As a Wayne State University student within the Coordinated Program in Dietetics who shies away from public attention, I panicked when I learned I would be leading the nutrition portion of a six-week series of Cooking Matters EXTRA for Parents of Preschoolers. I was to guide a 40-minute discussion each week with a concentration on participant interaction and sharing.
Before I knew it, it was the night before my first class and I was pacing around my living room re-enacting how my class would go or at least how I was hoping it would proceed. My roommate even volunteered to test out her acting ability by acting as if she was a class participant, asking potential questions and nodding in all the right places.
Sleep did not come easily that night and I woke up at the crack of dawn to realize that I was utterly terrified.
The first class came and went, and to my surprise, I survived! Things were not perfect, but the class participants and I were all able to learn from each other on how to achieve a healthier lifestyle. As the weeks progressed, I gradually found myself more comfortable as I related to the participants, shared what I knew, and learned from the volunteer chef. I discovered I really enjoyed discussing the topic of whole grains and how to detect whole grains in the store. Furthermore, I was able to see this information applied during the grocery store tour being that when I looked down the bread aisle I saw the participants reading not the fronts of the bags but the ingredient lists!

Melanie asks a participant to compare yogurt labels during the Week 5 grocery store tour.

In Cooking Matters classes, we see improvement in skills thanks to the interactive nature and hands-on learning. Volunteer nutrition educator Hadley Hickner tells us she enjoys this aspect of the class and it’s apparent in her teaching, such as the extra visuals like the whole grain model she brings to classes or even short performances (you should see her Vitamin A routine!).

Hadley works for MSU Extension as a nutrition educator so teaching others about making healthier choices is a passion of hers. She is applying for an internship on the road to becoming a registered dietitian. And on top of that she is teaching two classes now for us. She took a break from her whirlwind schedule to answer some questions for me.

Thank you, Hadley for volunteering for us and sharing your fun and informative teaching style with the families of Cooking Matters in Southeast Michigan!

Where are you from?

I was born in Southfield and have moved around but always lived in the Detroit and surrounding areas.

Where do you live now?

After graduation in May 2011 I moved to Midtown, downtown Detroit.

Where do you work?

I currently work for Michigan State University Extension. I am a nutrition instructor for Wayne County. Government funds from the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) allow me to travel around the county to administer nutrition classes to schools, community centers and families.

Where did you go to school?

I attended MSU for my undergrad and received a bachelor’s degree of science in dietetics. I am currently in the process of applying for internships to grant me the certification to be a registered dietitian—wish me luck!

What led you to go into nutrition?

For a long time food and health along with the many functions of the human body had been of interest to me. Like most Americans my family is very affected by the rise of chronic disease and cancer so the subject I study really hits home. Although I admire and believe in treating and curing disease, my main focus is prevention. This means providing information about health, wellness and available resources to stop or delay the onset of illness.

What are your long-term career plans?

I’d really like to continue my path in community nutrition. Many families are concerned with the rising cost of food. Regardless of the state of the economy I enjoy spreading information and tips on how to stretch a dollar through food selection and budgeting. I support any way that helps make healthful foods more available to our community including the mission of Gleaner’s Food Bank.

How did you hear about Cooking Matters? Why did you decide to volunteer?

I came across cookingmatters.org while doing research on how to promote and advertise for MSU Extension. It didn’t take long for me to be pretty consumed in the content of the site and shortly after I was signing myself up to volunteer!

What do you like best about volunteering for us?

My favorite part of the class is the integration of nutrition education and hands-on demonstration in the kitchen. I am a kinesthetic learner myself, so seeing the participants have a chance to do activities and learn cooking skills in the kitchen really promotes a successful outcome. The comfortable tone of the program allows me to constantly learn new information from the other volunteers, coordinators and participants.

Can you give a specific example of a highlight from class?

I really enjoyed working with Cooking Matters for Families. I learned to love cooking by watching and helping my mother when I was younger (and I still do!). I remember being tiny and she’d let me use whatever spices, oils and flavorings I’d like to make a salad dressing- sometimes not-so-edible but she always said cooking was like art, it’s hard to do it “wrong”

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love cooking, painting and dancing. I also enjoy outdoor activities in any season. When I’m feeling stressed, overwhelmed or need a break I like to make up my own silly yoga poses and stretch.

