As of: 12-28-2015           

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Cooking With Tasha on Television:
 

Tasha Halpert has taught cooking both formally and informally for many years, both in her own kitchen and others, and even in a TV studio (GCTV). For most of her adult life she has been interested in the healing power of herbs and foods and has written cooking columns emphasizing this for several publications.
 

Description: A cooking show hosted by Tasha Halpert, featuring organic and healthy ways of cooking.
 

Run Time: 30 min.
 

Airs: Mondays at 4:30 pm, Wednesdays at 7 pm and Fridays at 9 am.




Classes and Workshops:

~ Upcoming ~

Tower Hill Botanical Gardens - Early Spring Recipies for Seasonal Change  (directions)
Members $35, Non-members $40
Instructor: Tasha Halpert
11047-1: Cook Your Way to Better Health: Early Spring Recipes for Seasonal Change
Moving from winter to spring means a changeover in the way we eat. It's time to lighten up the diet and begin a different way of eating.


Tuesday, April 5th, 11:30 A.M. - 2 P.M.: Early Spring Recipes for Seasonal Change

We are sorry, this class has been cancelled. Please join Tasha for one of her next classes on May 5th or June 5th. Thank you!

 


Tower Hill Botanical Gardens - Merry Recipies for the month of May  (directions)
Members $35, Non-members $40
Instructor: Tasha Halpert

Tasha Halpert has taught cooking both formally and informally for many years, both in her own kitchen and others, and even in a TV studio. For most of her adult life she has been interested in the healing power of herbs and foods and has written cooking columns emphasizing this for several publications. In both January and March, she presents a complete menu (see our website for menu details) of original, easy to prepare recipes for you to taste, together with suggestions for staying healthy with those foods and herbs used in her soups, casseroles, salads and desserts. Also featured will be suggestions and recipes for ways to aid in preserving good health using commonly available herbs and foods.

11047-2  Cook Your Way to Better Health - Merry Recipes for the Month of May

Food needs to be lighter for lighter appetites, yet still nutritious. We are not done with cooler weather yet, so an occasional soup is welcome, especially if it is light both in calories and substance. Rhubarb is in season now and it is excellent for helping the body cleanse away winter's leftovers from the body

Thursday, May 5th, 2011  (11:30 A.M. - 2 P.M): Merry Recipes for the Month of May

Click here for more information and to register for this class.

Tasting Menu Garlic Whammo dip Green Blessings warm salad Curley Endive Soup Home Fried Potatoes with Tofu Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce Fannie's Cottage Pudding
 


Tower Hill Botanical Gardens - June Bounty Brings Fun Dining  (directions)
11047-3  Cook Your Way to Better Health - June Bounty Brings Fun Dining

Light food is now essential, and there is so much to choose from as the fresh produce fills the farm stands. Enjoy the bounty of the seasons.

Sunday, June 5th, 2011 (11:30 A.M. - 2 P.M): June Bounty Brings Fun Dining
Members $35, Non-members $40
Instructor: Tasha Halpert

Tasha Halpert has taught cooking both formally and informally for many years, both in her own kitchen and others, and even in a TV studio. For most of her adult life she has been interested in the healing power of herbs and foods and has written cooking columns emphasizing this for several publications. In both January and March, she presents a complete menu (see our website for menu details) of original, easy to prepare recipes for you to taste, together with suggestions for staying healthy with those foods and herbs used in her soups, casseroles, salads and desserts. Also featured will be suggestions and recipes for ways to aid in preserving good health using commonly available herbs and foods.

Click here for more information and to register for this class.

Tasting Menu
Maple Vinaigrette Dressing Special Spicy Cornbread Great Green Sauce for Pasta or Dip Dandelion Deluxe for Two Millet One Dish Dinner Simple Cinnamon Muffin Cake
 



Past Cooking Recipe - Classes and Workshops:
 

Tower Hill Botanical Gardens - Cook Your Way to Better Health II  (directions)
110122 - Cook Your Way to Better Health: Immune Support for Healthy Bodies and Winter Weary Appetites
Saturday, March 12th, 2011  (12 Noon - 2 P.M.)
Members $35, Non-members $40
Instructor: Tasha Halpert

Tasha Halpert has taught cooking both formally and informally for many years, both in her own kitchen and others, and even in a TV studio. For most of her adult life she has been interested in the healing power of herbs and foods and has written cooking columns emphasizing this for several publications. In both January and March, she presents a complete menu (see our website for menu details) of original, easy to prepare recipes for you to taste, together with suggestions for staying healthy with those foods and herbs used in her soups, casseroles, salads and desserts. Also featured will be suggestions and recipes for ways to aid in preserving good health using commonly available herbs and foods.

