Recipes for Gender Justice
Compiled by: Anoodth Naushan and Carina Gabriele
As we enter the holiday season, we all deserve the chance to pause and deeply nourish and replenish our minds, bodies and spirits with care. Our team has gathered our most favourite recipes for learning, reflection, activism and healing. We hope these offer some food for thought, help you nourish existing self-care practices, and perhaps even "cook up" some new practices, so you can rest fully and bring your best self to the table in 2021.
Recipes
Rhubarb Buttermilk Muffins
My neighbour growing up grew rhubarb in her backyard and would bring these over. She passed away a few years ago, and they always make me think of her. It's maybe more of a summer recipe for when rhubarb is in season, but still one of my favourites! - Kelly, Programming Coordinator and National Skillshare Series Coordinator
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter or margarine
½ cup brown or white sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 ½ cup brown sugar packed firm
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 ½ cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp grated orange zest
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ cup chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
Directions:
Blend first 4 ingredients and set aside
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla in a large bowl
Stir in buttermilk
In another bowl stir together all dry ingredients only until partially combined then fold in rhubarb
Spoon into prepared muffin tins
Top with crumb mixture
Bake 30 minutes or until muffins are golden to medium brown
According to a report by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, only 1 in 3 Canadians know what sexual consent means. In light of this, check out @PlannedParenthood’s consent fries:
Sweet Potato Brownies
These brownies are delicious and one of my favourite treats that my sister and I love to bake together - Carina, Communities of Practice Coordinator & Communications Coordinator
Ingredients:
4 medium sized sweet potatoes (cubed & roasted for 35 mins)
1.5 cups oats
10 medjool dates (pitted & chopped)
1.5 cups ground almonds
1 cup cocoa (or cacao) powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
5 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
Directions:
Put all the brownie ingredients in a food processor & whizz them up into a thick paste (you may want to add the ingredients in 3 or 4 stages so they blend more easily)
If your mixture seems too thick, add 1/3 cup of water & whizz everything together for a couple of minutes - this will loosen it up.
Pour the mixture into a lined baking tray & pop it in the oven at 180℃ (352℉) for 45 minutes.
Take the Brownies out of the oven, let them cool to room temperature.
Once they’ve cooled, cut into slices & enjoy.
Find the whole recipe here.
While your brownies are baking, make sure to pick your favourite self-care images from the @thesweetfeminist and check out the amazing @recipesforselflove
Beurre De Fraises & Abricots
À la maison, cette recette est devenue une véritable tradition ! On en fait chaque année une quantité industrielle pour offrir à toute la famille et aux amis et amies et tout le monde en redemande. Le petit plus, c’est que c’est archi-facile à faire ! - Andréanne, Francophone Community of Practice Coordinator
Ingrédients:
1 1/2 tasse de fraises fraîches ou surgelées, équeutées
1/2 tasse de confiture d’abricots, du commerce
1/2 tasse de beurre non salé, froid et coupé en cubes
Étapes:
Déposer les fraises et la confiture d’abricots dans une casserole. Couvrir et cuire à feu moyen pendant 5 minutes. Enlever le couvercle, puis poursuivre la cuisson pendant 15 minutes.
Retirer du feu et laisser refroidir pendant 30 minutes.
À l’aide d’un pied-mélangeur ou d’un robot-mélangeur, broyer le mélange pour qu’il soit lisse, puis ajouter les cubes de beurre un à un afin de bien les intégrer.
Verser dans de petits pots et réfrigérer pendant un minimum de 2 heures avant de consommer.
Trouvez la recette ici.
Trying to find your power? Check out this recipe for action:
Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
In the spirit of craving the most buttery, decadent cookies, here's a recipe for shortbread! - Deb, Complaints Processes Working Group
Ingredients:
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup (134g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (264g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
1/2 cup (160g) raspberry jam
Instructions:
This cookie dough requires at least 4 hours for chilling. Don’t forget to plan ahead!
Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Switch mixer to medium speed and add the the sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer off and pour the flour into the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed. Press the dough down to compact it and tightly cover with plastic wrap to chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (silicone mats preferred to reduce spreading). Shape the cookie dough into balls. Mine were about 1 Tablespoon of dough per ball. Make sure they’re nice and smooth. If you find that the balls of dough are sticky and/or have gotten a little soft after rolling- place the balls of dough back into the refrigerator to firm up. You absolutely DO NOT want soft dough. Make an indentation with your thumb into each ball. The dough may crack slightly when you press your thumb into it. Simply smooth it out with your fingers if you can. Otherwise, it’s perfectly fine to have a few cracks. Fill each with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of jam. (Or however much it can hold.)
