoiler alerts, don't worry), but because it was OVER, and now I have to wait however long for more of it.  Does anyone else experience this type of TV-related depression?  Don't even get me started on the finality of Breaking Bad ending...

Ok, I don't really know where I'm going with this.  I'm tired.  I've had insomnia for two nights in a row, and I'm not sure why.  Is it Homeland related?  Maybe.  Am I pondering that I'm about to turn 35, which seems like a really big number?  Probably.  It's a good thing I had yummy food to eat this weekend, otherwise I'd be a zombie.  Like this Kale Salad with the most delicious and HEALTHY Lime Caesar Dressing.  It's made with greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese and anchovy paste for that familiar, salty Caesar flavor.  It was so good and very easy to make.  I topped my salad with shredded Parmesan, sliced tomatoes and homemade croutons (and followed this recipe for everything else).  

Ok... Monday, let's do this.