Well, we just had our second batch of hands-on workshops for our gardeners, which were delicious workshops!!

Our first hands-on was our two salsa workshops that everyone enjoyed. Now, we just held two heart-healthy workshops and made an easy, basic stir-fry that was low sodium, gluten-free, low fat and had a vegan option with tofu. We had participants as young as 1 helping prepare the food (they used plastic kids’ chef knives under parental supervision), and we made enough to feed everyone plus had some leftovers even though some headed back for seconds. Afterward, word spread about the stir-fry, and I received requests for the recipe and for pictures from some gardeners who hadn’t been able to attend due to illness.

So, here’s the recipe that we used:

 

  • 8 c assorted veggies, chopped into bite-size pieces (separate into two groups: those that cook quickly and those that need more time.
  • 1/3-1/2 c gluten-free hoisin sauce (basically to taste
  • 1 c cooked protein of your choice (tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.)

 

  • Spray a wok with spray oil and preheat over high heat.
  • Then toss in those veggies that need a while to cook and stir constantly so they don’t burn.
  • As the first batch of veggies gets close to done (you want them crisp-tender), add the quick-cooking veggies.
  • When the veggies are done, add the protein and hoisin sauce, and toss to heat and mix.
  • Serve over rice.

 

We used fresh garden peas from one of our gardeners as one of the veggies, and people enjoyed finding a different way to cook and serve peas. We also used fresh elephant ear garlic and ginger root from another gardener to add additional flavor beyond what the hoisin sauce provides.

Our next hands-on will be our harvest dinner at the end of the growing season to celebrate our (hopefully) bountiful harvests. Can’t wait to see what our harvests continue to provide us with for dinner!