Tasting Menu: Garlic Cauliflower Soup, Brilliant Broccoli Soup, Coleslaw with a Difference, Home Fried Potatoes with Tofu, Jalapeno Garlic Corn Muffins, Stir and Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Ways to Support your Body's Self Healing Properties: Lemon and Sage Healing Tonic, Garlic Nose drops for Amazing Results, and a Ginger Tea to help with Coughs and colds.

Tower Hill Botanical Gardens - Cook Your Way to Better Health I  (directions)
110122 - Cook Your Way to Better Health: Staying Healthy with Winter Soups and Healing Herbs.
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011  (12 Noon - 2 P.M.)
Members $35, Non-members $40
Instructor: Tasha Halpert

Tasha Halpert has taught cooking both formally and informally for many years, both in her own kitchen and others, and even in a TV studio. For most of her adult life she has been interested in the healing power of herbs and foods and has written cooking columns emphasizing this for several publications. In both January and March, she presents a complete menu (see our website for menu details) of original, easy to prepare recipes for you to taste, together with suggestions for staying healthy with those foods and herbs used in her soups, casseroles, salads and desserts. Also featured will be suggestions and recipes for ways to aid in preserving good health using commonly available herbs and foods.

Tasting Menu: Warm Your Bones Lentil Soup, Dairy less Corn chowder with Variations, Hearty Orange Vegetable Soup, Tofu Squash curry Easy, Tasty Carrot Salad, Sweet 'N Spicy Dessert Muffins

Helpful Herbal combinations and their healing properties: Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, and Parsley, teas and ways to use these in cooking. Garlic Elixir for coughs and colds




Classes or Talks:
Please note

If you or your group are interested in cooking classes or public speaking engagements with Tasha please let her know by emailing her at: tasha@heartwingsandfriends.com, please be sure and include "Re: Cooking Classes and Talks" in the subject line.
 

 

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Recipes Section     

Strawberry Squares Forever - Green Blessings - Mashed Potatoes - Fruit Bars - Brilliant Broccoli Soup - Jumbo Raisin Cookies - Scrambled Eggs Tasha .    Also enjoy Helpful Green Cleaning Tips by Tasha.


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Strawberry Squares Forever

These keep well or ship well. Surprise far-away loved ones with a care package of these treats. Grease 8 inch square pan, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1-Egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1- 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)
Confectionery sugar (optional)

Method: Beat butter, sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, extract. Stir together flour, salt, baking powder and add to butter/sugar/egg mixture. Mix well. Spread half of batter in well greased 8 inch square pan. Spread preserves over it. Sprinkle nuts over jam if desired. Roll out remaining dough between two sheets of waxed paper. Remove top piece, turn upside down over jam and peel off bottom piece. If desired, prick with a fork in a pleasing pattern. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut in squares. Sift confectionery sugar over squares if desired. Cool completely before eating as jam is hot!


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Green Blessings  

This recipe uses Dandelion greens, available in your yard all summer except while they blossom, and either Asparagus or any leafy green such as Kale, collards, Curly Endive, Swiss chard or Spinach. A food processor is useful for this, although not necessary. Dandelion greens are rich in vitamins and minerals, and this is a good way to get folk to eat them. Many markets carry the cultivated sort, which are less time consuming though not as exciting to prepare as the ones from your yard.

Ingredients:

2  to 3 cups of Dandelion greens, well washed, tough lower stems removed
2  to 3 cups Asparagus spears broken in half or Leafy Greens as above
2  to 3 Tablespoons olive Oil to taste
2  to 3 Garlic cloves to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method: Lightly steam each vegetable separately until still a bit crisp. Drain well. Rough-chop each, either in your food processor or by hand. If by hand, make sure pieces are small enough to blend together well. Warm olive oil in large frying pan. Slice or chop the cloves of garlic (less than I suggest if preferred) into pan and sauté lightly. Add both chopped greens and mingle them gently in the pan. Stir and sauté briefly over moderate heat, then serve to 2 to 4.

I always fix a dandelion dish for my April Peace Potluck at the Grafton Center for Inner Peace, and this is my latest one. It is easy, tasty, and really good, not to mention nutritious. It is a peaceful practice to connect with each season by serving the seasonal fruits and vegetables.


