Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

Summer is winding down (as much as we don’t want to admit it) and aside from school starting soon; many kids are also getting back on the field for fall sports. Between getting your kids in their uniforms and driving the car pool to practice, the last thing on you mind is packing a healthy snack to keep them going during and after practice. But don’t worry, we’re here to help with a list of quick and healthy snacks that will keep your kids moving all season long. One of which is our spiced cereal trail mix your kids are sure to love.

Do you have any healthy snack ideas? If so, feel free to share them in the comment box.

Half-Time Snacks: Give your kids fruit during half time, this way they’ll get charged up without filling up.

•Orange slice

•Easy-peel Clementines

•Grapes

•Cantaloupe or watermelon chunks

•Strawberries

Post-Game Snacks: After the game, they will have more time to eat and they will surely be hungry.

Early morning games:

•Whole-wheat mini-bagels with cream cheese and jelly

•Mini-yogurt cups

•Granola bars

•Whole-grain muffins

Just before lunch games:

•String cheese

•Half sandwiches on whole-wheat bread (PB&J, turkey & cheese, etc.)

•Peanut butter on celery sticks

For afternoon games:

•Popcorn and baby carrots

•Whole-grain crackers and cheese

Spiced Cereal Trail Mix

Also known as a Dutch baby, pannekoeken are Dutch pancakes baked in the oven that become puffed along the edges. They are then filled with every variety of fruit, jams, baked apples and savory varieties with bacon and sautéed vegetables and a bit of shredded cheese and served for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

These were a favorite of mine when I was younger, made by the neighbor across the street. She shared her recipe with my mom one day and my love affair with the simple pancake was set in stone. Pannekoeken are easy to throw together, and they bake just long enough that you can whip them up, toss them in the oven and sneak in a morning shower while they bake.

We are finally seeing peaches here, and I have been patiently waiting for them as others talk of crumbles and cobblers. I ate half of mine fresh with my kids, not bothering with batters and baking, and then the other half were lightly cooked in a pannekoek after being tossed with some raw apple blossom honey for dinner later the same night.

Honey Peach Pannekoeken

¼ cup butter

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 ½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ½ sliced ripe peaches

2-3 tablespoons of raw honey

Heat oven to 400º F.  Place the butter in a heat-proof 10" or 11" frying pan with rounded edges or cast iron skillet or a 9"x13" glass baking pan and set in the oven.  Beat together eggs and milk.  Add in the flour and salt and whisk until batter is smooth.

When the oven is preheated and butter in your pan is completely melted, carefully pour the batter into the pan.  Close the oven door and bake for 20 minutes until pancake is puffed around edges.  Mix together peaches and honey.  Place peaches in the center of the pancake and continue cooking 5–10 minutes more until edges are a light golden brown.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Photos by Shaina Olmanson

This past weekend I was on a mission. Inspired by an amazing stack of Vanilla Blueberry Almond Pancakes (at my favorite breakfast spot, the Coffee Cup) I was determined to bake a loaf of bread that combined those delicious flavors. And since I love baking Banana Bread, because it’s so quick and easy, I wanted to come up with a bread recipe for the summer time – using blueberries. This bread makes a perfect breakfast or snack with your afternoon tea. Add a glaze, it’s a tasty dessert. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did – I baked 3 loaves!

1 cup organic blueberries, washed and dried

1/4 cup sliced almonds (plus a few more to sprinkle on top)

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (plus ¼ cup to coat berries & nuts)

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pre-heat the oven to 325°. Grease a 8.5” x 4.5” loaf pan.

Toss the berries and almonds with 1/4 cup of flour to keep them from sinking in the batter.

In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of flour, oats, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Fold in the almonds and blueberries.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 55 - 65 minutes, rotating the pan partway through. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.

Photos by Kari Burks

Growing up radishes to me were crudités on platter filled with more crudités like carrots, celery and cauliflower. I would eat them every once in a while, curious as to what the red orbs tasted like, and I was always surprised when they had a bite. I still am to this day.

For my husband, his radish experience started in the garden and ended atop a peanut butter sandwich. Yes, he consumed many a peanut butter and radish sandwich in his day, a combination I have not yet tried. Though I do have to say I’m intrigued at the texture addition to the peanut butter sandwich.

Then there is the classic bread, butter and radish combo that so many people speak of, and that is what I was considering when I veered my mind in a similar but different direction and landed on this sandwich, one that started in my garden.

As we readied to leave for a few days, I considered what would spoil while we were gone, and I knew I couldn’t let the cucumbers and radishes go to waste, not to mention the large crop of romaine or the tomatoes that seem to be turning red daily now. A few Greek seasonings later, a sandwich was born.

A Radish Sandwich

2 slices of whole wheat bread of choice

3 radishes, thinly sliced

1 whole romaine leaf

3 thinly sliced tomatoes

2 tablespoons feta cheese

2 tablespoons homemade tzatziki

Layer sandwich: bread > tzatziki > radishes > feta > tomatoes > romaine > bread. Cut in half and enjoy. If you’re looking for a bit more, try grilling the sandwich after it’s assembled until the outside is nice and golden brown.

