These cookies were originally made at the Capri Bakery on East 116th street in NYC. Now you can bake them right at home! 

So this is how you make them:

• Ingredients-
• 2.3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cupe mashed ripe banana
• 1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon rum flavor
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup sweet flaked coconut
• 1.2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of ground ginger 

Directions-

1. Preheat 350 degrees F
2. Place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup and level with a knife
4. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a seperate bowl, stirring with a whisk
5. Stir flour mixture with banana mixture.
6. Drop dough by 2-tablespoons onto parchment-paper-lined baking sheet
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.
8. Remove from oven and let cool completely.  

Serving size is 20 cookies. Courtesy of The Go Green East Harlem Cookbook.

Apart from being probably the most amazing cookies you will ever eat, they’re also really healthy. So you could eat them guilt-free.

Healthy Schools Campaign and the National Farm to School Network have set up a competition for students across America. They were challenged to concoct a new and improved healthy school lunch. The will be lasts for two days, from May 17-19^th. The competition is meant to encourage schools to promote real food, rather then the cheap and gross substitutes. The students with the most ideal school lunch – meaning healthy and tasty – win. The finalists include The Tohono O’odham Community Action Cooking Club, who gave an interview recently on their experiences with the contest.

When asked about their experience, they said,

…it’s not only creating a healthy meal, it’s creating a healthy community. To show that healthy food tastes good. It’s our traditional way to be healthy and we need to get back to that with our traditional foods.

We think they’re doing a great job, and look forward to seeing the schools make positive change in the lunchroom.

Little Chefs

Okra is a delicious, high-fiber food with great taste and texture.

Enjoy it in this vegetable-packed stew, courtesy of The Go Green East Harlem Cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 handful of fresh okra
• 1 red pepper, stemmed and diced
• 1 green pepper, stemmed and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 clove finely chopped fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• pinch of cumin
• pinch of basil
• 3 pinches of parsley
• pinch of oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon gumbo file

Directions:

1. In a small pot, add water, brown rice, 1/4 cup vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Simmer 40 minutes or until rice is soft.
2. Wash fresh okra and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place okra in a small pot of boiling water, cook for 30 seconds, remove and drain.
3. In a large skillet, add 1/8 cup of vegetable stock, cooked okra, green and red peppers, and cook over medium heat until mix becomes fragrant. Transfer to a small pot.
4. Add remaining vegetable stock to pot and bring to boil. While stirring, add all spices except gumbo file.
5. Continue to stir, cook until okra is golden brown, and then add gumbo file.
6. Cook for 10 minutes longer and serve on brown rice.
7. Enjoy!

SERVES 4

Did you know you can make your own pickles?! We didn’t until we tried them, and they’re so yummy when you make them at home! This recipe comes from Grub, Anna Lappé and Bryant Terry’s book which was featured at the end of What’s On Your Plate? the movie.

• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Inactive prep time: at least 24 hours
• Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 large carrots (about 1 pound), peeled
• 1 cup white balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar (or any other kind of clear vinegar)
• 2 Tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• Course sea salt

1. Cut the carrots into sticks that are 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick.
2. Combine 2 cups water, the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and add the carrots. Bring back toa boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
   Transfer the carrots and liquid to a glass container (not metal). Let cool and cover.
3. Refrigerate the covered pickles for at least 24 hours before serving. (They will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator)
4. Eat them and laugh.

This puppy comes to you courtesy of Marion L. Bell, of the Metropolitan Hospital Center and the Go Green East Harlem Cookbook, edited by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, which is filled with recipes by East Harlem residents. I did not choose it because of the name, but I could have. Thankfully, it’s also delicious, so you’re welcome.