Can you share with us your favorite healthy recipe?

The recipe I’d like to share is in season with the Chinese New Year; it’s a Turkey Lettuce Wrap recipe. It’s great for lunch, dinner or even brunch. It makes quite a bit and the leftover filling can be refrigerated and combined with veggies for something like a turkey stir-fry later.

New Year’s Lettuce Wraps

2 tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1⁄2 pounds ground turkey
1⁄2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 cup bean sprouts
2 carrots, shredded
24 large Boston or butter lettuce leaves
Soy sauce, optional

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add turkey and cook, stirring, until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add broth and hoisin sauce. Stir, break up clumps, until the turkey is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove mixture from heat and stir in teriyaki sauce, bean sprouts, and carrots. (You should have about 6 cups of filling.)
Spoon about 1⁄4 cup of filling into the center of each lettuce leaf. Serve with soy sauce, if desired.
________________________________________
TD&N Nutrient Analysis (per wrap): Calories: 67; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 22 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 6 g
— Recipe by Candice Kumai

Chef Sam Bullock is trying to change the negative perception that nutrition is unattractive, one recipe and person at a time. A native of Detroit, Sam approached us last year about volunteering for us with an interest in working with youths. He is signed up to do a kids class this month and taught a class at Shear Head Start during the fall.

The Beverly Hills resident answered some questions for us about his career and love of cooking. Thanks for all you do, Chef Sam!

Why did you go into culinary arts?
I pursued culinary arts in order to satisfy a commitment to my passion! Love of cooking has been a part of my history, beginning with cooking in the kitchen with my parents and grandparents, and on to experimenting and creating on my own throughout my later years.

Where did you go to school?
I graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, with a BA in Business Administration, followed by an AAS in Culinary Arts from The Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago – Le Cordon Bleu.

Where have you worked?
During my professional cooking career I have worked for many well-known Chicagoland restaurants including Charlie Trotters and Tru, as well as Metro Detroit restaurants including Shiraz, Coach Insignia, and Andiamo Italia.

What brought you to Cooking Matters?
I volunteered for Cooking Matters because I see a need in sharing tools and resources designed to establish and enhance better eating habits for us all! Wellness and nutrition can be commonly viewed as difficult and unattractive. My goal is to change this perception, one person and recipe at a time if need be.

Is there a highlight from class that you would like to share?
During the class I participated in at Shear Head Start there were many notable moments. One in particular was the Barley Jambalaya recipe prepared during the first class. I recall the students commenting the dish looked to have too many vegetables, not enough meat, and no salt so it couldn’t taste good. Many of the students were unfamiliar with barley in general. However when the dish was completed and tasted by the group, many liked it and could not believe we were able to create something as tasty with the small amount of ingredients on hand. I found this to be a pivotal moment in bridging the divide to better nutrition and wellness that may have existed within this group.

When you are not working, what do you like to do?
In my spare time I enjoy reading, movies, and gaming. I enjoy a night out just as much as time spent at home with family and friends.

What are your favorite restaurants in the area?
My favorite restaurants include Chen Chow Brasserie in Birmingham and Town Tavern in Royal Oak. My all time favorite place to eat is the annual TasteFest held in Downtown Chicago (yes! -dorothy)!

What would your last meal be?
If I had to select a last meal, it would be braised beef short ribs with foie gras, micro greens, and pesto mashed potatoes, a spin on a dish prepared by a chef friend of my at the No. VI Chop House in Novi. I don’t eat this dish often, and don’t eat much beef for that matter, but this is my last meal, isn’t it?

Grilled Salmon w/ Cilantro and Lime
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients:
• 1 T shallots, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup lime juice
• 3/4 T olive oil
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t freshly ground pepper
• 2 (4oz) salmon fillets
• 2 Fresh cilantro sprigs

Prepare:
• Combine shallots, chopped cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt & pepper in a bowl. Pour over salmon. Preheat grill to medium / medium-high; coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray.
• Grill on rack, covered with grill lid, 6-8 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs.