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Mashed Potatoes Supreme

Here's a way to incorporate soy in your diet in a painless and tasty manner. No one will know the difference, either! Please adjust liquids to make the potatoes moist enough for your taste. Potatoes vary in how much they will absorb. Measurements are approximate. Potatoes will be ready in half an hour.

Ingredients:

1 medium to large unpeeled Potato per person, chopped in 1 inch blocks sufficient Water to cover chopped potatoes
1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped Parsley per person
2 Tablespoons Chicken broth per person
1/4 cup Soy milk per person
Optional 1 Tablespoon Butter per person
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method: Place chopped potatoes in water to cover and bring to a boil, uncovered. Cook over medium heat until water is reduced and potatoes are soft, though not mushy--about fifteen minutes, usually. In a large bowl, place potatoes, liquids--including cooking water, butter salt and pepper, chopped parsley. Mash well until there are no lumps and the potatoes are fluffy. Serve at once or put in a well greased casserole dish and reheat in the oven for 20 minutes, covered, or uncovered if you wish them to brown slightly.

Note: You can use a mixer however, I think this alters the potatoes' texture, and an old fashioned potato masher really works best.


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Fruit Bars

Simple to make, these are a good way to incorporate healthy ingredients into a tasty cookie for a fine after school treat.

Preheat oven to 350 or 325 for a glass baking dish

Ingredients:

1 cup dark raisins
1 cup white raisins
1 cup walnuts
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached white flour or
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup unbleached white
2 cups oats
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method: Melt butter. Take pan off the heat. Beat in sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla, and salt. Combine flour(s), nuts and oats in a bowl and stir into butter mixture. Turn into well greased 9X12 baking pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until slightly browned and pulling away from the edges of the pan. Cut into bars and let cool before removing.



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Brilliant Broccoli Soup

My Beloved does not like Broccoli--perhaps the only thing he and George Bush Sr. have in common. He does however, enjoy my broccoli soup, and I make it frequently so that we can both enjoy its benefits. The soy gives added calcium to the calcium rich broccoli, two plusses for the price of one!

Ingredients:

1 cup Broccoli per person
Water for steaming
1/2 cup chicken broth per person
1/2 cup soy milk per person
Salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 shakes of Red Pepper flakes

Cut broccoli tops from stems and divide. Peel stems and chop. Place broccoli in a small amount of water. Cover pan, bring to a boil, and turn heat to simmer. Cook until broccoli is slightly transparent and easily pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, mix soy milk with chicken broth and heat. Add salt, pepper and pepper flakes. In blender place broccoli, cooking water, and enough of the broth/soy milk mixture to liquefy the broccoli. Process the mixture until all is smooth and green. Add mixture to remaining broth/soy milk mixture and stir well. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to eat.


 

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Jumbo Raisin Cookies

These have an old fashioned taste you are sure to enjoy. They are especially good with a glass of iced mint tea. Though you can divide the recipe, make the full batch because they will go quickly.

Ingredients:

1 cup boiling water
2 cups raisins
1 cup soft butter
3 eggs
4 cups sifted flour

2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method: In a small saucepan add boiling water to raisins. Boil 5 minutes and cool. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time and beat well. Mix flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Add to creamed mixture. Fold in vanilla, raisin mixture and nuts. Drop by tablespoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Makes 6 to 7 dozen cookies; to cut recipe in half, use one jumbo egg.


 

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Scrambled Eggs Tasha

In the minds of too many, eggs have become limited to breakfast; for an easy summer meal, Stephen and I may have scrambled eggs for lunch or supper. They make an easy, nutritious meal in little time.

Ingredients:

2 or 3 eggs per person
1‡ Teaspoons butter per egg
Salt, pepper to taste
Include up to 2 Tablespoons each chopped celery, peppers, onions, garlic, to taste
1 Teaspoon. Fresh chopped Parsley per egg
1 Teaspoon fresh basil, savory, tarragon, or what you like per egg, fresh is lovely, use less if dried
1 Tablespoon water per egg

Raid the fridge for cooked vegetables: broccoli, corn on the cob, green beans, cauliflower. Chop small. Note: Avoid watery vegetables like squash, tomatoes.

Method: Crack eggs into a bowl add water and beat well. Meanwhile melt butter in a heavy frying pan. Sauté peppers/onion/garlic. Add cooked vegetables in an amount equal to ‡ eggs, more if desired. Do not let the veggies obliterate the eggs; the eggs will bind the veggies in a nice juicy coherence. Cook until the eggs are nicely clumped together, though still moist. Serve with a side salad if you like, though it's not necessary, home fries, bread, or any other easy starch is optional, depending on appetites.

