90-Minutes of Kitchen Zen™

Find one day per week for 90-minutes of food prep

You’ll enjoy these benefits 

  • Preparing foundation meal ingredients ahead will allow you to put together a dinner quickly with already cooked-from-scratch foods
  • Engage in healthful commitment
  • Delight in creating and sustaining your own vibrant health
  • Shop for and eat local foods when possible
  • Support small farms using sustainable agricultural methods
  • Know that you are contributing to the health of the planet
  • Cultivate a time for mindfulness
    • Express gratitude
  • for giving yourself the time and for the good quality food you are about to enjoy
  • Experience the “Zen” of cooking
  • Experiment during one or two dinners per week…
  • Family time
    • Age-appropriate kitchen and food preparation jobs
    • Quality time with your sweetheart and/or your children
      • share the workload!
    • Role-model your commitment to the planet and to your health
    • Opportunity to discuss the environment and the impact of your decisions
    • Create a comfort level in the kitchen for the next generation
    • Explore the benefits of eating “real food” versus drive-through food

How to’s

  • Veggies
  • Cut ahead of time, store in glass, tupperware or zip lock bag
  • salads, casseroles, stir-fry
  • Grilled peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onion, you-name-it: brush with (garlic infused) olive oil; place under broiler on low or onto grill for 5-ish minutes each side. These will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks!
  • Roast garlic, peel, and store in fridge for added zip to any meal!
  • Wash greens and dry well. Tear into small pieces for salad mix
    • make up salads ahead and store in fridge
    • add “wet” veggies at meal time to avoid a soggy salad
  • cukes, cut tomatoes, olives, onions…
  • Pre-cut veggies are available in the produce section of some grocery stores; they are more expensive, but very convenient!
  • Fruits
  • Cut ahead of time, squeeze a drop of fresh lemon juice on top, and seal well in glass or tupperware
  • Perfect for smoothies, salad with yogurt or cottage cheese, or just as a snack
  • Grains
    • 2 parts water to 1 part grain
    • Bring to a boil, simmer for ½ hour
  • brown rice, millet, couscous, barley, bulgur
  • Exceptions
    • polenta requires more water, longer cook time and constant stirring!
    • quinoa cooks in 12 minutes
  • Cook up a pot of grains each week to be used in salads, casseroles, and soups
  • Meat, tempeh, and eggs
    • Marinade beef, chicken, or pork ahead of time, then bake, sauté, or roast for quick cutting or dicing for a salad topper, to put into a casserole or soup, or for a sandwich
    • Bake tempeh early in the week for a yummy addition to a dinner casserole, a lunch sandwich, or on top of a salad
    • Hard-boil a half-dozen eggs for a salad topper or snack
  • Beans
    • Soak overnight
    • Rinse with fresh water. Add fresh water to pot and bring to a boil, simmer 2 – 6 hours, depending on the bean
    • Cook up a pot of beans each week to be used in salads, casseroles, and soups
    • NEWS FLASH! Beans are available in cans with low or no salt
  • Nuts
    • Roasted: no oil needed; put in a pan on medium heat, stirring often, until they pop—about 5 minutes. Store in fridge
    • Not only are roasted nuts very high in nutritional value, but also add a lovely flavor to a salad or on top of a cooked casserole
  • Other Tidbits
    • Choose a small-sized plate; notice how gorgeously full of food it is!
    • Serve from the kitchen, taking your plate to the dining area. All leftovers go into the fridge!
    • Each Day: unlimited veggies, 2 – 4 servings of fruit, 4 – 6 servings of whole grains, 2 – 3 servings of protein from farms
    • Share an entrée with a friend, when eating out
    • Add raisins or dried apricots for flavor and interesting texture, especially with sun-dried tomatoes
    • Try one new recipe every other week!

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Urban Seeds Education Program Urban Seeds is dedicated to educating our community to best care for ourselves, our families, and our neighbors by choosing nourishing foods. Unless specified, the programming