We were lucky to have Duke student Morgan Carney with us last semester. Morgan did a photojournalism project (http://wondersofwatts.com/grow-watts-grow/) on our school’s garden-and-cooking project for a class she takes at Duke University. Her professor, Susie Post Rust, is a George Watts parent. The end result speaks for itself.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of chickpeas
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon
1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
2 carrots, grated or sliced thin
3 pita pockets
6 lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Add the chickpeas and garlic to a blender. Blend until the beans break apart.

2. Grate and juice lemon. Add the oil, lemon juice and grated lemon peel to the blender and blend.

3. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the hummus until it is a good consistency.

4. Add the salt, pepper and cumin, and blend until completely smooth.

5. Cut the pita pockets in half and spoon 2 tablespoons of hummus into each half. Divvy up carrots and lettuce, and add to pockets.

Ingredients:

1 cup canned sweet corn
3/4 cup canned black beans
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup grated feta cheese
2 tablespoons green or red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion
1 whole avocado

2 tablespoons cilantro, shredded into small pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1/8 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl and mix.

2. Combine all dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake until mixed.

3. Pour dressing on salad and enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 large leaves of kale
1 tablespoon finely shopped shallot
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated ricotta salata or feta cheese
1/2 apple, chopped

Directions:

1. Wash 6 large leaves of kale and shake dry. Remove stems, break into small bite-sized pieces, and place in large bowl. (Tip: To remove leaves from the stem, pinch the stem between two fingertips at the base of the leaf. Apply some pressure and slide your fingers up the stem. Leaves come right off.)

2. Add to a mason jar the lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil.

3. Chop shallots and add to mason jar. Shake jar until dressing is well mixed.

4. Sprinkle cheese over the kale.

5. Sprinkle apple pieces on top of kale.

6. Pour salad dressing on top. Enjoy.

Here’s one great recipe that deliciously accomplishes both. My older daughter was among the students who begged for seconds, when her classroom made this dish during cooking class.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 block firm or extra-firm tofu, well pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1/4 onion, chopped
1/3 bell pepper, any color, sliced
2 cups collards, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup mushrooms, sliced (any kind)
1 green onion (scallions), sliced
2 cups rice, pre-cooked

Directions:

1. In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice and ginger. Marinade the tofu in this sauce for at least one hour.

2. In a wok or large skillet, cook the broccoli, carrots, onion, bell pepper, collards, and tofu over high heat, stirring frequently.

3. Add the mushrooms, green onion and marinade from the tofu. Allow to cook for just a few more minutes. Vegetables should be tender but not soft.

4. Add the rice and cook just until heated through and well mixed.

Makes 2 dozen muffins

Ingredients

1 cup molasses
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat molasses, honey, oil and eggs until well-mixed.

2. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk to the egg mixture.

3. Pour batter into greased muffin pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When the muffins are cool, place a scoop of skillet apples and some whipped cream on top.

Skillet Apples

Ingredients

4 medium apples
2 tablespoons butter or oil
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Chop apples into bite-sized pieces.

2. Melt butter (or heat oil) in a skillet over medium heat.

3. Add apples and cook for 2 minutes covered.

4. Add sugar and cinnamon and cook uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Spoon apples over a gingerbread muffin and top with whipped cream.

Over four days, students created the meal by working with fresh ingredients — some of which came straight from a farm to our school. These were the latest in a series of cooking classes we’ve held at the school. Counting these sessions, we’ve had 52 cooking classes in the school this semester!

The goal is to help teach a generation of kids how to eat healthier by showing them where real food comes from, how to cook it, and how to enjoy it.

And, of course, the cooking connects with the Edible Garden, where we’re growing the kale, lettuce, tomatoes, basil, sweet potatoes and radishes used in the recipes.

We wouldn’t have such a robust program — and wouldn’t have been able to pull off the Harvest Mini-Feast — without Becca Wright, our nutritionist through the Health Department’s “Dine for Life” program. Thanks, Becca!

Also, big thanks to the businesses who made the feast filling and gorgeous: Whole Foods, Walmart, Ninth Street Bakery, Loaf, Berenbaum’s Bakery and Ninth Street Flowers.

Photos courtesy of Morgan Carney.

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. Peel one sweet potato and cut into cubes. Place in boiling water until soft (about 10 minutes). Drain and mash. (Or start with an already-roasted potato.)

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and nutmeg.

3. Mix and set aside.

4. In another larger mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and vegetable oil.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.

6. Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.

7. Top with fruit, syrup or honey and enjoy!