Cucumber Salad

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients:
• 1 t sesame oil
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 T mirin
• 1 T chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cucumber, scored and thinly sliced

Prepare:
• Combine sesame oil, rice vinegar, mirin, and cilantro in a bowl; add cucumber and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

The Hamtramck Public Library participants and volunteer team are all smiles after a delicious potluck featuring confetti kale, chicken salad, hummus and lots of other goodies. Katie Lee, who supplied the confetti kale, is in the back row on the right.

Kale is a superfood that’s enjoying its time in the spotlight, according to this article on NPR. From the guy who’s got Chick-fil-A up in arms about his “Eat More Kale” slogan to its ability to be turned into yummy, savory chips, this green is not only good for you but quite tasty. My favorite way to have kale is the aforementioned chips (I tear dinosaur kale into pieces, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and then bake on parchment paper for 30 minutes at 200 degrees).

Salads are also a great way to eat more kale. A big part of the fun of working at Cooking Matters is the potluck at the end of a class series. Here’s a great recipe, which volunteer Katie Lee brought to a potluck at Hamtramck Public Library a couple of months ago. Sorry there are no pics of the actual salad … it was so popular we ate it all!

Confetti kale
Recipe courtesy of Katie Lee
6 cups chopped kale
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil

*In large frying pan sauté kale over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes.

Mix in:
3/4 cup corn
1/2 chopped red sweet pepper
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

*Cook for 10 minutes.

Serves ~4 people

In her spare time, Emily Hulscher likes to experiment with recipes.

A desk drawer is typically not the place where you would find opportunity, but that’s exactly what happened to Emily Hulscher.

Emily, a registered dietitian who works at Health Emergency Lifeline Programs (HELP) , says she stumbled upon an old Cooking Matters book that someone left behind in the desk. Lucky for us, she reached out to us and we put her to work quickly. Emily has taught two classes so far and is working on a class for her clients at HELP.

The Canton native lives in Royal Oak now. She graduated in April 2011 from the Eastern Michigan University Coordinated Program in Dietetics, earning a bachelor’s degree. She took some time out to answer some questions about her career and her plans with us.

What led you to go into nutrition and become a registered dietitian?
I started at Eastern with intentions of finishing a degree in psychology, and I actually didn’t even know what dietetics was at that point! One of my required health classes was taught by a dietitian and through conversations with that professor, I realized I was actually much more interested in nutrition than psychology. In fact, I realized that nutrition had been a major interest of mine for a long time, but I always thought it was just a part of living, not necessarily the workings of a career path. I didn’t stray too far from my roots—I completed a minor in psychology to supplement my counseling skills.

What are your long-term career plans?
I have plans to get a master’s degree in public health or dietetics. In the long term, I hope to stay working in the Detroit community, empowering citizens to take charge of their health through nutrition.

How did you hear about Cooking Matters? Why did you decide to volunteer?
I came across a Cooking Matters booklet that was left in a desk drawer at my work. I did a Google search to find out more and this put me in touch with Sarah Stephison … I decided to volunteer because I wanted to improve my public speaking and teaching skills, as well as to hopefully bring a Cooking Matters class or two to my clients at HELP.

What do you like best about volunteering for us? Can you give an example of a highlight from class?
There is so much that I love about Cooking Matters. On the basic level, I love the Cooking Matters curriculum & program in general. Each class is broken up in a way that is easy for clients to grasp. I also love being able to team teach with CM staff and other chefs. I think it is a real benefit to the participants to be able to pick the brains of both a registered dietitian and a chef … plus, it really helps to have someone to fill in the gaps of my culinary knowledge, and vice versa. Hands down, the best part about volunteering with Cooking Matters is hearing that I’ve actually been successful in encouraging individuals to change their lifestyle habits. There couldn’t be a warmer feeling than that!
(Emily is so modest; in October, she sent me an email saying two ladies in her Cooking Matters EXTRA for Diabetes at the Reuther Older Adult and Wellness Center told her, “You are really enthusiastic and you make us want to actually change how we live.” — dorothy)

What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I like to spend time with my boyfriend Adam, work out, and experiment with new recipes. I’ll be the first to admit that I am somewhat of a novice in the kitchen, but I’m definitely improving!

What is your favorite healthy recipe?
My favorite recipe to bring to any event would have to be Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips. A friend of mine shared this recipe with me in high school, and I have used it about 100 times since then. The best part of this recipe is that it sounds fancy, but it’s really just a bunch of cut-up fruit. Also, you can use any kind of fruit for this recipe, as long as it’s cut up small enough. I try to make my choices as colorful as the season allows.

