Standing Ovation Cookbook
by SusanWaxman
©2010
The following recipes were created by Susan Waxman for the children’s film, “Standi ng Ovation”. They will be released as complementary material with my interview for the Healthy, Happy Kids Telesummit; sign up for free today!

These snacks are healthy variations of some of your kid’s favorite treats. The snacks are low-fat, dairy free, egg free, and all sugars used are grain and fruit based. All ingredients used are organic and free of artificial flavors, chemicals and food dyes common in desserts. Sweeteners such as barley malt, rice syrup, pure maple syrup and fresh fruit provide more even energy so you don’t experience the “highs and lows” or mood swings you get from sugar and other trendy sweeteners.
All the savory snacks are seasoned with sea salt, natural organic soy sauce and savory vinegars, which provide good quality minerals your body can absorb more easily.

Sweet Snacks:

Brown Rice Crispy Treats


Everyone loves eating these and enjoys making them. This quick snack will keep in a tin or glass container for 1 week.
Preparation time 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients:
½ cup Barley Malt
¾ cup Maple Syrup
1 cup organic currants or raisins
1 cup organic peanut butter
5 cups Brown Rice crispies

Preparation:
—Mix Barley Malt, Maple Syrup and Peanut Butter in a stainless steel pot.
—Turn on flame and begin heating on a low flame. Add the fruits and continue to mix.
—When you begin to see bubbles around the edge of the pot, turn off the flame and add the rice crispies.
—Mix well to blend all of the ingredients.
—Place on an oiled tray to cool a bit.
—Roll into balls and serve.

Variations:
— Substitute Almond butter or tahini for the peanut butter. —-When using tahini add a little add a little more rice crispies in order to maintain a good consistency.
—Add “grain sweetened chocolate chips in place of raisins for a more rich taste.
For the ultimate chocolate lovers treat:
—Melt unsweetened organic dark/vegan chocolate.
—Add 2 T. of brown rice syrup
—1 T. of barley malt
—1 – 2 T. of maple syrup
If this is not sweet enough for you, just add a little extra, remember the kids need to like it too!
—Mix well and allow the now, grain sweetened chocolate to cool a bit.
—Drizzle or roll the crispy balls in the chocolate.
—Place the chocolate coated crispies in the fridge until the chocolate cools.
This makes about 60 bite size treats

“Carmel” Dipping Sauce

You know those Carmel apples you get at the fair and other “kid events”, loaded with sugar and chemicals. Here is my healthier version. Made with all grain sweeteners and roasted sesame seed butter.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:
¼ cup of organic roasted tahini
2 Tablespoons of organic barley malt
4 Tablespoons of organic brown rice syrup
½ teaspoons of umeboshi vinegar

Preparation:
-Put tahini in bowl, add barley malt, rice syrup and umeboshi vinegar and mix well.

Serve this “Carmel” Sauce with sliced fruits. Some of our favorites are apples, pears, and strawberries.

Variations:
—For you chocolate lovers out there, try adding melted grain sweetened chocolate chips to the dipping sauce. This chocolate variation is delicious with fresh fruit or with crunchy treats such as pretzels or graham crackers!

Almond Crème

Sweet, delicious and rich, “Almond Crème” is great with fresh fruit. You can make fancy fruit cocktails or simply serve it as a dip. Either way this is a winner. Almond Crème also makes a delicious cake frosting.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup raw almonds
½ Amazake, a fermented rice beverage and ¼ Cup rice syrup
OR
½ cup brown rice syrup and ¼- 1/3-cup almond, soy or rice milk

Preparation:
—Blanch the almonds 5-7 minutes and remove the skins.
—Place the almonds, rice syrup and half the amount of liquid ingredients in a blender or food processor.
—Begin to blend, while adding additional liquid. Feel free to adjust the liquid ratio to achieve the desired consistency.
This recipe makes about 1 ½ – 2 cups of crème and will keep in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.

Savory Snacks

Susan’s Amazing Guacamole


This recipe is so good it should be named “Rock –a-mole” because it rocks!It is another favorite among the cast and crew, dubbed “the best I have ever had.” Try it out because this recipe speaks for itself.

Preparation time: 20 to 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Avocado
Diced onion (marinated in umeboshi vinegar for a ½ hour, up to 3 hours)
Fresh sliced jalapeño pepper (optional)
Cilantro
Fresh lime juice
Umeboshi vinegar (savory vinegar)
Shoyu (organic soy sauce)

Preparation:
—Cut Avocado in half; remove the pit and the fruit.
—Place the fruit in a bowl together with the marinated onions.
—Add the cilantro and peppers.
—Add a couple drops of shoyu and mix all together.
—Add several drops of umeboshi vinegar to taste.
—Add fresh lime juice.
This recipe will keep longer than most others because of using the savory vinegar and natural soy sauce. The onions start to pickle, bringing more of a balance for the rich vegetable fat of the avocado.

You can store the guacamole in a glass or earthenware bowl together with the pit. The pit helps to maintain the freshness. When you are ready to serve remove the pit and place in a bowl.

Toasted Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds

A healthy snack to satisfy the desire for the “crunchy” texture.

Preparation time 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 to 2 cups of organic seeds (rinsed)

Utensils Needed:
Stainless steel skillet
Wooden spatula or rice paddle

Preparation:
Pre-heat skillet slightly, then place washed seeds in skillet
Use your wooden spatula to evenly spread out the seeds in the pan
Begin the toasting process by moving the utensil around the pan while at the same time turning the seeds over. As the seeds begin to toast, they will begin to pop and give off a nutty-like aroma.
When you are able to easily crush a seed between your fingers, the seeds are done. You can also use a metal spoon and take a spoonful of seeds from the pan. If the seeds do not stick to the spoon, they are done.
Note: It is better to toast seeds on a lower flame, moving them continuously.