MORE Recipes:

Tasha Halface="Arial"pert appears regularly on WGMC, the local cable affiliate in Grafton MA with her popular show, Cooking With Tasha.  She has been kind enough to share these recipes with us here and graftoncommon.com, and will be a regular and welcome contributor to their site.

If you have any recipe ideas you would like to see posted here please let us know by emailing Tasha at TashaHal@aol.com
 

Crunchy Cole Slaw

A guest recipe submitted by Kristen Menhall

Wet ingredients:

  • 1 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 seasoning packets from Ramen Oriental Noodle soup mix
  • Mix above ingredients and allow to sit overnight in fridge

Dry ingredients:

  • 1lb Broccoli mix (sometimes known as broccolislaw) or regular coleslaw
  • 1 cup of sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup of chopped scallions
  • All noodles from Ramen Oriental Noodle packets - crushed
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Method:

Mix both dry ingredients and dressing together close to time of serving. I add raisins and almond slivers if I don’t have the seeds.

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Cottage Cheese Snap

As the weather warms up and people feel more inclined to go visiting, many of us will have unexpected company. It is always delightful to have friends drop by, however, it can be awkward if you don't have food on hand to make them welcome. The following appetizer is easy to prepare and delicious to eat. It can be varied to suit the time of year and the calories desired. If you use it as a topping for baked potatoes and include a salad and some fruit for dessert, you have a fast, easy meal that is nutritious as well as simple to fix. Just keep a container of cottage cheese on hand in the 'fridge and you can make this in no time.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint large curd Cottage Cheese
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 cup finely chopped Bermuda Onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped Green Pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped Parsley
  • 2 cloves Garlic, crushed or pressed
  • 1/tbs dried Basil
  • or 1/4 cup chopped fresh Basil
  • or 1/2 cup chopped watercress
  • 1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Method:

Mix all ingredients well and, if possible let sit an hour or so to blend flavors. Refrigerate until needed.

This recipe may be served as a dip or as the topping for baked potato sundaes. It can be spread on whole wheat or rye bread slices and baked in the oven until slightly puffy and a bit browned on top for lunch or even breakfast.

To make this lower in calories, substitute low fat cottage cheese, low fat mayonnaise and low fat sour cream. It is a healthy snack and one your guests will heartily enjoy. It can also be used for a topping on fresh tomatoes or to make a meal out of a salad, as a salad dressing.

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Winter Warmth Casserole

Except for those who love the snow, and I am not one of them, winter has become something to be wished away! Well, it won't go any faster for all my wishing, and so I had better concentrate on keeping warm. This casserole is one way to do that. Though vegetarian, it has a lot of protein. I have served it on a number of occasions and found that it is appealing even to those not used to Brown Rice. It is very easy to put together and you can substitute other veggies for the greens if you wish, however, they really taste good in this combination. Please try it and let me know what you think.

Warm Wishes and Happy Cooking!

This recipe will provide a hearty main dish or even a complete meal for a busy cook. It can also be frozen and reheated later. You may omit the dill, poppy and celery seeds if you don't have them and substitute any herbs you prefer. Oregano, Thyme, and Rosemary, for instance, would also taste nice.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups steamed any combination of greens ( around a 1/2 to 1 pound of Cabbage, Spinach, Chard, Kale, etc. shredded, torn or chopped)
  • Water the vegetables have been steamed in
  • 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 2 cups cooked or canned Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
  • 8 oz. firm Tofu
  • 1/2 cup Chick Pea Water or Stock
  • 1/2 cup fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tbs Poppy Seeds
  • 1 Tbs Dill Seeds
  • 1 tsp chopped celery Seed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked Black Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 and oil a 2 quart casserole. Add ingredients in order given and stir together well. Bake covered at 350 degrees in a 2 quart casserole for 45 minutes. Serves 4 to 6 with an optional salad on the side and something light, like fruit, for dessert.

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Ginger Carrot Soup

This recipe came to me from a friend, who made it with me on my TV cooking show. It is perfect for this time of year because it is bright, cheerful, warming and filled with good vitamins and minerals. It can be frozen and would make a fine soup to put in your thermos to take with you for lunch. Carrots are filled with vitamin A, an especially valuable vitamin for the protection of the immune system. Ginger is good for the metabolism and helps you stay warm in cool weather or cool in warm weather. It is also energizing, something we can all use when the weather is cold like this and we would prefer to wrap up and stay in doors. Another week I will give you the recipe I found for carrot salad. It is perhaps better for the warmer weather, however. For now, stay warm and eat your carrots! They are so good for you, and they taste good too.