You’ll need:

• 3 sweet potatoes or yams
• 3 large eggs, whites separated and yolks discarded
• 1/4 cup condensed milk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 7 ounces chunky pineapple in juices
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut

1. Rinse and clean sweet potatoes or yams. Do not peel.
2. In a large uncovered pot, cover the potatoes with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook until a fork slides in easily, about 45 minutes. (Cutting potatoes in half or using two pots reduces cooking time.)
3. Drain potatoes and let them cool until you can comfortably handle them. Gently pinching the tips of the potatoes, slip and slide off the skin, and place the pulp in a large mixing bowl. Mash until smooth, removing any stringy pieces.
4. Add 1/4 cup of the egg whites (reserving the rest), all the other liquid ingredients, and the powdered spices. Mix thoroughly. Add fruit and its jiuce, raisins, and coconut. Blend with a spatula.
5. Using an electric blender set at high, mix the reserved egg whites until they turn white, fluffy, and stiff.
6. Pour potato mixture into 9-by-9-inch casserole dish, greased or sprayed lightly with Pam. Using a spatula, fold and turn the beaten egg whites on top of the potato mixture but do not mix or blend. Over-mixing will stop the egg whites from rising in the oven.
7. Bake alone in the oven at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. Let cool on the stove top. Serve warm, as a side dish or for dessert.

Serves 6-8. Enjoy!

Spring is coming, and Caprese Salad is a traditional spring Italian dish. This recipe is from the big celebration meal at the end of the movie and it’s simple, healthy, and easy to make.

Caprese Salad (x 10)

• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella
• 12 large basil leaves
• Coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil

1. Cut tomatoes into thick slices.
2. Cut the fresh mozzarella into slices.
3. Place a mozzarella slice on top of each tomato slice.
4. Put a basil leaf on top of each stack.
5. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top of the tomatoes and mozzarella slices and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Over here at What’s On Your Plate?, we’ve been hard at work to get a fun and engaging toolkit together for all the home viewers out there who will be joining us on Sunday, February 7th at 2pm. We’ve finally finished it and we’re pretty proud to share it with all of you.

Here it is for all of those looking for something fun to do that Sunday with your friends and family!

NPR’s got some holiday recipes, Internet, check ‘em out. My favorite: peanut butter-maple bacon fudge.

Listen up, internet: Kiwi Magazine (which is great in general) just posted a recipe for ginger cookies on their website. Ginger cookies are my all-time favorite variety of cookies, ever. Bar none. If anyone out there wants to use this recipe and send the results to WOYP HQ, I promise to write a special blog post about how pleased I am with them.

Kellogg’s has been making headlines recently for its misleading cover, in which it states that the cereal increases immunity. By claiming to raise immunity levels, it is misguiding parents into believing that it may be healthier then other less processed, organic products.

The city attorneys of San Francisco are thinking along the same lines, stating that they should “seek an immediate termination or modification of the advertising claim…” Kellogg proceeded to phase out the immunity claim November 4, 2009.

Kellogg's Cereal Box Cover

Although we don’t think that Kellogg’s cereal is as bad as fast food, the likelihood of it curing a cold is slim. As compared to fresher products, Kellogg’s sugary Cocoa Krispies leave much to be desired.

Instead, we think Chef Ann‘s quick granola recipe is a tasty and healthier alternative.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup           rolled oats
• 3/4 cup              unsweetened coconut, toasted
• 1/2 tsp               salt
• 1/4 tsp               ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp                   unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 Tbsp        canola oil
• 1 Tbsp                honey
• 2 1/4 Tbsp        maple syrup
• 1/4 cup              almonds, unsalted, whole, toasted
• 1/4 cup              pumpkin seeds, unsalted, toasted
• 1 Tbsp                sunflower seeds, unsalted, toasted
• 1/4 cup              raisins
• 1 Tbsp                golden raisins
• 1/4 cup              dried cherries
• 1 Tbsp                dried apricot, small dice.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200-degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan heat butter, oil, honey, and maple syrup to blend.
3. In a separate bowl, combine oats, coconut, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Add the warm liquid ingredients to the oat mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Spread the mixture evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 to10 hours. If the granola isn’t crunchy enough raise the temperature to 250 degrees F to finish. If you raise the temperature make sure to check frequently to keep the granola from burning. Remove from oven and cool.
6. Add toasted nuts and dried fruit and mix to incorporate. Store in an airtight container or freeze in bags.