Cooking from Your Harvest What a beautiful time of year fall is when you get to see the fruits of your spring and summer labour! Those plants are growing, and you are seeing those vegetables ripening and being prepared to pick. All that is left now is

Most children get enticed into food preparation through eating tasty snacks and desserts. In our home, learning how to bake and cook meals is mandatory learning for both my boys, but I have one son who is much more keen to create in the kitchen. This is one he (and sometimes his brother) quickly whips up without any help from me. I have been making variations of this recipe for years because it is quick, easy to change up, and is a wonderful warm dessert.

What child doesn’t love a warm, chewy chocolate chip cookie? To be honest, as a parent I love these too! I love their taste, but I also love that in 20 minutes or less I can have something whipped up that my kids and their friends are going to love and enjoy. I think coming in from outside to bite into a warm chocolate chip cookie is a childhood rite of passage!

Many Canadians have not spent too much time thinking about where their food comes from, other than that it comes from Loblaws or Sobeys or Walmart. One thing the pandemic and recent food shortages have done is make us more aware of our supply chain. Where do we get our most basic food needs from? Also, where can we get our own food, including a good Canadian apple, if the grocery store is all out?

Some kids gravitate towards helping in the kitchen more than others, but it is a life skill that benefits all. Those kids who enjoy cooking may experiment with flavours, changing recipes, making up dishes, etc., but any child can learn to follow a recipe and directions!

Christmas cookies are such a fun tradition! Especially ones you can cut out with a cookie cutter and cover in fun icing! This recipe is easy to make and isn’t so sweet you’ll get an instant stomachache!

Even though Canada is one country, different provinces, and even different regions within each province, have their own special dishes they enjoy. There are so many interesting and delicious dishes we don’t have an opportunity to experience unless we travel to, or know someone from, different regions.

Starting a new year of school can feel exciting! Even as a homeschooler, it is still nice to find a way to signify and celebrate that first day back to school. Many people have their own traditions or celebrations to mark their first day of a new school year. Among those traditions, a popular one is a special back-to-school breakfast. While each family will have their own breakfast that feels special and celebratory to them, here are a few favourite recipes to try!

Summer is the perfect time to make recipes together with your children. This recipe is quick and easy to make! It is great to make and enjoy on warm summer afternoons. As more and more people develop or realize they have food allergies, it is helpful to have this type of recipe on hand. Dairy does not sit well with everyone, but who doesn’t love a yummy frozen treat in the summer! With just a few ingredients you likely have on hand, you can whip up this faux “ice cream” for yourself and some friends

As a homesteader and homeschool mom of 3 growing children, fresh sourdough bread is something we like to have on hand. It’s a good filling breakfast and great to add to any meal. I like to make 2 loaves every week, but often I’ll make 4. I’m excited to tell you about my sourdough routine.

As we begin to produce more of our own food at home, we naturally need to learn different ways to preserve it. Freezing is often the first method thought of, but that is dependent on freezer space and also on having the time to thaw something or have it take longer cooking. Some foods work wonderfully frozen, and others not as well. Freeze drying and dehydrating are options as well, but those supplies can be costly for some people. Canning is a way to take your harvest and make it shelf stable. While some foods lose some of their nutrients through the high heat involved in the canning process, that may be worth it for the convenience and space saving benefits. 

Leeks can be one of those vegetables you see in the grocery store but never buy because you don’t know how to use them. Leeks are from the same vegetable family as onions, garlic, shallots, scallions and chives. They are good to incorporate into your meals as they have antioxidants which provide a number of health benefits.