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips
Serves about 10

Fruit Salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced finely
1 Golden Delicious apple – peeled, cored and diced finely
1 Red Delicious apple – peeled, cored and diced finely
1 pound strawberries, stems removed and diced finely
1 orange, peeled and diced finely (with as little pith included as possible)
Seeds of 1 pomegranate (all the other fruit should be cut to the size of a pomegranate seed)
Juice from 1 lime

Cinnamon Chips:
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apple, Red Delicious apple, strawberries, oranges and pomegranate seeds.
Add fresh lime juice and coat fruit. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes, watching them carefully. Repeat until all tortilla wedges have been cooked. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes on a baking rack.
Serve Cinnamon Chips with chilled Fruit Salsa.

Chef Barb Hughes teaches a Cooking Matters for Adults class in the GCFB kitchen.

We are proud to say the winner of the Asian category in Cooking Matters recipe contest is one of our own, chef Barb Hughes.

Barb won for her recipe for Asian Chicken Salad. Thanks Barb for all you do and congratulations!

Asian Chicken Salad
By Chef Barb Hughes
Bloomfield Hills, MI

4 Chicken Thighs*
1 1/2 head of Iceberg Lettuce, roughly chopped*
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips
2 Green Onions, cut into long strips, on an angle
1 small apple, cut into matchsticks*
8 Peapods, thinly sliced lengthwise
1-4oz can Mandarin Orange sections, drained; reserve juice
1/4 c Slivered Almonds

Dressing

Whisk together:
2 TBS. Peanut Butter
1 TBS. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Soy Sauce
1 TBS Reserved Mandarin Juice
2 tsp. Vinegar, any kind
2 TBS. Vegetable Oil
1 clove Garlic, finely minced
1 circle Ginger, 1/4 inch thick and finely minced
3 drops Hot Sauce such as Franks or Tabasco

Method:

Preheat oven to 350′.
Spray baking sheet or casserole dish with Vegetable oil. Bake thighs for 45 minutes or until they reach an internal temp of 165′. When they are done, pull from oven and remove skin. Shred meat with 2 forks and set aside.

While Chicken is baking prepare salad ingredients and make dressing.
To serve: moisten salad ingredients with 1/2 of the dressing and then gently fold in Chicken and top with the rest of the dressing.

Chef’s notes: Ideally prepared with leftover, cooked Chicken.
Greens can be any combination such as 1 head of Romaine and/or Spinach about 4 cups, total.
Apples are optional.
Can also add julienned carrots.

Next to Halloween, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for obvious reasons: cooking a lot and then eating it all!

Yesterday at my Cooking Matters for Teens class, chef and registered dietitian Julie Fromm brought a delicious recipe for Pumpkin Parfaits. One of the girls in the class had requested last week a Thanksgiving recipe, specifically pumpkin pie. At our site there is no oven but Julie came up with this recipe, which I think is much tastier than the typical pie. If you’re still looking for a dessert idea for tomorrow’s big feasting day, try this simple recipe, which cuts out white sugar and uses maple syrup and reduced apple cider for sweetening. We put the parfaits in the freezer to set up and it took about an hour, hour and a half.

Pumpkin Parfaits
By Julie Fromm, RD

1 envelope plain gelatin
1 cup apple cider
¼ cup maple syrup
One 15oz can pumpkin
One 12oz can evaporated skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
(1 ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the above 3)

Plain or vanilla non-fat or low-fat yogurt
Crumbled cookies, like gingersnaps

In a small bowl, combine gelatin and a small amount (2T) of the apple cider.
Heat remaining apple cider in a sauce pan and boil until reduced to 1/3 volume.
Add softened gelatin to sauce pan and heat until gelatin is dissolved.
In a large bowl (or an electric mixer), stir together maple syrup, pumpkin, evaporated milk, vanilla, salt and spices. Stir in warm gelatin mixture. Mixture should chill overnight to set up OR individual servings can be poured into clear cups/glasses and put into freezer to set up quicker.

To serve, layer pumpkin filling alternating with yogurt and top with cookie crumbs.

