From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Activity 38: The Garden Cookbook

Grades: K-8

Associated Lesson Topics:

• Brassicaceae (mustard) family
• Plants as food

National Standards:

• SCIENCE: Standard F
• GEOGRAPHY: Standard 1
• HEALTH: Standard 3
• HISTORY: Standard 1a, 1b, 2b (K-4), Standard 1 (5-8)

Planting the Seed...

How many plant parts have you eaten today? Did you eat any for dinner last night? Are there days when you think you don't eat any plant parts? Can you think of a recipe from home that uses one or more plant parts?

Teacher Information:

Following are several easy recipes for students to follow. The purpose of this exercise is to reinforce how much of our food comes directly from plants and which parts we consume. The plants used for these recipes can be grown in your schoolyard garden or classroom, or purchased at a nursery. These plants do not need to be reserved for this activity. Use them for other plant lessons while you are waiting for them to be ready for harvesting. For example, as the plant matures, explore the plant life cycle with your students. If you have room to grow plants, plan on making several food items for a harvest snack at the end of your plant unit. You can also simplify this activity by growing vegetables that you can simply pick, wash, and eat!

Necessary Materials:

• Plants or plant seeds.
• Planting materials.

Recipes:

1) PEANUT BUTTER (recipe from the Georgia Peanut Commission)

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted shelled peanuts
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Place ingredients in blender. Close top. Blend for several minutes. Turn blender off. Use a rubber spatula to scrape mixture from blender sides to the bottom and back in contact with the blades. Close top. Blend until it looks like paste or is easy to spread. Serve with celery or make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.

2) PASTA SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic
Fresh basil leaves
10 to 15 plum tomatoes
Knife
Skillet pan

Directions:
Mince the garlic cloves and chop the basil and tomatoes. Tomatoes should be chopped into quarters. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add minced garlic. When the garlic is slightly browned, add tomatoes and basil. Simmer over low to medium heat for 20 minutes or until sauce has reached the desired consistency.

3) SALSA

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes
3/4 cup cilantro
1/4 onion
1 chili pepper
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:
Chop the tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and chili pepper. Mince the garlic. Place in blender or food processor. Add olive oil and lime juice. Chop in blender for 5 to10 seconds. Enjoy!

4) PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients:
1 small pumpkin (2 pounds)
1 ½ cup onions
1 ½ cup celery
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ stick butter

Directions:
Peel and seed the pumpkin. Chop into 1-inch chunks. Alternatively, you can slice the pumpkin in half, seed it, and place it in the oven at 400F. When pumpkin flesh is soft, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, scoop the pumpkin flesh out and continue with the recipe. Chop the onions and celery. Melt butter in a large saucepot. Add pumpkin, onions, celery, and broth. Simmer until all vegetables are soft. Puree in a blender or food processor. Return to pot to reheat. Enjoy!

5) HASH BROWNS

Ingredients:
6 potatoes
1 small onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
spices
salt

Directions:
Chop potatoes and onion. Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add potatoes, onion, spices, and desired amount of salt. Saute over low to medium heat until potatoes and onions are cooked and brown.

6) PIZZA

Ingredients:
Garden vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc.
Pizza dough
Pasta sauce (you can use recipe to make your own)
Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Follow directions for pizza dough. Chop vegetables. Cover pizza dough with pasta sauce and then cheese. Add vegetables and bake. Follow baking instructions for pizza dough.

Harvesting the Crop...

How have people used plants throughout history or in other cultures? Students can request recipes from family or community members to address this question. Alternatively, students can conduct research into other cultures and societies to come up with recipes that involve plants. The Native American people, for example, had several uses for corn.

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