Friday, April 26, 2013

Heart Healthy Recipes

Last Tuesday we hosted a Healthy Cooking class focused on Heart Healthy Dishes.  Recipes included Bean Tacos, Vegetarian Chili, and Banana-Oat cookies.  We discussed the importance of fiber in reducing cholesterol (and appetite), how to create complete proteins without eating meat, and why dessert ISN'T a bad thing!

Four types of protein: grains, beans/legumes, vegetables, and nuts. Proteins don't always have to come from meat, which is good if you don't eat meat. There are plenty of ways to eat healthy, while still consuming the amount of proteins your body requires.

Easy way to make vegetable stock*: veggie scraps, water, seasoning. Add the vegetable scraps to a pot that is large enough to hold both vegetables and water. Add the seasoning to the mix of vegetables (parsley, thyme, and rosemary stems are good additions for this recipe). Pour water into the pot. There should be enough water to completely submerge the vegetables. Turn the stove to a high temperature, and let the vegetables simmer (if you keep the heat on for longer than an hour, the vegetables start to turn mushy and lose their flavor). When the hour is up, strain the vegetables through a strainer, and then you have your vegetable stock!

Thank you to Renee, from the Art Institute of Wisconsin for her engaging and informative presentation!


Final preparations before class begins

Chili simmering in foreground while
peppers sizzle for bean tacos in background
Serving Bean Tacos

Discussing four categories of plant-based protein


*The recipe for vegetable stock was provided by allrecipes.com



Monday, April 8, 2013

Introducing our Interns

Thank you to all who applied for CORE/El Centro's first annual Food and Nutrition Internship.  We are excited to announce our three interns for the 2013 season.


Chloe, 15, is a freshman at Milwaukee School of Languages and is eager to build on her experiences through Hawley Environmental School.  She is excited to continue learning more about the connection between organic fresh produce, nutrition and health. During the internship, she will be focusing on Community Education and Outreach, from recruitment and marketing for our classes to photo documentation and evaluation.


Samantha, 15, is a freshman at Ronald Reagan High School and is passionate about community service.   Aspiring to one day be a teacher, she is excited about this internship as an opportunity to continue working with young children, practicing her Spanish skills and learning more about organic gardening and nutrition.  For the internship season she will be acting as Farmer’s Market manager, coordinating outreach, vendors and education at the rooftop market set to begin June 1st.




Dulay, 20, is a sophomore at MATC and an advocate for healthy living through organic gardening and healthy eating.  He is excited to incorporate sustainable methods of gardening into his own practice and teach others about nutrition and the importance of their food choices. His internship will focus on management and education around the rooftop Beepod – a sustainable, community-friendly method of urban beekeeping.