May's Volunteer of the Month: Paul Thao

Paul pictured with his "baby", a bicycle he worked on

During the month of May, we’re pleased to feature Paul Thao as our Volunteer of the Month. With us since early 2012, Paul has generously donated almost 60 hours of his time as a warehouse volunteer.

Originally from Sacramento, Paul enjoys playing volleyball, working on and reading about cars, and bicycles. Though he shied away when asked to talk about himself, he showed a lot of passion when asked about his volunteer time with the Food Bank of Yolo County.

It was apparent to us after one of his first shifts that Paul is an extremely hard worker. We were short-handed and needed help packing bags for our EFAP distribution. Paul stepped right up to the job and demonstrated that he’s a quick learner and is very interested in giving back to his community.

This year, after our Volunteer Appreciation BBQ was wrapping up, Paul even took on dish washing duty. Although we tried to insist that he sit down and relax, he said something to the effect of, “Well, I’m here, I might as well help.”

Thank you for all of your hard work, Paul!

April's Volunteer of the Month: Valerie

This month, we decided to highlight our work-study student who joined the Food Bank of Yolo County (FBYC) last fall. A freshman at Cristo Rey High School, Valerie, or "Baby Valerie" (our Bookkeeper's name is also Valerie) has been a pleasure to work with. She thinks of volunteering as "doing something for someone without being asked, like giving up your time and part of your day to help". Valerie has had experience in many of our programs and has been especially helpful as an office assistant, where she helps answer phones and works on data entry.

When asked if she could share a story about her time at FBYC, Valerie told us about a funny instance where she accidentally rubbed ink from a marker all over her face. She enjoys writing notes on her hands, and must have wiped ink on her upper lip, unknowingly creating a fake mustache.

In her spare time, Valerie likes to go camping, look at landscape photography, and play sports like basketball and volleyball. She also likes to play video games with her little brother.

Thank you Valerie, for your hard work!

Roasted Asparagus Recipe

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A quick and easy way to prepare asparagus as a side dish, the trick for tender roasted spears is to use the thicker ones.  You can substitute balsamic vinegar for the lemon juice and use freshly grated Parmesan cheese as a garnish.
Check it out!  For those who live in or near Woodland,  the Food Bank's Quick and Fresh Market, on the corner of Fortna and Harter, has Durst organic, first of the season asparagus on special this week only for $2.99/lb. The price will go up a bit next week but still be very reasonable for organic. 
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly grated black pepper
• Lemon juice

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.

2 Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.

3 Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.


Yield: Serves 4.

Recipe source 

Delicious Big Bowl - Quinoa Recipe

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I came across this recipe on a 'recipe journal' a few years ago when I was trying to find a quinoa recipe to use what I had on hand.  It is very versatile--add or subtract ingredients as you like.
For those who have not used quinoa, the grains need to be rinsed to remove a bitter coating.  I put them in a large strainer and run cold water over them for a minute or two.
 Cleo, Food Bank volunteer


 Ingredients:

2 cups white quinoa, rinsed well
4 scant cups water
1 teaspoon salt
a few splashes of extra virgin olive oil
3 - 4 medium/large potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large yellow onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup toasted nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, etc)
1-2 cups lightly cooked asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch segments
another splash or two of good olive oil or citrus dressing

Directions:

Bring the quinoa, water and salt to a boil in a large thick-bottomed pot. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa opens up revealing a little spiral and is soft and pleasant to chew. If there is any remaining liquid at this point, drain it off and set the quinoa aside.
Warm a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the potatoes and a couple pinches of salt. Toss to coat the potatoes and cover for a few minutes to allow the insides of the potatoes to sweat and cook. Uncover, toss again, then cook a few minutes longer (uncovered) until the potatoes start to get some color. Continue tossing every few minutes to get more color and crispness. When they are cooked through and pleasantly crunchy, season to taste with salt and scoop out onto a plate. Set aside.
In the same skillet (no need to clean) warm another splash of oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they soften up a bit.
Toss the quinoa with a splash of olive oil . Serve each bowl of quinoa topped with potatoes, onions, nuts and asparagus. Alternately, you can toss everything together in one big bowl and serve it up family-style.
Serves 4 - 6.

