The kids at ETSS Summer Camp have been very fortunate to be able to try so many different recipes this summer. This week, they made pasta salad as well as a Tofu Maple Syrup Dip.

The week began with the kids chopping up cucumbers and tomatoes for the pasta salad. I cooked whole grain pasta the weekend before to have the pasta ready for the kids. I always explain to the kids the importance of eating whole grains- they taste just as good as the regular “white” pasta/rice, but has SO MUCH more nutrients! The white rice/pasta removes most of the nutrients, so you’re left with just carbohydrates. Why not make the change to whole grains, a simple step to a healthier diet! To the whole grain pasta, the kids added their cucumbers and tomatoes. We also added some great northern beans for protein, and whipped up our very own dressing. The dressing is so simple to make and a healthier alternative to the dressings we normally buy at the grocery store. The dressing we made consists of olive oil, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The kids had fun shaking up the container and then pouring it over the delicious pasta salad. It was great to see the kids trying the whole grain pasta, and even better to hear that they LIKED the whole grain pasta! When you mix up the whole grain pasta with delicious veggies and homemade dressing, you won’t be able to taste any difference! To pair with the pasta salad, I brought along the book Strega Nona to read to the kids. Most of the kids were familiar with the story but still enjoyed listening to the story once more.

After the pasta salad, the next cooking lesson was making the Tofu Maple Syrup Dip. At the grocery store, there are always tubs of caramel or artificial cream in the fruit section. The tofu maple syrup dip is a healthier alternative to these when we want to dip our fruits into something delicious and sweet. I brought my food processor along with me, and we combined the soft tofu, maple syrup, and cinnamon. The kids sampled the dip with sliced apples and strawberries. Most of the kids weren’t aware of how maple syrup was made, so I brought a picture book to read to them about how we make maple syrup. Making maple syrup is a long process; no wonder it’s expensive!