Warming for a cold day, this soup is full of good vitamins and tasty minerals. Vegetarians not inclined to use chicken broth may use a vegetable bouillon. If you don't have a blender you can always put it through a sieve, however, this might be tedious. It could also be served cold for summer feasting. This recipe makes 2 to 4 portions, depending on what else you are serving with it.

Ingredients:

  • 5 or 6 medium Carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1/4 cup Onion
  • 1 clove Garlic, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 1/2 cups Water
  • 3 shakes Red Pepper Flakes

Method:

Put oil and butter in a heavy saucepan. Sauté ginger, onion and garlic in oil/butter mixture until transparent. Add carrots and sauté briefly. Pour in water and chicken broth, add salt and pepper to taste, and hot pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer. Cover and cook until carrots are tender. Cool briefly, then process in blender until creamy, without lumps. Serve immediately or store and reheat at serving time. If you prefer a blander soup, omit the ginger and red pepper, however, this way it is even more warming for a cold day.

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Red Lentil Crock Pot Stew

On a cold day it is really delightful to come into the house and discover that your dinner has cooked itself while you were out doing what you have to do. Crock pots are useful any time of year but when the chilly winds of Winter blow, they are especially useful.

What kind you use is really immaterial. Crockpots are pretty simple appliances. I found mine at a yard sale and it has served me faithfully for many years. I love to walk into the kitchen and see its lovely orange glow on my counter, knowing that dinner will be ready soon with a minimum of work on my part.

Recently I came up with this exceedingly simple and very nutritious recipe. I suggest serving this stew with a corn bread and maybe some fruit for dessert. It is not expensive either. I hope you will try it and let me know how you like it.

This is also nice the next day--maybe even better. Serves 4 to 6 well.

  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/2 large red pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 5 or 6 carrots
  • 2 or 3 parsnips
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups water
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage

 

Method: In a large frying pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Cut up and add onion, pepper, and garlic. Add dried herbs and sauté over medium heat until softened and slightly transparent. Meanwhile peal and chop up carrots, parsnips and sweet potato. Place all vegetables into crock pot. Add lentils, salt and pepper. Pour on chicken broth and water and stir well. Cover pot and cook on high for 4 or 5 hours, turn to low, cook another hour or 2. It is also fine if you want to continue to cook it on low for a longer time, or you may cook it on low the whole time if you have planned to be away for a whole day's cooking.

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Crunchy Cookies

Children love to help in the kitchen. Some of my fondest memories of my late son Robin are of the times we spent cooking together when he was about 5 years old. He was attending kindergarten, and used to enjoy helping me make his lunch. We used to bake cookies together, as well as make Jell-O and other simple desserts. Children grow up faster than you can believe possible, as any grandparent can tell you. Take advantage of the time you have with them to do things together while they are small. One day you will be glad you did.

The following recipe is just perfect for making with children. Adults will like it because it is so simple and easy to do. It does not require a mixer, and there is very little cleaning up to do. It has the added benefit of using honey rather than white or brown sugar. Many cookies made with honey are soft. This one is not, and it is so quick to make you will want to make it often.

Recipe

  • Preheat oven to 350 and use ungreased cookie sheets
  • Ingredients:
  • 1/3 cup soft butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (I used spelt)
  • 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 1 cup raisins OR 1 cup chocolate chips

Method: Stir butter until there are no lumps. Mix in honey until it is smooth. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Sprinkle in and mix well salt, soda, cinnamon. Add flour and mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts. Put heaping teaspoonsfull on the ungreased cookie sheets, leaving room for them to spread, and bake until done--10 to 12 minutes. They brown fast because of the honey, so keep an eye on them. Makes 48 cookies. This recipe is from Kids are Natural Cooks, by the Parents' Nursery School, a collective in Cambridge MA. For more good, healthy recipes look for this book in your local bookstore.

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Apples Are Good Nutrition

Fall and winter are the best time to use apples for cooking and baking. A great source of nutrition, they taste good too. Baked apples are good hot or cold, so make extra for later on! Try this recipe with Cortlands or Baldwins. Avoid varieties that include yellow or red Delicious and Macintosh, as they are best used for eating. If you need to you can include them with others to make applesauce. This is another fine dish to have on hand during the winter months.

