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The Seasoned Franciscan

Welcome to The Seasoned Franciscan. Sisters and their partners in mission—including affiliates, prayer partners and staff—share these recipes hoping to provide you with new ways of looking at the food around you. Being mindful of the food we eat is integral to making lasting change throughout the world. We focus these recipes on five themes: eating seasonally, exploring our heritages, pursuing meatless meals, foraging or using food scraps and embracing indigenous and ethnic foods.

New recipes are shared on a regular basis and can be submitted to the FSPA Eco Pact Team at ecopact@fspa.org.

Three Sisters Soup

Three Sisters Soup

Three Sisters Soup is a delicious harvest soup made with the nourishing trio of corn, squash, and beans.  The "sisters" have been staples in the diets of many tribes over the centuries.  Their story honors native wisdom and provides a great learning opportunity for Indigenous Peoples Month in November!

Italian Gnocchi - Potato Dumplings

Italian Gnocchi - Potato Dumplings

How do we honor your ancestors, both genetic and spiritual?   Images, rituals, habits, motherisms, stories?  Foods can also say mia familia (my family) to us.  This recipe for Italian Gnocchi (potato dumplings) represents strength, values and flavors from my Grandmothers.  There is a “from scratch” and an easy version.  Let kids help!  What food memories might you share?

Fall Wild Rice Salad and Water

Fall Wild Rice Salad and Water

This fall Wild Rice Salad is refreshing and full of nutrients. In this Season of Creation, Native people have much to teach about their sacred relationship to food, such as wild rice, manoomin or “good berry” and to the clean, cool water she depends upon.

Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder is a great fall recipe.  With corn fields all around us, less than 7% of US corn gets to our tables as fresh or frozen corn and cornmeal.  4% is processed into high-fructose corn syrup.  The rest, "dent" or field corn, becomes ethanol and feed for beef cattle, pigs and chickens.  It makes me wonder how the upcoming US Farm Bill supports creation, food and farmers.

Grilled Corn Salad:  Ensalada de Elote Asado

Grilled Corn Salad:  Ensalada de Elote Asado

Hispanic Heritage Month started on September 15.  Corn is the star of a recipe for "Grilled Corn Salad".  It comes with a story of a pre- Hispanic Zapotecan woman named Abigail Mendoza.  She is a cook, restaurateur and teacher who “feels her ancestors” (native people from before the Spanish conquest) present when she prepares food.

"Too Many Tomatoes" : Tips for Eating and Preserving

"Too Many Tomatoes" : Tips for Eating and Preserving

Fresh tomato season is here!  Here are tips to easily use and preserve them, including: “Fresh Tomato Sauce” (good on pasta, pizza or bruschetta), easy salads, canning/freezing them whole, diced or in Italian sauce.  What are your quick and yummy tomato meals or sides?

'Any way you like it' Galette

'Any way you like it' Galette

In any season we can reduce food waste and use leftover produce.  The recipe for “’Anyway you like it’ Galette” is a great pastry stuffed with either Fruit, Greens, Roasted Summer Veggies or Root Vegetables!  Read on for a self-assessment and recipes, resources and tips to reduce Food Waste.

Home Made Cleaning Products

Home Made Cleaning Products

For a change of pace, we offer four Homemade Cleaning Products Recipes from former Americorps interns Emily Orth and Lisa Broulette that offer ways to upgrade our household cleaning routine to create a healthier, safer home and help the earth.

Kale Slaw

Kale Slaw

“Kale Slaw” was one dish served after a recent “pasture walk” at Anathoth Community Catholic Worker Farm
 in Polk County near Luck, WI.  In late July, over 60 farmers, ag experts and friends toured veggie and pollinator gardens and grazing pastures of beef cattle, hogs and chickens.  It was fun to learn and share as we walked.

Purple Stuffed Bell Peppers

Purple Stuffed Bell Peppers

My daughter planted bountiful and beautiful peppers in her first garden this year.  The purple varieties are gorgeous!  She and her husband treated us to this recipe for "Stuffed Purple Peppers" and have already frozen green peppers and canned hot sauce of varying heat levels.  She’s caught the garden and kitchen bug!  

 

Cheesy Zucchini Towers and Zucchini Lasagna

Cheesy Zucchini Towers and Zucchini Lasagna

It’s zucchini season!  Have you ever seen your neighbor coming by with an armful of green torpedo – shaped produce?  Don’t run and hide!  Here are two versatile zucchini recipes, one easy and one worth the details:  Cheesy Zucchini Towers and Zucchini Lasagna.

Spaghetti with Zucchini from Nerano

Spaghetti with Zucchini from Nerano

After a short trip, we came home to a monster zucchini (to be used in waffles) and several small ones in the garden.  We used them in “Pasta with Zucchini from Navaro” (a small town on the Italian Amalfi coast).  It’s yummy and a favorite of actor Stanley Tucci, who admits his life revolves around food!

Vicki Lopez-Kaley – I am an affiliate with FSPA and a member of the Eco Pact Team. For me the kitchen and garden are about slowing down and being creative. Sharing stories and connecting with others and the earth through food can bring great meaning and pleasure.

Isabel “Iggy” Bauer – I served as an AmeriCorps Service Member with FSPA. Sustainable food is one of my passions and I have a vision of bringing local food, gardens and green spaces to urban areas in support of human health and happiness.

The FSPA Eco Pact Team – We are a cooperative group of sisters, affiliates and partners in mission focused on making an impact on integral ecology through the lens of Laudato Si’. Since beginning our mission in the summer of 2021, Eco Pact has brought forward many changes, including initiating effective recycling practices at St. Rose Convent. Connect with us at ecopact@fspa.org.

Garden Cookbook
FSPA Garden