Recipe source 
 

March's Volunteer of the Month: Terryl Lee

This month, we are pleased to announce that Terryl Lee, or "Lee", is Volunteer of the Month! A committed volunteer since January 2012, Lee has donated nearly 140 hours of time. A resident of West Sacramento, he first heard about the Food Bank of Yolo County from Senator John Burton. Lee decided to volunteer as a way to keep his truck driving and maintenance skills up to date and because he knew there was a need for extra help.

Thank you, Lee, for all of your hard work!

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer? Please our website to learn more: www.foodbankyc.org

Asparagus and Avocado Wraps

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The Vernal Equinox is upon us, the weather is warming up and it is the beginning of asparagus season.  I posted this recipe last May and these wraps are good enough to repeat it.  When cut in half they can be appetizers or  lunch, although half of one was not nearly enough for me
You might want to try substituting quinoa for the rice as a variation.
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer




Ingredients:

24 spears asparagus
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked cold long-grain white rice
3 tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
3 (10-inches in diameter) whole wheat tortillas
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp chopped red onion


Directions:

In a medium-sized saucepan over high heat, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Place the asparagus in a steamer basket, cover, and steam until just tender, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the asparagus and immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly. In a small bowl, mash the avocado, lime juice, and garlic into a coarse puree. In another small bowl, stir together the rice and yogurt to mix well. Heat a large dry frying pan (not one with a nonstick surface) over medium heat. One at a time, heat the tortillas in the hot pan until softened, approximately 20 seconds per side. Lay the tortillas flat on a clean work surface. Spread the avocado mixture equally among the tortillas. Top each with an equal amount of the rice mixture, asparagus, cilantro, and onion. Fold in both sides and the bottom of each tortilla up over the filling; then roll to close. If made in advance, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. Return to room temperature before serving. To serve, cut each wrap in half crosswise.


Recipe source

Roasted Baby Carrots

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Spring is one of the best times of the year for baby carrots.  They are sweet and not as pithy as the larger carrots.  For this recipe it is important to use baby carrots that are sold in bunches rather than   the small capsule-shaped 'baby' carrots that are sold in bags.  You can prepare the carrots, put them in the oven to roast and finish preparing the rest of your meal.

 Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

 

 

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs of 5 inch long baby carrots, carefully washed, patted dry, greens cropped to 1 inch above top of carrot
• 1 medium red onion, peeled, cut lengthwise (root to top) into 8-12 wedges
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• Garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic added to the olive oil)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently toss together the carrots, red onion, rosemary to coat with the olive oil. Lay out on a rimmed baking pan, lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

 2 Roast for 30 to 40 minutes on middle rack or bottom rack, until well browned.

Serves 4.

Recipe source

Applesauce Carrot Cake

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This recipe makes one of the best carrot cakes--moist, flavorful and with much fewer calories than most carrot cakes.  The secret is using applesauce as a substitute for most of the oil called for in other recipes.  And of course you want a cream cheese frosting.  Most of the recipes for that include butter as well as the cream cheese--but it is not really needed--and  I also greatly reduced the amount of powdered sugar.

Cleo, Food Bank volunteer   

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole grain flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups carrots, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine, flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

2. In a separate small bowl, combine the applesauce, oil and eggs. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until the ingredients are well blended. Add the carrots and mix again.

3. Pour the batter into a greased 9" tube pan, or use a 9" x 13" rectangular cake pan, or two bread loaf pans, or a cupcake pan.

4. Bake the cake in a preheated 350° F oven for about 1 hour, 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean. Set the cake on a wire rack for five minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, and turn the cake out onto the rack to cool.

Serves 16.

Recipe source

CALORIES: 145.8  |  FAT: 5.7g  |  PROTEIN: 3.6g  |  CARBS: 21.5g  |  FIBER: 2.9g

Baked Kale Chips

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"Kale chips?" you say.  There is a trend in snacks these days toward chips made from vegetables other than potato. I have seen them  marketed at a local food co-op. But, as you can see from this recipe, you can make your own at home.  It is quick and easy and the word is that they are so good you can't stop at eating just one.

Give it a try.

Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

 

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon regular or seasoned salt

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Prep Time:  10 Min     Cook Time:  10 Min   Ready In:  20 Min

Recipe source

Kale and White Bean Stew

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January is such a cold month and a hot soup or stew makes a wonderful evening meal.  This recipe includes our veggie of the month, kale, as well as beans and pasta.  If you are an experienced cook (or not) you can use it as a starting point; for example, I use beans that I cook from scratch and/or would substitute with navy beans. What a satisfying meal this makes with the addition of the warmed country bread.  And if you make enough of the stew, have it for lunch later in the week.

Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1 cup small soup pasta, such as tubettini, ditalini, or orzo (4 ounces)
• 1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (8 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (2 ounces), plus 1 piece rind (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 loaf country bread, warmed

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add the garlic, celery, onion, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Add the beans, pasta, kale, rosemary, 8 cups water, and Parmesan rind (if using). Cover and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat and simmer until the pasta and kale are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan before serving. Serve with the bread.

Tip

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Serves 8| Hands-On Time: 25m | Total Time: 30m

Recipe source

Garlicky Lacinato Kale

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We start the new year off with Kale, one of most nutritious of winter greens.  You can substitute any kind of kale for the lacinato.  This is a relatively easy recipe and makes a great side dish to go with beans such as black-eyed peas or pintos.  Together with some homemade corn bread you have a real Southern meal, with a complete protein combination of the beans and corn bread.
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer


 Ingredients:

•  One bunch of lacinato kale, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1-2 TB sesame seeds
• red chili pepper flakes, optional

How to make it:

• Wash and de-stem the kale and cut into bite size pieces, leaving some water on the leaves.. 
• In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
• Add the minced garlic to the oil, stirring frequently to ensure it doesn't burn..  
• Once it is softened, remove the garlic from the skillet, but leave the remaining liquid.
• Increase the heat to medium and add the kale to the pan.  Cover and cook 5-7 minutes until the kale is wilted.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce.
• Place the kale in a serving bowl and sprinkle with the garlic, sesame seeds and red chili flakes,(optional).  

 Recipe source

Broccoli Soup

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Broccoli soup is a hearty, cold-weather soup that is very adaptable to what you have on hand in the kitchen or wish to use. The ingredients listed below are just the basics and lend themselves to any combination of quantity, seasonings and additions. I, for one, make my broccoli soup with potatoes but you certainly don't need to. And I like lots of garlic.
Serve this soup with a good sour dough french or a dense whole wheat bread.
Thanks to Julia Martinez for sharing her broccoli soup recipe and thoughts on healthy cooking.
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer




Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccoli, stems sliced and florets chopped into smaller pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
Pinch dried thyme leaves and or other herbs as desired
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
2-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Milk, dairy or non-dairy

Freshly ground black pepper

1 russet potato, peeled and diced
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

-Melt the butter or oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
-Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
-Add the broccoli (and potato, if using), herbs of choice, salt, and enough broth to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil.
-Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the broccoli is  tender but not overcooked, about 5-7 minutes.

-Puree the soup in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender.

-Return soup to the pot and add milk to the puree, keeping the consistency fairly thick.. Bring to a simmer, taste, and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with the shredded cheddar cheese as a topping.

Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

Broccoli Quesadilla Recipe.

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This recipe was adapted from a Veggie Quesadilla recipe on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/veggie-quesadillas/

Ingredients

·         3 Minced Cloves of Garlic

·         ½ chopped Red onion

·         2 chopped Mexican zucchini (calabazitas)

·         ½ chopped red bell pepper

·         1 cup of fresh broccoli florets

·         Olive oil

·         Cheddar cheese (shredded)

·         Whole Wheat tortillas

·          

Preparation:

1.        In a big sauce pan, heat the oil and add the minced garlic, chopped red onions, and chopped red bell pepper.

2.        Cook for two minutes and then add the chopped Mexican zucchini and the broccoli florets.

3.        Cover and cook it until they are tendered.

4.        On a different heating pan, place two whole wheat tortillas and add the cheese and cooked vegetables in between the two tortillas. Flip over when the flour tortilla side is brown.