Applesauce is a delicious treat for all ages and especially good if the tummy is a bit tender from over indulgence or one of those winter viruses. It helps to have a Foley or other Food Mill to grind up your apples, because then you do not have to peel or core them. In fact, it is best not to, as that way you get all the good minerals included in the skin. To make delicious applesauce with either a food mill or a coarse sieve, simply quarter, as many apples as you like and add either water or some apple cider if you want to make them really tasty! Add liquid about half way up the apples. Too much and your applesauce will be watery. You can always add more. Bring apples and liquid to a boil and simmer until apples are soft and mushy. Grind up in a food mill or press through a coarse sieve. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Baked Apples

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, or 325 if baking dish isn't glass.

Ingredients per serving:

  • 1 apple
  • 6 to 10 raisins
  • 2 Tbs Maple Syrup
  • A small amount of apple cider or boiling water

Wash and stem apples. Place in square or oblong glass baking dish. With paring knife or potato peeler, pare away the very top part of apple. With knife or peeler, carefully remove core. Try not to pierce a hole through apple. (If you feel lazy and don't wish to remove the core, you can bypass this step. If you are not removing the core, just dig out a half inch or so of the apple, down to the core.) Fill cavity with raisins. Pour maple syrup into cavity just to the top. Add cider or hot water to the depth of about 1/4 inch. Basting occasionally, bake until apples are soft, probably around 40 minutes but possibly longer because it all depends on the variety and ripeness of the apples. Serve hot or cold plain or with yogurt, cream or ice-cream.

Variations: substitute other syrups for Maple, other dried fruits or chopped nuts for Raisins, cranberry or other juices for Cider.

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Chocolate Rapture  

With all the holiday baking we must do, sometimes we want to just buy a mix and be done with it! Yet this very special cake will actually provide some health benefits--prunes are great fiber, is low in fat, because the shortening content is cut back, and tastes very, very good. Because it uses honey instead of refined sugar, it is easier to digest, and the honey adds micro-nutrients that are absent in the refined product. It keeps very well so you can bake it several days ahead of when you will be serving it. It actually is better a day or two after it is baked. Please enjoy it after the holidays too! It is good all year round.

Preheat oven to 350 Lightly butter a standard angel cake tube pan.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup soft Butter, no substitutions please
  • 3/4 cup Honey
  • 3 Eggs separated
  • 1 cup cooked Prunes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup Buttermilk or Yogurt
  • 3 squares Baking Chocolate, melted
  • 1 cup Oat Flour or 1 cup Unbleached White Flour—oat flour is special!
  • 1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Vanilla
  • Powdered Chocolate for dusting pan

Beat together honey and butter well, either by hand or in a mixer. Add three egg yolks and beat well. Mingle dry ingredients in a separate bowl. You may wish to sift oat flour to avoid lumps, but add the bran back in once the flour is sifted. Mix buttermilk or yogurt, chocolate, and vanilla. Add dry and wet ingredients alternately to honey, butter, yolk mixture, stirring or beating well but not excessively after each addition. Stir or lightly blend in chopped prunes. Whip egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold in gently with a rubber spatula until it has all disappeared but keep in as much air as possible so cake will be light. Grease pan and dust lightly with chocolate powder. Fill greased tube pan evenly with mixture. Bake for an hour or until cake shrinks slightly from sides of pan. Cool before removing. Serve in thin slices with a bit of raspberry sorbet for a real treat.

You don't need to frost this cake, as it is very rich all by itself. You may, of course, frost it with an Egg White beaten in a mixer to which 1/2 cup warmed honey has been added in a thin stream, creating a marshmallow type frosting. However, this does not last well and is best used only when you will be serving and eating the cake immediately.

Hint: Egg Whites beat up best at room temperature but separate best when cold. Also, when separating eggs, always drop each new white into a teacup before adding to the total and thus avoid ruining them all if a bit of yolk sneaks by you. Egg Whites will not whip up if there is any yolk in them or if there is grease on the beating tool. Personally I like to use a wire whip and a large bowl, getting some upper arm exercise in the process.

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Brilliant Broccoli Soup

During the Holiday season, women have so much to do that it is difficult to come up with nutritious meals that can be made simply, easily and inexpensively. This soup is good any time of the year and most especially during the winter when we can all use the vitamins and minerals that broccoli provide. What I have found is that even people who don't much like broccoli do like this soup.

For the purposes of this recipe, be sure to cook the broccoli until it is still bright green and yet easily pierced by a fork. You have to keep an eye on it, because it gets mushy and the taste changes if it overcooks. This is true of all members of the cabbage family, which are so full of nutrition and so good to eat during the winter. This is because they have a high sulfur content, a mineral that keeps us warm, helps kill germs and keeps our immune systems functioning. It's also what makes the vegetables taste funny if you overcook them! .Serve with muffins and a salad for a fast, nutritious meal.