Makes 1 sandwich.

Photos by Shaina Olmanson

Can it be? Is this really the first week of August? Wow, the summer has really flown by. As we look back over the summer, we have had so many amazing recipes come through our organic feed. So, we thought it would be fun to pick our favorites and share them with you. We would love to hear how you enjoy them, let us know what you think in the comment box below.

Easy Summer Dessert: Strawberry-Apricot Galette:

Ginger-Soy Beef Tenderloin Kebabs:

Vanilla Bean Gelato:

Smoked Barbecue Ribs:

Grilled Artichokes and Easy Garlic Aioli:

Photos By Shaina Olmanson

Happy Friday Friends! Since our last Five Links post we have had so many great recipes come through our organic feed. So, this week we wanted to highlight some of them for you. It’s always nice to try something new and spice up your grocery list from time to time. Hopefully you’ll try one or even all of these recipes. After that we would love to hear how they turned out. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend!

Grilled Pinapple Mango Salmon- A fresh, seasonal take on grilled salmon from our friend Shaina. This is a must try dish!-foodformyfamily.com

Maple Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies- There's nothing quite like a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Especially when they're made with our Cascadian Farm Organic Maple Brown Sugar Granola!-cookiemadness.net

Grown-Up Popsicles- How come kids always get to have all the sweet treats? Try these "grown-up" popcicles to get a little summer relief. -makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com

Spaghetti Remix- Spaghetti isn't just served from a bowl anymore. Here's a very interesting take on the Spaghetti dinner. -makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com

Top Shelf Fajitas- Shaina has another delicious recipe for us to try. These aren't your ordinary fajitas. -foodformyfamily.com

I recently headed up to the Cascadian Farm Home Farm while I was on a trip out to Seattle. As I’ve said before, there’s something magical to me in the whole farm-to-table aspect where I go and pick my own food, bring it home and cook with it.

I can’t say enough how hard it hits home to me in this day and age where so much of our food comes in boxes and Styrofoam packages and is purchased from antiseptic shelves in a large store. Sometimes it’s hard for me with four kids to get out and do the hands-on farm activities that I grew up with, so I try to give my children those activities in the backyard in our family garden. However, berry season is one time of the year where getting out to local farms and picking can and does happen. The strawberries are always sweeter, juicier and tastier.

Cascadian Farm did not disappoint. Surrounded by strawberries being harvested to be sold on the roadside stand, I was instantly comfortable and at home. Farmer Jim instructed us to eat them at will, and he was so accommodating to me, even running to his home to get me a cake pan for my cake. Of course, I was going to let him eat it when it was finished baking.

As strawberry season will soon be ended and raspberry season just beginning, feel free to substitute between the two berries in this recipe for whatever is in season in your area. Have you been to the farm to pick them yet this summer? I can’t wait to tell you more about my trip and experience.

Strawberry-Lemon Coffee Cake

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar whisked in)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, diced (or whole raspberries)

1 lemon, zested

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

Juice from 1 lemon above

Preheat oven to 350º F and grease a 9x13 baking pan. Cream together sugar, butter and egg. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk and the baking soda, then mix into the creamed butter and sugar. Mix together flour, cardamom and salt and then slowly blend into the wet mix. Fold in diced strawberries and lemon zest.

Bake at 350º F for 35-40 minutes until top springs back when touched. Remove from oven. Allow to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, stir powdered sugar with half the juice from the lemon. Continue adding juice until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle lightly over the cake and serve warm.

Photos by Shaina Olmanson

Nothing says summer quite like a camping trip. Fresh air, the great outdoors, and gourmet food!? That’s right, just because you’re “roughing it” doesn’t mean you have to “rough it” when it comes to the food you eat while you’re out there. Although you don’t have a full kitchen to cook in, you can still cook great tasting gourmet meals on the campsite. With a little creativity and some simple food prep before you leave, you’re on your way to the most delicious camping trip you have ever had. Here are some great recipes to try on your next camping trip courtesy of cookeatshare.com.

Photo By Rob Lee

BREAKFAST:

Egg Fusion

LUNCH:

Pork and Hominy Chili

APPETIZER:

Ceviche de Pescado

DINNER:

Parmesan Fish Fillets

DESSERT:

Campfire Apple Pie

It’s hard to believe Sunday is already the fourth of July. It’s amazing how time flies by. It seems like we were just getting ready for planting season and now it’s already summer.

So, what do you have planned for this weekend? A barbeque? A picnic? Well, whatever you do, hopefully you’ll be able to spend some quality time with your friends and family. And enjoy plenty of delicious food too!

Here are some of our favorite summer time recipes that you might want to try this weekend. Do you have a great summer time recipe that you like to make? Share it with everyone in the comments box. Happy Independence Day friends!

Grilled Chicken and Raspberry Salad

Blackberry-Almond Bruschetta

Sparkling Strawberry-Lemonade Slush