The Food Stamp Challenge is typically a weeklong undertaking that puts people in the shoes of those who rely on SNAP funds. Over the past couple years, food stamp use has increased

After doing the Food Stamp Challenge for a few days, I could see why people on a fixed budget go for foods such as the ones the man was putting in his cart: they are cheap and they are quick, and when you’re juggling work (sometimes two jobs) with family, making meals from scratch is not a priority. The week I did the challenge was particularly tough on me as I had evening classes on three nights and then worked late the other two at my other job; juggling two jobs is something I only do once in a while but for low-income families that’s the reality if they want to be able to pay the bills and put food on the table. I could see why many participants at the beginning of CM classes say that they don’t have time to cook; neither did I.

I also found myself grabbing some candy that was set out at my other job for Halloween; I almost never go for sweets. If I had been eating like I normally do, I would’ve easily passed them by because I would not crave them. But it was toward the end of the challenge when my food was running a bit low so I only had a sandwich and apple for lunch. When I saw the candy I didn’t hesitate to grab a handful of empty calories.

I have to admit that I came up short. I’m pretty sure I had a calorie deficit on some of the days (except for the candy binge). I ended up paying for dinner one night because I felt bad making my friend pay and then once I got to Chicago, where I was visiting my family over the weekend, my challenge ended.

But for five days I stuck to it as much as I could. Other than the food we made in our classes, dinner on Wednesday at a friend’s and two lunches that other friends bought for me I lived off the food I bought on Sunday.

There was a part in “Food Stamped” when the filmmakers, Shira and her husband, in the grocery store trying to figure out what to buy and they decide to forgo coffee for a week because it wasn’t in the budget. Shira’s husband says that things that they thought of as staples were now luxuries. There’s also a part where they go dumpster diving for bread and making sure to find as many free samples as possible. One of the free samples they snagged was cheese, which they rationed for a special treat at the end of the week.

Their ground rules were:

Whole grains, protein, vegetables and fruits at every meal

To buy as many organic foods as possible and very little processed food

To submit their menu for a nutrition evaluation

I was impressed by their ambitions to buy organic as possible because I know that wasn’t a consideration for me because here, you pay a premium for organic. I was trying to stay within budget. And they wanted to have protein at every single meal yet the only animal products that I could see that they bought were eggs and a can of tuna. Everything else was beans and peanut butter. From what I saw in the movie, it looked like they were sticking to their menus but turned into the Bickersons toward the end of the week, edgy because of the stresses of the challenge, no doubt. They did manage to save some of their best ingredients for last, capping off their week with a dinner of salad and frittata for their friends.

In comparison, I did not do as well as they did. I think it is doable to live off $31.50 a week and have nutritious meals but it’s tough. You need to:

You plan every meal and snack and make a list; there is no way you can wing it at the store and stay within your budget.

You opt for non-animal, economical sources of protein; during my week I got enough turkey for five sandwiches, 3 chicken breasts and a dozen eggs. I could’ve gotten more fruits and vegetables had I just gotten beans and peanut butter for my sandwiches.

Buy seasonal produce (especially important in ensuring you eat enough fruits, I only had four apples and 2 bananas so that came out to only one serving of fruit a day and it wasn’t even enough for the week)

Even though it wasn’t varied or met the recommended amounts for optimal nutrition, I felt like I had just barely enough food. But what about families of four? The rice and beans I made wouldn’t last a family a whole week, maybe 2 days.

Did you do the challenge? What were your thoughts? Share them with us!

Phil Jones is the chef and GM of Colors Detroit.