Like many men, my Beloved does not care much for broccoli, he does however, enjoy my broccoli soup. I make it frequently so that we can both enjoy its benefits. The soy gives added calcium to the calcium rich broccoli, two plusses for the price of one!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Broccoli per person
  • Water for steaming
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth per person
  • 1/2 cup soy milk per person (You may use dairy, however, I believe in soy)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 or 2 shakes of Red Pepper flakes (Optional, however, it does give a nice tang to the soup.)

Cut broccoli tops from stems and divide into smaller pieces. Peel stems and chop. Place broccoli in a small amount of water. Cover pan, bring to a boil, and turn heat to simmer. Cook until broccoli is slightly transparent and easily pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, mix soy milk with chicken broth and heat. Add salt, pepper and pepper flakes. In blender place broccoli, cooking water, and enough of the broth/soy milk mixture to liquefy the broccoli. Process the mixture until all is smooth and green. Add mixture to remaining broth/soy milk mixture and stir well. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to eat. This is also good served cold, in the summer.

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Chocolate Pillow Puffs—A Very Rich Cookie for Special Occasions

Holiday cookies are fun to make, and these are delicious and also good to bake with the help of children, who can cut the marshmallows and press them into the cookies as well as help with the frosting. With their soft, brownie-like richness, they are a dessert all by themselves, and would be especially nice to put out for Santa, to go with his glass of milk. Makes approximately 48 cookies, depending on the size you make them.

Preheat oven to 375, bake on greased cookie sheets.

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup dairy, soy or rice milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 24 marshmallows cut in half*

Beat butter, shortening, together. Add sugar, beat well. Add egg, beat well. Mingle flour, salt, soda, cocoa, nuts. Add in thirds alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend well. Drop by heaping teaspoons on greased sheets. Bake 8 minutes. Remove and lightly press half marshmallows onto cookies. Return to oven. Bake 4 minutes until done, marshmallows softened. Cool on wire racks and when completely cool, spread with glaze.

Glaze: 2 cups confectioners sugar sifted with 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir 4 to 6 Tablespoons hot milk or water into sugar/cocoa mixture, until soft enough to spread. Let harden before storing.

*Hint: Be sure to cut the marshmallows with scissors and dip them in preferably warm water between cuttings so they won't get too sticky.

Please email me to TashaHal@aol.com if you have any questions or would like to request a recipe you have seen me make on my Cable show.

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Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving and After

Everyone has loves mashed potatoes, and normally they are part of a Thanksgiving feast. Left over versatile mashed potatoes can be served in a variety of ways, from patties, to casserole top "crust" to a bottom layer for any number of toppings. Make twice what you need and you will have good left overs you can convert into a meal in minutes. To begin with, try this recipe which trades milk for soy, increasing the protein and decreasing the fat and cholesterol content of the dish. Use the Silk brand of unflavored soy milk. You will never know the difference and neither will anyone else. Begin with this basic recipe:

Mashed Potatoes Supreme

Ingredients:
 

  • 1 medium to large unpeeled Potato per person, chopped in 1 inch blocks sufficient Water to cover chopped potatoes
  • 1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped Parsley per person
  • 2 Tablespoons Chicken broth per person
  • 1/4 cup Silk plain Soy milk per person (You can use dairy, of course if you must!)
  • Optional 1 Tablespoon Butter per person
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Place chopped potatoes in water to cover and bring to a boil, uncovered. Cook over medium heat until water is reduced and potatoes are soft, though not mushy--about fifteen minutes, usually. Meanwhile, warm soy milk and chicken broth. In a large bowl, place potatoes, liquids--including cooking water, butter salt and pepper, chopped parsley. Mash well until there are no lumps and the potatoes are fluffy. You can use a mixer however, this alters the potatoes' texture, and an old fashioned potato masher really works best. Plus you can burn up a few more calories that way. Serve at once or put in a well greased casserole dish and reheat in the oven for 20 minutes, covered, or uncovered if you wish them to brown slightly.

Note:
Please adjust liquids to make the potatoes moist enough for your taste. Potatoes vary in how much they will absorb. Measurements are approximate. Potatoes will be ready in half an hour.

Put leftover potatoes in a covered container. For the next meal you wish to use them, either form into patties, fry lightly in butter, and serve with eggs, vegetables, or what you will, or spread in a greased pie pan and fill with any filling made from a combination of leftover vegetables or meat and vegetables. Cover with slices of cheese and bake until cheese has melted and veggies are hot. You can also cut up meat, season it with pepper and herbs, stir in gravy to moisten, cover with the mashed potatoes and bake in a 350 oven until hot and bubbly and potatoes are slightly browned on top.