Variations:
— For a savory taste add a little sea salt, soy sauce, or umeboshi vinegar.
—For an even richer taste, add a little sesame oil during the roasting. If you like a hot taste, try “Hot toasted Sesame “oil.

Home Popped Organic Popcorn

A “Standing O” favorite! Made with quality ingredients this is much healthier than anything you can buy in the stores or the theatre. It is lower in fat and sodium, and of course organic.

Preparation time: 7 to 10 minutes

Ingredients:
¼ cup organic safflower oil
1 Tablespoon organic olive oil
A pinch sea salt
½ cup Organic Popcorn

Preparation:
Note: This works great in a stainless steel pressure cooker
—Heat oil slightly, then add the un-popped popcorn and sea salt
—When the oil begins to sizzle place the lid on the pot. The Corn will start popping.
—Pick up the pot several times and shake it gently to prevent the popcorn from burning
—When you stop hearing the Popping sound, remove the pot from the stove.
—Allow the built-up pressure to come down, then remove the lid
—Pour hot popcorn into a bowl immediately. Add some olive oil and sea salt and mix well.

Hummus

A traditional dish that both kids and adults enjoy. It makes a delicious snack or use it in a sandwich together with vegetables. Hummus will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Preparation time: 15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked organic Chickpeas
½ cup bean juice
¼ cup Roasted tahini
1 -2 cloves of minced garlic (optional)
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon Sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon Umeboshi paste
1 Tablespoon umeboshi vinegar
½ Cup organic pure olive oil
Fresh squeezed organic lemon juice to taste

Preparation:
—Place beans and salt in a blender together with a little of the bean juice.
—Add other ingredients and blend until desired consistency.
Hummus is great with fresh vegetables, pita, or with chips.

Creamy Cucumber Tofu Dip

Kids like to dip, whether it is veggies or chips. The creamy consistency and combination of seasonings give offer a tasty “dairy free, low fat “ healthy alternative. The cucumber adds a refreshing quality.

Preparation time: 15 to 20 minutes
This dip will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week to 10 days.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of White Miso, diluted with ½ cup of water
½ Block Firm Tofu steamed in miso for 4 -5 minutes.
1/3 to ½ cup umeboshi vinegar
1 cup grated cucumber, seasoned to taste with umeboshi vinegar
½ teaspoon mustard
¼ teaspoon pickle juice
½ teaspoon shoyu

Preparation:
—Place the tofu and miso sauce in a blender, together with the mustard pickle juice and umeboshi vinegar and shoyu. Blend until creamy.
—Add grated cucumber and mix well.
—Serve as a dip with fresh or lightly blanched vegetables. This can also be used as a salad dressing or sandwich spread.

Healthy Refreshing Drinks:

Susan’s Genmai ChaCha

This is a refreshing “energy” drink that has a small amount of caffeine compared to other energy drinks on the market. It is flavored with grain and fruit sweeteners keep your blood sugar more stable.

Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes

Ingredients:
5 cups of water
1 matcha green or Genmaicha grren tea bag
1 cup Brown Rice Syrup
White Grape Juice
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice to taste

Preparation:
—Heat the water just below the boiling point
—Allow to cool for a minute
—Add the tea bag & steep
—Add the Brown Rice Syrup and mix well
—Allow to cool & mix with white grape juice

Homemade Spritzers
This is a healthy, simple, sugar free option to sodas and far better on the budget than buying so-called “natural sodas”. You control the quality by using choosing a good quality juice and mineral water. Say “yes’’ to organic and no to high fructose corn syrup and other refined sugars.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup of your favorite organic fruit juice
¼ to ½ cup fizzy water
Organic juices are sweeter than other juices and taste better when they are diluted. You can choose to make them more or less sweet by the amount of water you use. I like to use 3 parts juice to 1 part water. If your child is sensitive to sweets try a half and half mixture.

Preparation:
Pour fruit juice in a glass or pitcher. Add the fizzy water and stir.

Organic Apple cider with fresh lemon

This is another great beverage using organic cider, diluted with a little water and a little fresh squeezed lemon. It can be served cool or warmed for a more relaxing effect. Cider was another big hit on the set of “Standing Ovation”.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Use ¾ cup cider and ¼ cup of water

Glossary:

Barley malt is a grain based sweetener made from sprouted barely.

Brown rice syrup is a grain based sweetener made from sprouted brown rice, and barley together.

Miso is a fermented paste that originated in China and most well known in Japan. It is made from grains, soybeans, salt and water. It is most commonly used in “Miso Soup” which is helpful for digestion. In this book I am using it as a seasoning to cook tofu. Cooking the tofu makes it more balanced and digestible.

Organic Shoyu is a natural soy sauce fermented in a traditional way. The shoyu I used was aged and free of chemicals which are used in many commercial brands.

Roasted Tahini is a seed butter made from hulled toasted sesame seeds. It is rich in taste and a good natural source of calcium.

Umeboshi paste is a salty and mildly sour seasoning, made from pickled Japanese plums, sea salt and red shiso leaves.

Umeboshi vinegar is a seasoning and condiment which is mildly savory and also made from pickled umeboshi plums.

These more special ingredients can be found in Natural food stores. If don’t have easy access to a store try mail ordering through a Natural food company.