5.        Once the cheese is melted, remove from the pan and cut into four pieces and serve.

Tarragon Yam Bake

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Sweet potatoes are frequently called yams in this country but they are not the same vegetable nor are they even distantly related.  Yams are darker skinned, have a darker, golden flesh and are, oddly enough, sweeter than sweet potatoes.
This recipe is one that I have been making for a long time.  It is simple to make and you can vary the amount of each vegetable and the tarragon to suit your own tastes and how many servings are needed.
It is surprisingly delicious!
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

Ingredients:

1 medium yam
3-4 small red or Yukon potatoes
2 carrots
1 medium onion
1-2 tbs safflower or sunflower oil
Tarragon
Water
Salt to taste


Directions:


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut yams, potatoes and carrots into slices or cubes and quarter the onion.  Combine all the veggies in an oven-proof casserole dish with a cover.    Add the oil and the tarragon then toss veggies to cover all pieces.  Add a little water to keep the veggies moisturized.  Cover the dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the veggies are tender but not mushy.  Salt to taste before serving.

November's Volunteer of the Month

By a unanimous vote amoung Food Bank of Yolo County (FBYC) staff, this month's featured volunteer is Misty O'Donnell. Though quiet, she has made a big impression at the FBYC. Her “can-do” attitude and friendly demeanor are a pleasure to be around.

Misty first heard about FBYC through the Work Experience Program (WEX). Through this program, individuals are matched up with local organizations to build their job skills.

Misty has been with the FBYC for about a month and a half and continues to be a great asset. She makes sure the warehouse is clean and organized, and she is taking on more responsibility by learning how to take inventory. She enjoys “being able to help the community” and says that “the staff is always so kind”.

When she is not working at FBYC, Misty enjoys spending time with her children.

Pasta with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts

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This is a repeat of a recipe I posted last year.  I made it again this week and it is as delicious as I remembered.  It is a bit labor-intensive but well worth the effort.  One hint: I cut the squash into quarters and eighths which made peeling it a lot easier. If you don't have a pan large enough for the final steps of the recipe, you can split it in half.  The pasta should 'pan-fry', not steam.  PS: Toast the pine nuts first!
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer



Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash
1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
1 pound farfalle pasta
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 ounces high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about a cup total)

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375°.
Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds the middle cavity. Flip the squash halves upside down and peel them. (Note: The raw squash rind can irritate your hands. If they start to itch or tingle, wear gloves.) Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mince about half of the fresh sage leaves and also toss with the squash.
Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.
Heat salted pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain and set aside.
As the squash finishes roasting, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided sauté pan. The oil is ready when it pops and sputters. (Don't let it start smoking.) Drop in the rest of the sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until they begin to just shrivel up.
Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.
Add half the pasta to the pan, along with half the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in half the sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the cheese and serve.

Serves 4

Recipe source

Pizza with butternut squash

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I would never have thought to make pizza with butternut squash but this sounds delicious.  You can make your own pizza dough or buy it fresh or frozen at the supermarket.  Pesto is also generally available at stores, or, again, make your own.  Mozzarella would be a good substitute for the fontina or Gouda cheese and, if you use the part-skim milk variety, would bring down the fat content of the pizza. And, of course, dispense with the sugar if you want.

Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

 

 

 Ingredients

• 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled butternut squash (about 1/2 pound)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded fontina or Gouda cheese
• Pizza dough
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can finely chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Place squash mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°.
• Sprinkle fontina over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with squash mixture, tomatoes, and oregano. Drop pesto by level teaspoons onto mixture; sprinkle with Romano. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Totals include Pizza Dough

Recipe source

Fettuccini with Sweet Peppers & Pinenuts

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There must be one pepper recipe that includes pasta.  This one sounds quick to make and only two pans--one for the pasta and one for the peppers.  Of course, if you don't have Kalamata olives or capers, you can leave them out or substitute regular black or green olives for the Kalamata. Both tend to be a bit pricey. 

Mangi!

Cleo. Food Bank volunteer





Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) package uncooked fettuccini pasta
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4  large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1 large sweet red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1 large sweet orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup fresh parsley or basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup capers, drained
1 tablespoon coarse salt or coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper or to taste



Directions:
 
Cook pasta according to package directions: drain and return to pan to keep warm.

