Campers Make Lunch that’s Fresh to the Core

Campers Make Lunch that’s Fresh to the Core

By the end of each camp week, it’s clear to see the confidence and cooking skills that each young chef has gained; knife skills, kitchen safety skills, and a curious palate are just a few of the strengths that campers take away to help them tackle new ingredients and challenging recipes. At Core Kitchen, our cooking abilities were put to the test with a large lunch order: sixty-four team members from nearby Facebook offices would be stopping by for fresh, healthy, and fast lunches, plus veggie-centric juices, which would be prepared by our campers. Luckily for these hungry customers, Sprouts kids are always up for a challenge.

The first lesson we learned at Core Kitchen was to be imaginative with our food. When you’re cooking with raw, organic ingredients, you’ve got to get creative. Onions, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, figs, cauliflower, and broccoli were just a few of the many colorful fruits and vegetables that campers chopped, sliced, and diced to prepare the wholesome meals that Core Kitchen is known for.

Fresh pressed juice and newly cut zucchini noodles were also on the menu: this meant that campers had the chance to explore the machines that are used to make these nutrient-rich drinks and dishes. Some of the campers’ favorite ingredients to work with were kale and coconuts; after all, it’s not everyday you get to crack open coconuts, then blend the water and coconut meat together to create a smooth, sweet milk. The kale was chopped and massaged to infuse flavor and soften the rough ruffles of the green’s leaves.

It was all smiles in the Core Kitchen when campers successfully finished crafting the lunch orders for the Facebook team. Once they’d served up the dishes they’d prepared, kids got the chance to enjoy their own boxes of fresh, organic produce and taste for themselves just how delicious fresh, raw foods can be — especially when they come from the Core Kitchen!

RECIPES

Want a taste of the Facebook team’s favorite lunch order? Try Core Kitchen’s Thai Zucchini Noodles for yourself. Once you’re hooked on the flavor of fresh produce, you can find more of the season’s sweetest greens packed into the salads, wraps, and other imaginative veggie dishes made at Core Kitchen.

Core Kitchen’s Thai Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients

Serves 2–4 as a main dish

2 medium zucchini
4 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup shredded red cabbage
3 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons chopped basil
3 tablespoons chopped scallion
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup cauliflower rice (chop cauliflower into florets, then chop into small pieces using a food processor)
¼ cup toasted cashews

For sauce:

1 cup soaked almonds (soak overnight, then drain and rinse)
12 soaked dates (Bring water to a boil, turn off heat. De-pit dates, and soak for 30 minutes.)
1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup tahini
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and diced ginger
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
¾ cup lime juice
1/3 cup coconut water

Directions

Spiralize your zucchini into “zoodles.” Blanch these noodles in boiling water for 10 seconds, then transfer to the fridge to cool.

Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute (or steam for 5 minutes), then transfer to a refrigerator to cool.

To prepare the sauce, add soaked almonds, soaked dates, coconut milk, tahini, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and coconut water into a blender and blend until incorporated. Transfer to a saucepan and warm over low heat.

To assemble, place zucchini noodles and broccoli on a plate and cover with ½ cup warmed sauce. Top with carrots, cucumber, cabbage, cauliflower rice, herbs, and cashews.