Thursday, November 2, 2017

a quinoa power bowl packed with energizing ingredients
A quinoa power bowl packed with energizing ingredients

If you鈥檝e ever wanted to learn how to make healthy and simple recipes on a college budget, you鈥檙e in the right place.听Nourish 91制片厂听peer educators offer a weekly demonstration cooking class,听What鈥檚 Cooking?

Every Wednesday, from 5:10 鈥 6 p.m., Nourish 91制片厂 members prepare a new menu to share in the demonstration kitchen at the Hamel Rec Center.

鈥淪tudents watch a meal being prepared from start to finish and get to taste everything at the end. It's a great way for students to see that eating healthy doesn't need to be expensive or time consuming,鈥 says Laila Hammam, nutrition educator/counselor at Health & Wellness.

91制片厂 Nourish peer educators Rachel Artus 鈥18 and Brooke Kealey 鈥18听lead a What's Cooking? class.
Rachel Artus 鈥18 and Brooke Kealey 鈥18听lead a What's Cooking? class.

Nutrition: dietetics majors Brooke Kealey 鈥18 and Rachel Artus 鈥18 taught the Oct. 25 class, which focused on superfoods, like kale and avocado. These nutritionally-rich foods can increase immunity and decrease the risk of disease and illness.

鈥淚 have always had a passion for cooking so these cooking classes are a great way for me to do what I love while teaching students the importance of cooking healthy dishes,鈥 Kealey says.

The Oct. 25 menu听included quinoa 鈥減ower bowls鈥 (with ingredients like sweet potatoes, edamame and chickpeas) and chocolate bark for dessert, made with almonds, coconut and cranberries.听

The class was informal and relaxed, with the leaders asking attendees about their plans for the weekend one minute and giving cooking tips the next.

Artus and Kealey explained the nutritional science and health benefits of each ingredient in the power bowl. They also offered tips to make these recipes accommodating for those with different preferences or dietary restrictions.

For example, Kealey advised, 鈥淚f you have a sensitive stomach, buy sprouted versions of quinoa. They are easier to digest.鈥

chocolate bark
The chocolate bark

Attendees watch the preparations happen in real time aided by an overhead video screen that projects an up-close view of the counter space. Artus and Kealy completed tasks like mixing a dressing, roasting chickpeas, cutting avocados and chopping the chocolate bark.

Once the meal was prepared, attendees could build their own power bowls with their choice of ingredients and nibble on the chocolate bark. Both recipes turned out well, and many students took second helpings.

鈥淚 hope that those who participate use it as a break from the stresses of school and other things here at 91制片厂,鈥 Artus says.

According to Nourish 91制片厂 co-leader Elise Lacasse 鈥18, 鈥淲e have had some students that come to our classes every week and say that they love it. I think seeing fellow college students actually preparing the food and being able to visualize how easy it really can be and how much time it takes makes a difference to them.鈥

Amanda Eagles 鈥18 and Keri Chamberlain 鈥18 have both been to multiple What鈥檚 Cooking? demonstration classes.

鈥淚 loved learning how to make power bowls,鈥 Eagles says. 鈥淚 come to What鈥檚 Cooking? every week and like that what we learn is easy and applicable.鈥

While the superfood class was only Chamberlain鈥檚 second, she has found attending to be beneficial.

鈥淚 have learned how to have a healthier diet. I want to make the power bowls on my own now,鈥 Chamberlain says. 鈥淎 lot of students don鈥檛 eat very healthily. If they attend a class, though, they can come and see how to make good recipes themselves.鈥

What鈥檚 Cooking? demonstration classes are free, but preregistration is required to ensure sufficient quantities and to accommodate dietary restrictions when possible. You can听learn more and register听on the Health & Wellness website.

Bon app茅tit!