Like many chefs, Phil Jones got his start in food very early on.
“I’ve always cooked,” says the chef and GM of the upcoming Colors Detroit restaurant, which is located in Detroit’s Harmonie Park and is slated to open this month. “I have pictures of me when I was 6 at my first food booth.”
From those humble beginnings selling Jamaican meat patties to his current gig at the Restaurant Opportunities Center establishment, Phil has been cooking in some capacity for the past 40 years.
The self-taught cook’s first job was at a small Christian nightclub on the west side of Detroit where he worked as line cook, server and dishwasher. He moved up the Detroit culinary ranks, with stints at Fishbones and the Rattlesnake as well as catering for the Edsel Ford House and Embassy Suites. Most recently he ran his own catering company, Jones Urban Foods.
He took on the GM/chef job at Colors in June after he was getting phone calls from “all over” urging him to take the position. The restaurant will be a training center and restaurant that will serve international food with a focus on local ingredients.
“We’ll be playing to the history of ethnic food” in Detroit, Phil says, noting that the Motor City is home to diverse populations such as African-American, Greek, Arabic and Hmong communities.
These communities are “growing all over the place … we want to celebrate who’s already here.”
The goal is to have 80 percent of the foods at Colors come from local producers, which Phil acknowledges is ambitious “but it can be done.”
To demonstrate their commitment to locally sourced ingredients, they will publically track how much Michigan-made food they use at the restaurant online as well as at the restaurant.
At Colors, “the goal is to create a worker-owned business,” Phil says. The restaurant will train workers to not only work at Colors but to run their own businesses; for example, Colors will be training workers to become entrepreneurs, with the opportunity to run their own pop-up restaurants.
Colors aims for a new model that empowers workers by maintaining high principles that include fair wages and benefits, Phil says. The goal is to work with 100-150 workers a year.
Aside from getting Colors off the ground, Phil maintains a high profile in the local food community. He is vice chair of the Detroit Food Policy Council and played an integral role in the discussions to bring Whole Foods to Midtown.
While teaching his first Cooking Matters for Adults class at Hannan House, Phil invited the participants to take a tour of Whole Foods, enhancing the education for the women beyond sharing his vast knowledge of food.
The class had such an impact that months later, while Phil was at the building that houses his restaurant, one of the women was taking a tour of the art gallery upstairs and spotted him.
“She hugged me and said how much the class has changed her life,” he said. “Something as simple as learning how to cut up a whole chicken has stayed with her.
“That’s why I do (the Cooking Matters classes),” he said.
Phil shared with us the following recipe for Mujuddarah.

Mujuddarah Recipe
Serves Four (4)

1 Cup Brown Lentils
¾ Cup Long Grain Rice
2 Cups Diced Onions
2 Tbs. Cumin Seed Toasted
1 Tbs. Sea Salt
4 Tbs. Olive Oil
4 Cups Water
½ Cup Sliced & Sautéed Onions for garnish

1. Slowly caramelize onions in olive oil until, soft, sweet and browned over low heat in a 3 -4 quart pot.
2. Add rice and coat with oil in pot and slightly browned.
3. Add water to pot and bring to a boil.
4. Lower temperature to a vigorous simmer for twenty (20) minutes.
5. Grind cumin seed into fine powder and add to pot.
6. Return pot to heat and continue cooking for ten (10) minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
7. Garnish with sautéed onions and serve.
8. Serve with yogurt and / or a light salad for a great meal.

Here's a sampling of the food I got for the week.

About a month ago during one of our weekly meetings, our fearless leader Ra suggested that our team take the Food Stamp Challenge, a national call to action to live off the food stamp allotment ($31.50) for one week. I was personally interested in taking it because I wanted to get a better understanding of where our participants are coming from.

Here are the guidelines (modified from the Fighting Poverty with Faith rules):
1. Keep your total food and beverage purchases under $31.50 for the week.
2. Include fast food and other restaurant meals and beverages in the total cost.
3. You may use pantry items you have at home like spices, but avoid staples like canned tomatoes, which should be included in purchases.
4. You may include free meals to you.
5. You can start and end anytime, and if you don’t make it, that is ok. You will know what it is like to live on a food stamp budget.

Most of us decided to start Monday, which coincided with Food Day, a grassroots effort to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way.

When prepping for my week of eating on a food stamp budget, I took a long look at my habits and likes. I know I drink way too much coffee and don’t pay enough attention to what I buy. I try to make lists that I inevitably forget at home and even though I try to plan my meals I end up eating out a lot more than I should. I love to go out for lunch and dinner with friends and family … both of which are luxuries that one on a food stamp budget can’t afford.

I sat down to write a list and after I thought I had a pretty good variety of food, I set off for Kroger Sunday to buy food for my week of eating on a food stamp diet.

