Healthy Recipes from Emeril's Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen

Presented by the Humana Foundation in partnership with Emeril Lagasse Foundation, “In the Kitchen” will feature healthy and nutritious recipes from Emeril's Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen to fuel players' minds and spirits throughout the weekend.

As the signature program of Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen integrates gardens and teaching kitchens in schools as interactive learning environments—connecting children to the source of their food so they can make healthier eating choices and share this knowledge with their families and communities.

Through a growing network of like-minded schools, the program currently serves over 6,000 students nationwide. As part of Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen program, students from DC Bilingual Public Charter School & Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School will be on-site at National Mall of Pickleball serving up healthy and nutritious recipes for picklers to enjoy on and off the courts.

Photo credit: Cedric Angeles

Gazpacho                                                                                                                     

Adapted by Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School

Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 roasted poblanos 
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 8 bay leaves, toasted
• 4 ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped (about 5 cups), juice reserved
• 1/2 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup) 
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, large stems removed and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 5 cups of V8
• 1 teaspoon Emeril's Kick It Up! Red Pepper Sauce or other hot sauce
• Croutons or crusty bread, for serving
• Crema, for serving

Directions

1. Produce a high flame on your gas stove top. Place the poblano pepper directly over the flame. Allow the skin to blacken and bubble up. It will do so in about 2-3 minutes.  Flip the poblano pepper every few minutes and blacken every side. Do not allow to catch fire or turn to white ash. Repeat with the remaining poblano peppers.  Add the charred poblano pepper to a plastic bag and seal, or to a bowl and cover. Allow to steam about 10 minutes to loosen the skin.  When the skins are loosened and the poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Discard the skin.
2. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes or until they are lightly golden. 
3. Toast the dried bay leaves in a dry pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges are slightly charred. 
4. Combine tomatoes and their juice, onion, celery, cilantro, garlic, dried oregano, and salt, in a large (at least 4-quart) nonreactive bowl or container. Let stand until the vegetables just begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes. 
5. Stir in the poblano peppers, sesame seeds, bay leaves, V8 juice, and hot sauce. 
6. Transfer 6 cups of the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Work in batches until everything has been blended. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with croutons and crema. 

Yummy Wake-Up Smoothies                                                                                       

Adapted by DC Bilingual Public Charter School

Yields: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup acai puree
• ½ cup mango
• ½ cup pineapple
• ¼ cup banana
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp chia seed
• 1 Tbsp agave syrup
• ¼ cup ice cubes
• 1 Tbsp coconut flakes

Directions:

1. Peel and dice the mango, pineapple, and banana.
2. Blend together until smooth and creamy.
3. Adjust consistency as necessary with coconut water and ice cubes.
4. Garnish with coconut flakes and chia seeds.