Bake the shortbread thumbprint cookies for 14-15 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Find the whole recipe here.
Make your very own feminist cake this holiday season!
Gloria’s Chocolate Macaroons
My adopted grandmother used to make something similar for me growing up and when my awesome sister-in-law Gloria joined our family, she started making these "just for me" every winter holiday season we spend together. Eating one of these is like a taste of love and home... and a whole lot of sugar! - CJ, Project Co-Director and Education Working Group Lead
Ingredients:
3 cups of oatmeal
1 cup of coconut
6 tablespoons of cocoa
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of white sugar
½ cup of butter
½ cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Instructions:
Bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil in a pot
Remove from heat
Add vanilla, and sift oatmeal, coconut, cocoa and salt into the pot
Stir until blended, and drop by the spoonful onto wax paper
Try this warm soup for social change by @thetableunderground while your macaroons are cooling:
White Chocolate and Skor Shortbread
Although it doesn't have the traditional holiday ingredients like peppermint, cinnamon or ginger, this is my absolute favourite holiday cookie! The crispy and crunchy Skor bits along with the gooey texture of the cookie and the richness of the white chocolate, make it a delight and brings up delightful memories of me baking with my cousin and her daughter as we prepare for the holidays. - Jesmen, Response and Support Working Group
Ingredients:
2 cups (4 sticks) of butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 cups of flour
1 ½ package of white chocolate
½ package of skor
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy
Add flour and mix well
Stir in white chocolate and Skor bits
Put tablespoons of the dough onto a baking sheet and flatten slightly
Bake for 10-14 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes and enjoy!
While your shortbreads are cooling, check out Weaving Together a World Without Violence: A Collection of Principles, Practices and Recipes for Healing cookbook:
Yasmin’s Oreo Cupcakes
It’s been a year. Let’s bake some cupcakes. This delicious recipe was concocted by my partner’s sister, Yasmin, a gifted baker. They were a hit at the Northampton Christmas Fair last year. They’re sure to be a hit in your home over the holidays as well. Enjoy! - Anoodth, Project Manager
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients
150g sugar
120g self-raising flour
25g cocoa
Pinch of salt
Wet ingredients
1 large egg
50ml oil
125ml milk
1tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream
342g unsalted butter, room temperature
440g icing sugar
60ml cream
120g crushed oreos
1tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 355F.
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl. Beat the wet ingredients in another bowl.
Combine, by adding about two thirds of the wet ingredients and beating until smooth. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients and beat until smooth again.
Scoop into muffin cases in a muffin tin and bake for between 17 and 19 minutes or until domed and springy on top.
Buttercream
Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, vanilla, and cream and mix.
Crush the Oreos, add to the buttercream and mix until combined.
Either use a piping bag (with a large tip to allow the Oreo chunks to pipe) or using a spatula, cover the tops of your cupcakes. Decorate with crushed Oreos or mini Oreos.
While your cupcakes are baking, check out the Indigenous Food Systems Network for recipes, resources, events and activities:
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Suggested Citation: Gabriele, C. and Naushan, A. (2020, December). Recipes for Gender Justice. Courage to Act. www.couragetoact.ca/blog/genderjusticerecipes
Carina Gabriele
Carina Gabriele (she/her) graduated with an Honours BA in Women’s Studies and a Major in English Language and Literature from Western University in 2018. While attending Western, Carina served in a number of elected leadership positions and worked on multiple gender-equity projects in the London community. In her fourth year, Carina was elected as an Executive Officer of Western’s student union. In this full-time position, Carina created Western’s first federal “Women in House” program, created a free campus menstrual equity pilot program, and advocated against campus gender-based violence. Outside of her work with Courage to Act, Carina serves as a Young Director for Girls On Boards, and serves as a Board Member for OSTA-AECO and People for Education. She is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Education Policy at the University of Toronto.
Anoodth Naushan
Anoodth Naushan (she/her) is a social researcher, policy analyst and educator who has spent several years building programs and policies in Canada and the UK to advance gender equity. Intersectionality, equity, empathy, curiosity, collaboration, storytelling and community capacity building are guiding principles that continue to inform her work. Anoodth graduated with distinction from the Masters in Social Policy and Social Research program at University College London (UCL). She can be reached at: anoodth@couragetoact.ca