At Kroger, I bought:

1 pound of yellow onions, $.81
1 head of garlic, $.75
4 jalapeno peppers, $.50
1 pound of Honeycrisp apples, $1.99
1 bag of brown rice, $.82
2 cans of black beans, $1.72
1 green pepper, $.52
Stonyfield yogurt on sale 4 for $3 with card
Loaf of whole grain bread, $1
Package of corn tortillas, $2.29
1 can of diced tomatoes, $1.39
1 container of romaine lettuce, $1.59
2 bananas, $.31
Collards, $1.29
Kroger total: $17.98

Then I went to Meijer and bought:

¼ pound of deli turkey, $1.08 ($3.99/lb)
Dozen eggs, $1.79
Shredded cheese $2
Granola, $2.79
Package of chicken breasts, $4.68 ($2.49/lb)
Meijer total: $12.34

Total between both stores: $30.32

Yikes! Now I only have $1.18 for the rest of the week. Not much of a cushion. I figured I could use that to get more apples or bananas when my fruit runs out.

When I get home I realized I probably should’ve gotten a tub of yogurt instead of the individual cups of Stonyfield, which is my favorite but I got distracted by the pretty sign that said it was on sale. Despite the gimmick, it was still expensive. I also should’ve gotten a whole chicken instead of the chicken breasts. In terms of fruits and vegetables, I feel like I am woefully lacking in this department. I kicked myself later when I saw apples were $.59/pound at Meijer but I rationalized it by saying I only like Honeycrisp so they wouldn’t have gotten eaten anyway. I also don’t have enough dairy … definitely not enough for 3 cups a day.

While planning my meals, I figured meat and seafood would be out of the question since these are usually the budget busters. So I figure I could get some chicken and plan on making two things to last me the week. Luckily for me I like leftovers. I decide to make a huge pot of black beans that I can use in a variety of meals from my morning eggs to rice and beans at dinner. I also poach the chicken breasts and save the liquid to use like broth (I added some onions and garlic while cooking) and then I can shred up the chicken to add to the rice or to salad. Using the poaching liquid, I also made a batch of tortilla soup. Finally I cooked two cups of brown rice.

Also, I decide that this is the week that I’m going to attempt to forgo coffee because at $9.99/bag for my favorite coffee, that is a third of my budget. Even Folgers or Maxwell House coffee would be $4-5, which is not budget-friendly. For those of you who know me, no, I haven’t been abducted by aliens. Going from at least 6 cups to zero is going to be rough. But I figure I have to cut down anyway so might as well start now. (I apologize in advance to my friends and co-workers for my bad behavior.) I have a coupon for a free coffee at Starbucks that I will be cashing in when I’m going through withdrawal, probably this afternoon before my teen class.

I worked a long day Monday (9 a.m. to 9 p.m. between two jobs) so this required planning the night before. Usually when I’m doing a long day like this I get takeout, which can run up to $10.

Here’s how Day 1 went:

Breakfast
2 scrambled eggs wrapped in 2 tortillas with some beans

Lunch
Food Day lunch, which we ordered from our volunteer chef Alison at the soup kitchen. We brought healthy lunches for our fellow Gleaners at our different distribution sites. Ra said as part of our challenge we could include free food, so here’s today’s freebie. I picked the turkey sandwich and there was also a small cup of potato salad, an orange and granola bar. I ate the sandwich and potato salad and saved the granola bar and orange for a snack later.

Mid-afternoon snack at about 4 p.m.
Now I’m at my second job. At this point I’m getting really hungry (not to mention sleepy as this would’ve been coffee time) so I scarf the granola bar and an apple that I packed in my bag for dinner (I’m saving the orange for another time since eating an orange at a keyboard is not an easy feat). And then about an hour or so later I’m hungry again! I think it’s all in my head. But it is worth noting that I can’t just dig into my bag and pull out a snack or hit the vending machine. I drink more water.

Dinner
Rice and beans with some cheese … really craving something else, like veggies for a more well-rounded meal
1 orange

This is more or less what I’m going to eat every day; the only other variations would be to have granola and yogurt instead of the eggs in the morning or have a salad with chicken instead of a turkey sandwich for lunch. The only other thing I’m going to cook is the collards and I’ll probably do that on Wednesday so I can eat something new other than rice and beans.

What do you think of the food I got? If you’re doing the Food Stamp challenge, share your thoughts with us this week!