Food Technology Update

We have been super keen to introduce our students to the future of sustainable food with a pinch of fun, and to bring a taste of something new right into our food rooms! Therefore, our insect adventures have been buzzing through our food technology area, and we're ready to inject some more cricket joy!

Having said that, in term 2 our gorgeous Year 9 students have been exploring the topic of food security and why diversification of our food system is crucial. They have discovered how edible insects are sustainably farmed for our consumption, and used in our diets, as well as what the nutritional and health benefits of eating insects are, and how sustainable for our environment eating insects can be.

Learning about the captivating subject of edible insects is so important and relevant for nutritional, environmental, sustainability, cultural, and also historical reasons. The Chinese have been eating insects for thousands of years. Teaching students about edible bugs with the hope of making this world a better place, is inspirational and necessary. Now students can look upon these insects with curiosity, fascination and appreciation.

It is super easy to enrich foods that you eat everyday using Cricket Protein Powder, without even knowing the difference in the end product, as you really can’t taste it. Cooking with crickets is super easy and you're also sneaking in some extra protein, calcium, iron and other essential micronutrients as well as Omega 3 & 6, B12 and amino acids. It's like a supercharged protein. 

Here is one of the healthy and easy recipes our students have made incorporating cricket powder into a recipe: 

Easy, Delicious Whole Wheat Pancakes Recipe with Cricket Powder:

Makes approximately 8 pancakes;

YOU WILL NEED

3/4 cup (100 grams) whole wheat plain flour (Buckwheat flour if GF)

3/4 cup (100 grams) plain flour (Plain GF flour if GF)

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

½ tablespoon baking powder

pinch salt

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups (295 to 350 ml) reduced fat milk, dairy or non-dairy

¼ cup apple sauce (in replacement of 1 large egg)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tbsp cricket protein powder

DIRECTIONS:

Sift both flours together, any husks remaining in the sifter need to be added to the flour in the bowl, along with cricket protein powder.

Whisk flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and the salt in a medium bowl, set aside. Warm the milk until lukewarm, not hot (you should be able to keep your finger submerged for 10 seconds). Whisk milk, butter, egg and the vanilla together until blended.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour milk mixture into the well and stir with a fork until mixed. Do not over mix batter. 

Note: The batter will be quite thick. If it is unreasonably thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk to thin it out a little.

Lightly spray your frypan with oil.

Heat a large pan over medium heat. 

Spoon a 1/4-cup of the batter onto the pan and gently spread into a 4-inch circle. (If the batter is thick, you may need to use the back of a spoon to spread the batter into a circle).

When edges look dry and bubbles start to appear and pop on the top surfaces of the pancakes, turn over, about 2 minutes. Once flipped, cook 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked in the middle.

Serve warm topped with maple syrup, ice cream and some mealworms!  

DELICIOUS!

These are filling, full of fibre and nutrients.

Happy baking to all! Enjoy a safe and wonderful break. See you for a super Term 4 of cooking and new delights 😊