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Ginger Carrot Tofu Warmup

Many people ask me what to do with tofu. Although it is easily obtainable and highly nutritious, it is also still an object of fun with those who fail to understand its importance as an inexpensive, easy to use protein. Tofu, also called soybean curd, has been used in oriental cooking since time immemorial. It takes on the flavors it is cooked with and can be prepared in a variety of ways, from puddings to appetizers to main dishes.

High in plant estrogens, tofu, together with other soy products, has been shown to be helpful to women experiencing the symptoms of menopause. However, it is appropriate for all ages and sexes as an excellent source of calcium, protein, and B vitamins. It comes in a variety of firmness, from extra firm to soft, for a variety of uses. If anyone has questions about tofu, I will gladly answer them if I can. If you want some good recipes, just keep reading this column and you will soon have quite a few.

With the rising incidence of prostate cancer, not to mention the use of hormones in the raising of beef, chicken, and other animals, tofu is becoming an excellent as well as an inexpensive substitute for animal protein. Men who used to make fun of it might do well to eat it as a healthy alternative. The following recipe is very tasty and will satisfy any open-minded meat eater.

Try this on a chilly evening and see if it doesn't warm you right up! Recipe serves 2 to 4, depending on appetites and side dishes. Takes 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. peeled, sliced carrots
  • 2 to 4 Tablespoons peeled sliced fresh ginger root—spicy to your taste
  • 1 lb extra firm tofu, drained, sliced into slabs or strips
  • (Optional) 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 Tablespoons butter or ghee
  • 2 to 4 Tablespoons broth, water or orange juice

Method: Slice carrots in long, thin strips, ginger in matchstick pieces and tofu in 1/4 inch slabs or strips if you prefer. Melt butter or ghee and sauté (optional) onion and ginger. Add tofu and turn it to brown it slightly on all sides. Add carrots and stir until they are covered in butter. Add the smaller amount of liquid, cover and simmer until carrots are soft and everything smells good. Add more liquid as they begin to dry out. Your final result needs to be moist, without extra juice.

Note: I often use frozen, thawed Tofu in this recipe. Drain a block, wrap well or put it in a heavy plastic baggie, and keep it in the freezer. Thaw before using. Freezing changes the texture and the tofu absorbs more flavor.

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Winter Squash Recipes

Here are a couple of nice recipes for using the bounty of the Fall harvest.

The Butternut and Acorn squashes that fill farm stand tables can be used in a variety of ways. You can bake them whole, cool slightly, then cut them open and scrape out the seeds. They take around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on size, at 350 degrees unless you are using a glass baking pan in which case, set the oven to 325.

Butternut is no fun to peel, and Acorn squash is impossible, yet this method frees up the delicious inside without your having to do anything except scrape it out of the skin. If the Butternut skin is tender, you may even be able pull it off. Otherwise, scrape it out gently with a spoon and set the squash aside to fix in a variety of ways.

You can simply add butter, salt, pepper, and a little curry powder, serve at once or reheat and serve when you like. A pound of squash easily feeds 3, possibly 4. If you have a sweet tooth, instead of curry powder, add a bit of maple syrup. To me, squash is sweet as it is. You can also put it in a casserole and stir in 2 Tablespoons butter, some cranberry sauce and some grated cheese and/or unsweetened coconut—half a cup of each per medium sized Butternut squash.

Acorn squash is of course delicious when it is cut in half. Remove the seeds, and bake upside down for half an hour. Then turn it right side up, fill with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 Tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup per half. Bake uncovered until quite done—probably 15 minutes. Butternut squash, seeds removed, can also can be baked this way, however, don’t turn it over; bake it this way the whole time, cut into sections and serve.

Lastly, you can cut either type of unpeeled squash into half to three-quarter inch slices and place in a baking dish. Add either oil or butter to your taste, bake at 350 or 325 for glass, covered lightly with foil for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake around 15 minutes more—check to be sure squash is done. It will be slightly transparent and easily pierced with a fork. Happy Fall dining!

 


See more of Tasha's Recipes at the www.worcestercounty.com website under  "Recipe Collection" or Indexed Articles. and www.graftoncommon.com - Cooking with Tasha.


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E-mail 
Tasha Halpert 
P.O Box 171 N.Grafton, MA 01536
Ph: (508) 839-0111

 


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