Last week, Epicure Consultant, Jessica Crossan hosted her first ever cooking summer camp at Green Valley Alliance Church on Simcoe Road.
"They learned all of the prep work for all of the things we were cooking," explained Crossan.
Each day, a new menu item was introduced, and the kids were taught how how to cook it from start to finish.
"It makes me feel proud to know that I am giving them a skill that will serve them well into their future," she said about the classes.
And that is the reason she got started in the food business to begin with, to create a sense of community.
"People gather around food, it bring us together," she explained.
Crossan has been an Epicure Consultant for the past four years and says it has been a great way to get her family and other kids in town involved with cooking and learning about the importance of not only making meals, but sharing them together with family and friends.
She mentioned how the Candian Food Guide includes a new section on reccomendations about healthy eating habits.
"It's being mindful of what you're eating, how you're eating and why you are eating it with the people you are," she said.
The camp ran from Monday to Thursday, with Thursday night being the grand finale where parents were welcomed to a dinner party presented by the kids cuisine creations.
Some of the items on the dinner menu included lasagna, cesar salad, sourdough bread, brownie and mocktails.
11 kids were registered for the camp, plus Crossan's four children-for a total of 15 kids participating in the cooking festitivites all week.
"Every family that's registered gets to take home the kit with the ingredients that we use and the recipes that we use," Crossan explained.
"Teaching them how to cook is one step closer to independence.”
"They learned about proper kitchen hygiene as well as the actual process (of cooking), because that's missing, kids don't get that in their curriculum in school anymore."
The kids were excited to learn something new and get their hands dirty-literally!
She bought as many ingredients from the Bradford Farmers' Market on Saturday and had the kids clean and prep them before making their meals.
"I am trying to encourage them to shop local," explained Crossan.
Participant Amy, 10, says she really enjoyed the camp.
"I am allowed to do more things here than I normally do at home," she said about her experience with the camp.
Madeline, 8, enjoyed not only the cooking but the social aspect of the camp as well.
"We could make things together, and help each other," she said.
As the new school year approaches, a lot of parents are looking for easy meals and snacks that are school-safe but also delicious.
Crossan has made a list of some school-safe and easy-to-make snacks for kids lunchboxes:
EMPTYCUPBOARD GRANOLA BARS
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cups honey
2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp Epicure Cocoa Crunch Whole Food Sprinkles
1 cup "TOTAL" add ins: (seeds like sunflower or pepitas, dried fruit, chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, cereal, coconut flakes, puffed quinoa)
Instructions: 1. Toast the oats for about 4-6 minutes in the Epicure Perfect Pan or until golden brown 2. In a medium bowl add honey, sugar, butter, oil and heat in microwave for 1 minute or until bubbling 3. Mix all ingredients together and then once well mixed place in Epicure’s Perfect Petite Pan and freezer or refrigerate until set.
BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES
Makes 12 cookies
Ingredients:
2 medium, ripe bananas, mashed
1 C (250 ml) quick-cooking oats
1/4 C (60 ml) chocolate chips
1/2 tsp (2,5 ml) Apple Pie Spice, or Chai Spice
Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C)
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Place by rounded tablespoonful onto a Sheet Pan lined with a Bake & Roll and bake for 12–15 minutes until golden.
PIZZA BITES
1 ½ C (375mL) Flour of Your Choice
1 ½ tsp. (7.5mL) Baking Powder
2 Tbsp (30mL) Pizza Seasoning
2 Large Eggs
1 ½ C (375mL) Milk
1 C (250mL) Grated Cheese, Your Choice
1 C(250mL) Chopped Toppings, Your Choice
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine the first three ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Stir in cheese and toppings. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until evenly combined. Place perfect petites mold on a sheet pan. Using a basting brush, lightly brush with oil. Divide evenly between petites and bake until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. When cool to touch, flip mold onto baking sheet and twist to pop out. Pizza bits freeze well for an easy grab and go lunch!
BERRY MILLET MUFFINS
Ingredients
2 C (500 ml) all-purpose or gluten-free flour
1/2 C (125 ml) sugar
1/3 C (80 ml) millet
2 Tbsp (30 ml)
Summer Berry Sweet Dip Mix
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
2/3 C (160 ml) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
1/2 C (125 ml) milk, soy milk, or coconut milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 C (250 ml) frozen berries
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Tutti Fruity Whole Food Topper
Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine butter with milk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in frozen berries. Pour over dry ingredients. Fold together until combined. Don’t overmix. Place a lightly oiled muffin tray on a Baking Sheet; fill each cup with ¼ C (60 ml) batter. Sprinkle with Whole Food Sprinkle. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
If you have any questions about these recipes or want to learn more about Epicure, contact Jessica Crossan on her Facebook page here.