In a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil. Add garlic and bell peppers (yellow, red & orange), and cook for 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Add pine nuts and cook approximately 4 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Gradually stir in basil or parsley. Add olives and capers and heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a serving bowl, toss the sauce mixture with prepared pasta. 

Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

Recipe source 

Stuffed Charred Peppers

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With this recipe you can have stuffed peppers for dinner without heating up the kitchen too much.  A little cooking inside, a little cooking outside. 
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for serving
• -- Kernels from 2 ears of corn (about 2 cups)
• 2 Japanese or other small, slender eggplants, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 4 medium sized tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1-2 bunches hearty greens (kale, collards, mustard, etc), large ribs removed, roughly chopped (about 4 cups)
• -- Sea salt or kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 6 bell peppers, any color, halved, ribs and seeds removed
• 6 ounces feta cheese

Instructions: 

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and eggplant and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the greens and cook until wilted, about 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and spoon into the pepper halves. Crumble feta over each stuffed pepper. Carefully place the peppers on the grill, cover grill for about 8-10 minutes, rotating occasionally to evenly char the outside of each pepper.
Remove from heat, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

Per Serving: 102 calorie

Serves 12

Recipe source 

September's Volunteer of the Month: Bich Mai Toups

Easily one of our most energetic volunteers, Bich Mai Toups started volunteering with the Food Bank of Yolo County (FBYC) in October of 2010 and has “enjoyed every moment”. She is a pleasure to work with and is always eager to help with duties ranging from making copies, to helping with a food distribution, to tabling at an event. Throughout the year, FBYC staff rely on Bich as our “go to” volunteer because of her positive attitude and willingness to help wherever needed.

It was Bich’s husband who introduced her to the idea of volunteering with FBYC. As a stay at home mother of three school-aged children, she found herself with time to spare during the week. Bich explained that her favorite part of volunteering with “learning about the different aspects of FBYC, such as the Moveable Market, CalFresh, and other general office duties”.

Volunteering has meant a lot to Bich. She feels great when she leaves and enjoys working with staff and other volunteers. She is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this organization and is happy to spend some of her spare time giving back to the community.

Some of Bich’s hobbies include: swimming, lifting weights, reading health-related magazines, and spending time with her family.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Bich!

Roasted Bell Peppers

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Did you know that you can roast bell peppers yourself either in your oven, on your stove top if you have a gas stove or on a barbeque grill?  (Or, if you are really adventurous, with a propane torch, according to one comment I saw.)  Once you have successfully roasted peppers and tasted the results you will never go back to the store-bought variety--there is no comparison.  Roasting peppers is a bit labor-intensive but well worth the effort.  They can be used in salads, on sandwiches, with pasta, and you can freeze them for later use.

Directions for roasting peppers can be found on the following two links.  The first is for  roasting on a grill and the web site includes directions for roasting on a gas stove.  The second is a step-by-step with photos on roasting peppers in an oven.  Following the links is a recipe for a roasted red pepper dipping sauce that can be used with toasted bread, meatballs or fish.

Grill or gas stove roasting

Oven broiler roasting

Roasted Pepper Dipping Sauce

• 2 large roasted red peppers
• 1 head of roasted garlic cloves,
• 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of salt, a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Puree all ingredients together until smooth.

Roasted red and yellow peppers are also delicious in a sandwich, especially with prosciutto, goat cheese, and arugula on a ciabatta.

They also make a great summer vegetable salad when tossed with corn, mint, basil, red onion, lime juice and olive oil.

Recipe Source and additional use suggestions

Grilled Eggplant

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Eggplant is a great vegetable to grill, especially when it is too hot to stay in the kitchen and barbeques are fired up.  This is a very easy recipe and the results can be used in a variety of ways: as a side dish and with chicken and pasta.  Try layering the individual eggplant slices with slices of beefsteak tomato, mozzarella cheese and red onion on a grilled bun, and garnish with basil leaves.
The recommended time range for grilling 1" slices is 5 minutes per side. If overcooked they become tasteless and if under cooked, spongy.
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer








Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant, sliced 1″ thick
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, slivered
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brush olive oil on both sides of eggplant.
2. Stuff a couple of slivers of garlic into the eggplant.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat grill to medium heat.
5. Grill (covered) until cooked through and grill marks are left on each side of the eggplant

Recipe source

Roasted Ratatouille

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Ratatouille--the hard part is how do you  pronounce it.  According to Wikipedia, ratatouille (rat-ah-TOO-ee) is a traditional vegetable stew originating in France. The easy part is making it. Besides using eggplant, this recipe calls for two other readily available summer veggies--bell peppers and zucchini.  What I like about this recipe, in addition to *roasting the vegetables, is that it makes enough to provide ingredients for two additional meals.  My kind of cooking--especially if one works and/or during the hot summer weather.  Go to the recipe source shown after the directions for the other two recipes--Summer Chicken Stew and open face sandwiches.
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer






Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, trimmed and cut and cut into one-inch dice
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into one-inch dice
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into one-inch dice
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into one-inch dice
12 peeled garlic cloves, halved
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups (1 pint) cherry tomatoes

Directions:

Combine eggplant, onion, pepper, zucchini, and garlic in a large bowl. Add olive oil, thyme, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper; toss to coat. Turn vegetables onto a large-rimmed baking sheet.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Set baking sheet in preheating oven; roast until vegetables are golden brown on bottom, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven, stir in cherry tomatoes, and then continue to roast, stirring once more, until tomatoes have start to release their juices, about 15 minutes longer. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, or continue with one of the following recipes. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 5 days.)

* According to Three Many Cooks, the veggies hold their shape better making the dish look more attractive.

Makes about 5 cups

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August's Volunteers of the Month: Melanie Goddard and Katherine Laumas

From left: Katherine, Melanie

 For the month of August, we want to give thank two awesome warehouse sorting volunteers, Melanie Goddard and Katherine Laumas. Both ladies have shown dedication to the Food Bank of Yolo County (FBYC) by coming weekly—rain or shine—to help sort food for our variety boxes, which are part of our Rural Food Delivery (RFD) Program. Without the work of exceptional volunteers like Melanie and Katherine, it would be impossible for us to distribute food to the communities and individuals that benefit from the program.

With us since August 2009, Melanie first heard about the Food Bank from her cousin, who is our former grant writer. As a retiree with extra time on her hands, she thought it sounded like a wonderful program with which to volunteer.

When asked about her favorite part of volunteering with FBYC, Melanie said, “I love meeting other volunteers, but I especially love the satisfaction of packing boxes of food and thinking of the meals that will be created...”. She also went on to say, “Volunteering is a satisfying, productive way to use my time to help others”.

Besides volunteering, Melanie’s interests include: traveling with her husband, attending Giants and Rivercats games, kayaking, reading, gardening, and enjoying wine, art, and music.

Katherine, who often works on Tuesday’s with Melanie, has been a volunteer since December of 2010. Though she is a busy student, she thought the Food Bank would be a great place to volunteer because of her passion for food and cooking.

As a volunteer, Katherine appreciates the atmosphere at FBYC, friendly staff and volunteers, and low key vibe that makes her work enjoyable. She said, “When I go home on Tuesdays, I feel like I did something meaningful. It’s a wonderful feeling. Just a little work goes a long way”.

When not volunteering or studying, Katherine enjoys doing Bikram yoga and spending time with her beagle, Emma.

A huge thank you to both Melanie and Katherine for all of your hard work!

Eggplant and Tomato Salad

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This recipe was recommended to us by Liz, one of our followers on Facebook.  It is quick and easy to make and will make a great salad to accompany anything you wish to barbeque.

Thank you for the link, Liz!  And any one else who has a favorite recipe for the veggie of the month, please feel free to share.

Cleo, Food Bank volunteer

Ingredients

• 2 globe eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/3-inch slices
• 10 fresh basil leaves

Preparation

• 1. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).
• 2. Brush the eggplant and tomato slices with oil and season evenly with salt and pepper. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the vegetables are tender and nicely marked, turning once. The eggplant will take about 8 minutes and the tomatoes will take 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the grill as they are done.
• 3. Divide the eggplants, tomatoes, cheese, and basil among four plates. Drizzle with a little more olive oil or your favorite salad dressing, if desired.

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