iEat Green - Guest:Jodie Lindsay Popma-09.14.17

Jodie Lindsay Popma believes in the power of food. After completing the Nutrition Consultant Training Program at Bauman College, she launched Smart Food Made Simple, a consultancy focused on teaching parents that food is an extremely powerful tool. Her mantra is straightforward: simple changes and smart choices help our children’s bodies and brains function optimally. When children are encouraged to eat whole foods at an early age it promotes lifelong positive food behaviors.  A good foundation begins at home, and parents have the power to create healthy habits that will yield a lifetime of benefits. Jodie works directly with families, school districts and community organizations to design affordable healthy meal plans that children will love. As a recipient of Project Produce: a Fruit and Veggie Grant for Schools from the Chef Ann Foundation, Jodie has been able to introduce a new fresh fruit or veggie to over 900 students each month during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years. She also teaches cooking and nutrition courses at the Family Garden, a non-profit parenting center in Longmont, CO, as well as the Boulder County Farmers’ Market and preschool and middle school students at Flagstaff Academy. Jodie is a certified Share Our Strength, Cooking Matters® Instructor, an organization that educates parents and food service professionals on preparing foods for families on a budget. Originally from Downingtown, PA, Jodie moved to Colorado in 1995 and has lived there ever since, with her husband and two boys ages 9 and 11

 

Squash Vegetable Casserole
Preheat oven to 375*. You will need a 9” x 13” casserole pan.
olive oil
1 butternut Squash, de-seeded and sliced
1 eggplant
2 potatoes
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
2-3 red onions, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
2 Tbs. minced garlic
½ t. salt
3 Tbs. vegan pesto
¼ cup white wine

3 cups cashews, soaked for 3 hours
1 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs vegan pesto
2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
½ t. salt
2 small red onion, (1 cup diced)
2 stalks celery, (1/2 cup diced)
4 cups blanched Kale & Swiss Chard, chopped and water
squeezed out
2 small peppers- (3/4 cup diced)
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
¼ t. salt
2 Tbs. minced garlic
¼ cup white wine
1. Sauté onion in olive oil with 2 Tbs. minced garlic. When onions are translucent, add the cherry tomatoes and
fire roasted tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the salt, and ¼ cup of white wine. Cook for 3 more
minutes until the wine has evaporated. Add 3 Tbs. pesto and salt and cook for 1 minute.
2. Remove tomato mixture into a bowl and set aside.
3. Toast the walnuts for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Chop
4. Remove stems from kale. Chop the Kale and Swiss Chard and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove into ice bath
and let cool. Drain and squeeze out the water
5. In same pan, sauté the remaining onion, celery, peppers, and garlic. When soft, add the ¼ cup wine and
deglaze the pan. Add the blanched greens and walnuts.
6. Drain the cashews. In a food processor or Vita Mix, combine the cashews with 2 cups of water, nutritional
yeast, pesto, garlic and salt. Blend until velvety smooth.
7. Grease the bottom and sides of the casserole pan.
8. Line the bottom of casserole pan with the slices of potato
9. Add ½ of the tomato mixture to the casserole pan in an even layer.
10. Add ½ of the kale mixture in an even layer.

11. Add 1/3 of the cashew cream and spread out in even layer.
12. Add an even layer of the eggplant slices over the cashew cream.
13. Add the remaining kale mixture to the casserole pan in an even layer.
14. Add another 1/3 of the cashew cream.
15. Add the squash slices in an even layer over the cashew cream.
16. Cover the squash slices with the remaining tomato mixture and spread in an even layer on top of the
casserole.
17. Pour the remaining cashew cream on top and spread out.
18. Cover with tin foil and bake at 375* for 50 minutes. Remove tin foil and bake for 20 more minutes, until
golden brown.
19. Garnish with parsley